Alan Michael Rummel

Alan Michael Rummel is a Republican candidate seeking one of the three seats on the Lee County Board of Education in the November 2026 general election, with the party primary scheduled for May 17 2026 [11]. In the filing that announced his candidacy, Rummel identified himself as a parent of two children enrolled in the Lee County school system and described his involvement in recent board discussions as that of a concerned community member [11].

During a Curriculum and Instruction Committee meeting on April 6 at Southern Lee High School, Rummel made public remarks about the district’s new “Science of Reading” program, emphasizing the desire of parents—who had been active in classrooms before the COVID‑19 pandemic—to be invited back into their children’s classrooms [11]. Following his comments, Democratic board member Patrick Kelly responded, leading Rummel to file an ethics complaint alleging that Kelly made a “personal and false accusation/attack” against him [11]. The complaint also named Committee Chair Christine Hilliard and Board Chair Sandra Bowen, asserting that they failed to intervene during the exchange [11].

Rummel’s complaint prompted a motion by Republican board member Sherry Lynn Womack to commission an external legal review of the allegations, a motion that was seconded by Republican member Pamela Sutton. The motion was defeated in a 2‑2 tie, leaving the complaint unresolved at that time [11]. Democratic members Pat McCracken and Dr. Lynn Smith cited email exchanges between Rummel and Kelly as evidence that the dispute had been settled, a claim Rummel disputed, stating that the board members had selectively quoted his messages [11]. Kelly later expressed surprise at the filing of the complaint, noting that he believed the issue had already been cleared up [11].

Rummel has said that, while he accepted Kelly’s apology, he pursued the formal complaint on principle, arguing that a board member’s alleged false accusation of a parent constitutes an ethics violation that should be investigated [11]. His campaign narrative therefore centers on accountability and parental involvement in school governance, particularly regarding curriculum initiatives such as the Science of Reading program [11].

Sources

• [11] Candidate’s ethics complaint against school board members fails