With deep roots in Worthington schools, Geoffrey Scott believes the next logical position for him will be a seat on the Board of Education.

He hopes voters agree.

"I have a unique perspective as a lifelong resident, graduate and employee of the Worthington schools, and now a parent and business owner in the school community," he said. "That perspective gives me a profound understanding of the issues each of those constituencies face and the role a school board member must fill."

Scott's background with the schools actually began before he was born. His grandparents, Harry J. and Opal Jane Halliday, moved to Worthington in 1937. His grandfather served on the Worthington school board during the 1940s.

His mother, Susan Scott, graduated from Worthington High School in 1959, went on to be a teacher of home economics at McCord Middle School and retired as the GRADS program teacher in 2000.

His father, Phillip Scott, retired in 1996 after serving 20 years as a psychologist with the district.

His wife, Kristin, graduated from Worthington High School in 1988. She taught Spanish for nine years at Kilbourne Middle School.

Geoffrey grew up in Worthington and graduated from Worthington High School in 1986. After receiving a degree from Ohio State University, he worked at Worthington Kilbourne High School as an educational aide from 1992 to 1995.

He then returned to school to earn a law degree and a master's in tax law from Capital University. He now teaches at Capital and Franklin universities, and is a partner in the Worthington law firm of Blaugrund, Herbert & Martin.

He and his wife have three children. David is in second grade at Bluffsview Elementary School, and twins John and Lauren are preschoolers.

His children, he said, are the reason he chose to run for a seat on the Worthington Board of Education.

"The decisions being made by the board now are very important," he said.

School funding is the most significant issue, he believes. Though he does not claim to have the answers to all the questions, his background in tax law will be invaluable in leading the district, he said.

He would like to see the state legislature give the district the tools it needs to raise enough money to run the schools, perhaps in the form of a percentage of the Commercial Activity Tax (CAT). He does not want the state to take on the full responsibility of funding the schools.

Maintaining local control is important, he said.

He does not believe that the district has any wasteful programs.

"I'm not running because I have an ax out there to grind," he said.

Decisions that must be made as enrollment declines will also be important in the next few years, Scott said.

And, like many residents, he is perplexed by the federal No Child Left Behind act and the state report card, which this year rated the Worthington schools as a "C" level district, despite meeting 29 of 30 standards.

The grade has been "very damaging" to the district, he said.

"It's a local versus state control issue that kind of chafes at me," Scott said.

He has attended several recent board meetings, and has been disappointed by what he sees as "micromanagement" by the board and the lack of involvement by the public.

If he is elected, his meeting comments will be limited to major policy decisions, he said.

"We should make our board meetings friendlier to the public," he said.