State school board names ex-coach as its president

COLUMBUS

Ohio’s state school board has elected a former high school teacher and college football coach as its next president.

Tom Gunlock, of Centerville, was elected to the helm of the State Board of Education by a 12-7 vote on Monday. Gunlock is an at-large board member who served four years as vice president. He replaces Debe Terhar, who stepped down.

Minority Democrats on the powerful policy-making panel nominated newly-elected board member Pat Bruns, a long-time art educator, for president. Their candidate for vice president, veteran board member Michael Collins, lost to Tess Elshoff, an appointee of Republican Gov. John Kasich from New Knoxville.

Gunlock works at RG Properties in Dayton and served as backfield coach for Morehead State University. He’s got bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education.