A New Ulm school board candidate says his conviction for a sex offense sixteen years ago should not prevent him from running for office. Small business owner Ben Thompson is one of twelve candidates for four school board positions in New Ulm. A recent Minnesota law bans convicted sex offenders from running for school board. The law was written by a New Ulm legislator after Thompson ran and lost in a 1998 school board race. Minnesota Public Radio's Art Hughes reports. {Ben Thompson says he's a responsible citizen of New Ulm concerned about the state of his local school district. The 55-year-old proprietor of a lawn care and snow removal business says he served his time for two counts of sexual abuse and the state has returned his right to vote and hold public office.