Board of Ed Candidates Face Off In Debate

With roughly a week left until the 2010 Board of Education elections, the 12 candidates debated each other Tuesday night in a classroom on the Stevens Institute of Technology campus.

The debate was split up in two 90-minute sessions in which six candidates at a time answered questions from the audience. 

The debate was moderated by Bob Bowdon, who recently produced The Cartel, a documentary about waste and corruption in New Jersey's public schools. 

Among the issues discussed were the International Baccalaureate Programme versus Advanced Placement classes, the search for a new superintendent and the budget.

Each round started off with opening statements by the candidates, explaining why they're running for school board and how long they've lived in Hoboken. 

Round 1

A new face to some, Kathleen Tucker is running on the Real Results slate. "I'm concerned about the future of the education system here in town," Tucker said.

John Forsman, also running on the Real Results slate, said that he has no children (yet), but would like Hoboken to be his home and a place where he can raise a family. Forsman is running for a one-year term and has lived in Hoboken for five years, he said. 

Forsman said that the current school system "overspends and underprovides."

Kyelia Colon, a 35-year-old mother of four who has lived in the Hoboken Housing Authority her entire life, said she's running to advocate for the issues that face her community.

"This election is for the children," Colon said. 

Among the issues discussed was social promotion—when students are being pushed to the next grade, even when they're not at the appropriate level—which Colon said happens all the time with students from the Housing Authority. "They push our children through the system," Colon said, with the argument that "they'll catch up." 

"I didn't know this was a concern in the district," said sitting board member Irene Sobolov, who is running on the Kids First slate. 

Sobolov, mother of three sons in the Hoboken public schools, also defended the recently passed school board budget, and tried to explain rumors that programs are being cut (such as the theater program).

"The theater program is fully funded and nobody was let go," Sobolov said.

Theater Director Paula Ohaus' position was recently changed into a teaching position. 

"Repositioning her directorship needs to be thought out a little bit more," Tucker said, adding that she was "blown away" by the recent Hoboken High School production of the musical Aida.

The search for a new superintendent was on everyone's mind Tuesday night, and the question was asked to both sets of candidates. All agreed that the new candidate should be certified in New Jersey and have sufficient experience. 

Jean Marie Mitchell, who is running on the Kids First slate, said the new superintendent should be a "disciplinarian with regard to policy." 

"I want change," Colon added. She said also that the new superintendent should be somebody who understands the problems that face children in the Housing Authority.

Running for a one-year term on the same slate as Colon and former mayoral candidate Patricia Waiters, Ken Howitt said he'd like to see the establishment of an educational non-profit, and more partnership with local organizations. He also urged the importance of finding permanent people to fill the important positions in the district (Hoboken currently has—among other positions—an interim superintendent and an interim High School principal). 

Interim administrators hurt the stability of the district, Howitt said. "What the hell is going to happen when all these people leave at once?" 

Round 2

After a brief break and a quick switch of name signs, the second six candidates were up.

Current Board President and Kids First member Rose Marie Markle defended the choice to introduce AP classes, rather than continue the IB Programme. Markle said after the debate that the students in this year's 11th grade (next year's 12th grade) who are currently part of the IB Programme will finish it. Afterward, IB will no longer be offered in Hoboken. By that time, Markle said, AP classes should be integrated into the curriculum. Markle said AP classes will be more beneficial to Hoboken students. 

Perry Lin, running with Real Results, said that no funding for the AP classes has been found yet. 

"IB was an experiment," said Leon Gold, who is running on the Kids First slate. "IB in our situation didn't work."

On the other side of the table,Lin and independent candidate John Madigan, disagreed. "Don't be fooled," Lin said. 

"There are programs being cut," Madigan said, referring to the IB Programme and Summer School. (Markle responded by saying that there was no summer school in the district last year either.)

Real Results candidate Elizabeth Markevitch emphasized the importance of making cuts and being fiscally responsible. 

"We spend huge tax dollars," she said, "but we do not have an excellent school system." She added that Hoboken's test results are in the lower third of the state. 

Lin also emphasized the importance of fiscal responsibility and said he would like to see outsourcing of non-teaching expenses. 

"Funds should be re-allocated to our students," he said. He also said that the athletic budget is bloated and that the administration is too "top heavy."

Of course the search for a new superintendent came up during this round, too. 

Gold, an adjunct professor at Columbia University, said he would like to see a new superintendent who is certified in New Jersey, encourages parent involvement and improves test scores, among other things.  

For Waiters, the most important part of finding a new superintendent is an open and transparent process. There were 21 applications for the job of superintendent during the recent search, Waiters said. She suggested that the board should review those applications again. 

Madigan called the recent search for a superintendend and Frank Romano's withdrawal as a candidate "a debacle."

Another issue that came up during the debate is the move of 8th graders into the high school building next academic year, because of the renovations of the Connors School. Demarest students will also be housed in the High School.

Addressing the issue of lack of space, Markevitch said smaller schools work better for students. But, she added, "We do not have enough schools to fit all of our children."

The Board of Education elections are on April 20.