PEA Forum Issues Include Charter Schools, Budget

L-R: Lynn B. Anderson, Wilma Campbell, Jackie Coley, Alice F. Horton-Mays, Dorien Hurtt, Frederick Moore Sr., Carmencita Pile, James Plummer 

Eight school board candidates vying for three seats met the public Wednesday at a forum sponsored by the Plainfield Education Association.

The union, which represents 1,018 teachers and other staff, posed questions to candidates on topics including each one's experience with budgeting, how they might stem the influx of charter schools, their thoughts on curbing district legal costs and how the board and superintendent should ideally relate. The candidates' opening statements and responses to PEA questions took up so much time that only one question from the public could be answered before closing statements.

Among their comments:

Lynn B. Anderson said managing the budget "comes down to needs and wants."

"We need to know where we're going as a district," she said.

She said she would bring to the board her abilities to negotiate and listen.

Wilma Campbell, an incumbent who is seeking a fifth term, said legal fees had been reduced from around half a million dollars to $300,000. Regarding a controversial campaign billboard next to a district one touting the $1 acquisition of a school building, she said the placement was decided by the business that owns the billboards.

Jackie Coley, a former board member,  suggested organizing a group to go to Trenton to stop the charter school boom (Plainfield has four charter schools, according to the state Department of Education). She also said there had been a "huge reduction" in legal fees.

Alice F. Horton-Mays said the school budget process is flawed and should start from the bottom up, with the classroom teachers and principals. Referring to the switch from November elections to April, she called the estimated $115,000 cost "waste."

"I'm not attacking, I'm just saying make sure the board is more accountable," she said.

Dorien Hurtt, a former board member, called for a forensic audit to find out where money is being spent Hurtt also said too many board members are involving themselves in day-to-day district activities.

Frederick Moore Sr., an incumbent, said he wanted to change "the culture" on the board, which he said now has "multiple cultures screaming to be the one." He wants them to come together instead of opposing each other.

Carmencita Pile asked why the superintendent had allowed the downtown billboard placement and said the district was paying legal fees "to stop someone from writing their blog." She said "fiscal mismanagement" was the district's "most pressing issue."

James Plummer named his many roles in education, including high school principal, and said he would bring a "unique package of experience and gravitas" to the board.

"The adversarial tone at the board meetings has to end," he said.

If you were not among the 83 attendees in the Hubbard School auditorium, you can assess the candidates next Wednesday (April 13) when the Plainfield League of Women Voters holds a forum at 6:30 p.m. in the Anne Louise Davis Room at the Plainfield Public Library. The League allows opening and closing statements from candidates and takes written questions from the audience. A LWV moderator (not from Plainfield) reads questions to the candidates and enforces LWV guidelines for such forums.

The school board election is from 2 to 9 p.m. on April 19. Check your sample ballot for your polling place. Although there are two slates running (Campbell, Moore, Plummer and Hurtt, Pile, Anderson), you can vote for any three candidates for three-year terms.