By Angela Marshall
While the two main issues for school-board candidates remained the same, information given by one candidate at the Nov. 1 PTA Forum was later refuted by school administrators. Four candidates are vying for one school-board seat in a special election on Wednesday, Nov. 15.
When questions arose about the candidates' commitment to either full-day kindergarten or smaller class size, issues that have dominated election discussions, Roberta Nelson told the audience that a school administrator had told her that at least one of the program changes could be funded.
Ms. Nelson, a member of the district's budget committee, said Dr. Lee Chapman, deputy superintendent, told her that "We probably will have the money for smaller class sizes."
A school spokesman denied that any such statement had been made by Dr. Chapman or any school official. Two committees, one studying the benefits of full-day kindergarten, the other examining class size, have been meeting since September. They are scheduled to report their findings by the end of the year. Without the committee findings, district spokesperson Trish Hughes said, there is no way to know how much money would be needed for these programs. According to Ms. Hughes, Dr. Chapman may have said that if the board decides to go forward with the changes, that the administration would make "allowances for it in the next budget."
Despite the money question, all candidates said they recognize the benefits of both programs but are waiting to see how they would impact the budget.
The other candidates are William Edelman, Robert Paskoff and Joel Peskoff.
PASKOFF STANDS ALONE
Mr. Paskoff played the self-proclaimed role of "devil's advocate" when answering questions regarding vouchers, charter schools and merit pay.
"I think they're great," Mr. Paskoff said of vouchers and charter schools. "Competition is great. What charter schools and vouchers do is create competition, and I think that simulates growth."
Mr. Paskoff, a physical therapist and adjunct professor, was alone in this opinion.
Mr. Edelman, who owns IPS Alarms, said he recognizes the value of competition in business, but said the school district is "not in the business of building widgets."
Mr. Peskoff, a project manager for the MTA-New York City Transit Authority, called vouchers and charter schools inventions of the rich and said that even with vouchers, poor people cannot afford to send their children to private schools.
"I am totally and absolutely against them," said Ms. Nelson, a teacher in the New York City public-school system and coordinator of a law magnate program. "I can't imagine taking my tax dollars and giving them to someone to send their child to private schools when I believe in public education."
The candidates were similarly divided on the issue of collective bargaining, Mr. Paskoff said he would favor a smaller percentage pay increase across the board for teachers, with additional "liberal incentives" to encourage teachers to develop new programs and be more innovative.
The other candidates said they were against this sort of merit pay and that competitive pay is necessary to keep quality teachers in Baldwin.
"We have to pay our teachers fair and competitive salaries," Mr. Peskoff said, "or else we're going to lose them to school districts that do."
Voting will take place at the Baldwin Senior High School.
