A Lively Board of Education Candidates Forum

By Elizabeth Bobrick

An audience of over 100 people came to the Middletown High School auditorium Wednesday night to for the Board of Education candidates’ forum. Most stayed for the entire two and a half hour meeting, and applauded the candidates at length when it ended.

None of the candidates are currently on the board or hold elected office. When asked what qualities they would bring to the BOE, they answered in order of their seating at the dias, not by party affiliation.

21 year-old Wesleyan junior Alexander Mac Levin (R) said that his youth was a plus. Having graduated from high school only three years ago, he had a “different perspective.” As the president of a national organization of college students involved in politics, he said that he oversees a budget of over a million dollars. At the end of the evening, he said that he loved Middletown and wanted to stay after graduating.

Franca Arcuri Biales (D) spoke of her experience as a mother of children in the public schools, a teacher, and an extern for the current BOE,. She added that her “people skills” would be an asset in a position that requires improved “communication.”

Kevin Kelly (R) cited his administrative background at the Whiting Forensic Institute, where he was a supervisor in the payroll department and in employee contracts would serve him well. “Elected or not,” he added, he would “continue to work with the party.”

Edward McKeon (D) said that although he had two children in the school system, his reasons for running were not just personal. “Education is the backbone of democracy,” he said. His statement that “we need to expect more [from the BOE] than ‘sue the bastards’” was met with applause from the audience.

Cheryl McClellan (R), retired from the army since 1992, said that she would bring her knowledge of the system as a mother of children who had gone through the schools and from her current position as a substitute teacher in the elementary schools. She has learned “what the schools need,” in particular that the teachers need more support, and that their basic classroom needs were not being met due to budget cuts.

Mark Loomis, running as an independent, mentioned his 12 years in “the mental health business” which he joked would be “an asset” to an elected official in Middletown. He cited his 20 years teaching in a Cromwell school, and his experience in finance, as a small business owner.

Mitchell G. Wynn (D), a pastor and owner of a barbershop, said that he was running for office because, “it is a necessity.” He knows students, families, and teachers in Middletown well, and said that “the curriculum needs to be evaluated,” with an open mind to perspectives not often taken into account. He has been a volunteer for five years at the high school, and now volunteers at Bielefield. Both his children and grandchildren attended or currently attend Middletown public schools.

Eugene Nocera (D) pointed to his experience first as a teacher throughout the system and later as the principal of four city schools. “This is my family,” he said “and I’m deeply concerned about what’s happening.” He promised to “cultivate a climate of openness, respect, and excellence.” He said, “We have first-rate schools, and my goal is to get them to world-class.”

Callie Gruppo (R), an insurance risk manager, said that her extensive experience in negotiating contracts would help improve the BOE’s relationship to other city agencies and employees. “I’m a parent, not a politician,” she added, “and “I’m tired of bureaucracy.” She wants to “pay it forward to teachers,” who, with the students need more “respect and attention.”

Ava Hart (D), a 1991 graduate of MHS, said that her experience as a parent, a provider, a taxpayer and social worker gave her an understanding of children’s “social and emotional needs.” She said that she would be able to “bring pride and dignity back to our schools.” Later in the evening, she spoke against officials who refused to answer questions about BOE expenditures on the grounds of “student confidentiality” and “rules.” Speaking as a social worker,” she said, “you can follow the rules and still not hide things.”

Tami Kapaziewski (R) pointed to her experience as an employee of the BOE administration, where she worked in the payroll department, and “within schools at different levels.” This experience gave her “an inside view” of the “improvements” that the BOE needed. She noted several times throughout the evening that she “gets feisty over certain issues.”

In their responses the candidates expressed a shared commitment to teamwork within the BOE. None emphasized their party affiliation or spoke in support of their parties’ candidates. Callie Gruppo, for example, told the audience to “vote for the policy, not the party,” and Mr. McKeon and Ms. Biales said that decisions should not be made on party lines.

The discussion was in large part a referendum on the leadership of the current BOE, particularly its chair, Ted Raczka, who was in the audience. No other members of the BOE were mentioned by name. The candidates decried the lack of transparency in budgetary matters, the BOE’s inability to work with the city council, the insufficiently high standards set for student performance and the curriculum itself, and the BOE’s insufficient supervision and evaluation of superintendent of schools Michael Frechette.

One question put to the candidates asked them to respond to Mr. Razcka’s statement that, “The council doesn’t have the right to tell us how the money is spent.” Mr. Kelly cited the city charter’s requirement that the council and the BOE should work together on the budget, but that the BOE budget is extremely difficult if not impossible to understand, and “almost like a shell game.” Mr. McKeon said that although Mr. Raczka was legally “correct”,” he objected to the “sense of arrogance.” Ms. McClellan agreed, and added that there had to be “accountability.” Mr. Wynn pointed out that “money can cause problems, not just solve them.” Mr. Nocera said, that although, legally, “Ted is correct,” his statement was “at the heart of the attitude that has to change.” Ms. Kapaziewski said that while working in the BOE central office, she had seen “money moved around in ways you wouldn’t believe.” Ms. Hart said that spending money without assessment of its effects was “irresponsible.” Mr. Levin said, “Maybe the council sees that the BOE is not spending money properly.” Ms. Biales added, “It’s like a child saying, “It’s my life, I’ll do what I want. Technically, yes, but, no.”

An anonymous question came from the floor concerning “unsubstantiated rumors” that $1.5 million was restored to the BOE budget after an initial cut, but that the money was spent on “the central office,” and not as it was intended. After a notable silence from the candidates, Mr. Loomis spoke again of the importance of transparency. Mr. Nocera said that the rumors, even though “unsubstantiated,” pointed out that the public needed to speak up with questions about how money is spent. The responses of Mr. Wynn, Ms. Hart, Mr. Kelly, and Ms. McClellan, indicated that they did not doubt the truth of the rumors. Ms. Kapaziewski went so far as to say that the claim is “not unsubstantiated or a rumor. I’ve seen it.” Ms. Grippo pointed out that all rumors are unsubstantiated, by definition, but that trust had to be restored.

All vowed to bring change in a variety of forms: financial transparency, a new attitude of cooperation and trust, higher standards, better communication, and transformation of the current top-down decision-making process that excluded teachers. Mr. Levin said that forums like this one should be held regularly. Ms. McClellan said that the public should be allowed to speak first and at greater length at BOE meetings. Ms. Biales said that her “pet project” would be to form a committee to “look at issues the public brings to us” instead of listening to people “pouring their hearts out over a problem,” who then received no response. Several said that the BOE meeting agendas, supporting materials, and minutes could easily be put on line for ease of public access.

The candidates were clearly surprised and pleased at the extent to which they agreed on the issues. There was so much consensus among them that both Mr. Kelly and Mr. McKeon said that the public would have a hard time choosing whom to vote for. Mr. McKeon also praised the elected officials of both parties who attended the meeting, and invited the audience to “look around and see who is here.” In addition to Mr. Razcka, this reporter saw Mayor Giuliano, BOE members Jay Keiser (D) and Sheila Daniels (R), and council member Bob Santangelo (D).

A representative of the Middletown Federation of Teachers moderated the event. The MFT, along with the Middletown Paraprofessional Union, and the Middletown Schools Association, organized the event, formulated the questions, and invited questions prior to the event, online, and from the floor. The forum was videotaped, apparently by students, and will be available to the public.