RED BANK — Overcrowded schools, the district budget as well as political ties were on the table as candidates for the Red Bank Public School District Board of Education discussed the future of the district.
The six candidates running for three seats on the board fielded questions from voters in an Oct. 15 debate organized by the Red Bank PTO and the League of Women Voters (LWV) of Monmouth County.
Board incumbents Fred Stone, Ann Roseman and Carrie Ludwikowski will defend their seats against challengers Michael Clancy, Richard Stout and Irwin Katz in the Nov. 3 election.
Sharon Steinhorn of the LWV moderated the debate, which included questions submitted anonymously by audience members.
For the first question to kick off the night Steinhorn asked candidates how they plan to solve the problem of overcrowding in district schools and how they would fund future facilities.
Katz took to the stump first, saying that plans for any future facility should be tackled head-on and not delayed.
“We’re going to have to adjust this problem going forward, and it’s important that we don’t try to push the problem down the road because it has to be settled with a combination of the federal, state, board and municipality,” said Katz.
Clancy responded that one way to address overcrowding is to make sure that all students attending Red Bank schools are supposed to be there.
“[We need to] make sure that it’s actually Red Bank students that are attending these schools. Going into enrollment information, make sure they aren’t coming from other towns and busing them into schools. To the best of my knowledge that has not been done yet.”
Roseman responded to Clancy’s statement, stating residency isn’t as big an issue for the district as he might believe.
“I would venture to say that 99.9 per cent of students of our schools are residents of Red Bank,” she said, noting that parents are required to provide documentation to enroll students, and the district has a residency committee to handle such issues.
Stone said the district has seen a bulge in population and that the borough is “developing work-arounds” to the issue.
Ludwikowski also weighed in about the growth of the school population.
“We have a larger enrollment that’s grown drastically over the past few years, and we are making some plans to see if we can use the space that we have to the best of our abilities.”
The challengers were asked what they would do differently if they were elected.
Stout responded that one of the initiatives would be fostering more communication between the board and state legislators.
“We need to get involved in state issues that affect the students’ education and of course the budget. We need a greater rapport with everyone in Trenton in order to take advantage of whatever funding is available. I’m sure we haven’t done that and I’m sure we haven’t done enough of that.”
Stone responded, “First of all, this is a huge insult to our legislators. Second of all, this is not true.”
He read a press release from Sen. Jennifer Beck (R-Monmouth) in which Beck, a Red Bank resident, states:
“I have, and always have had, a strong and productive working relationship with the Red Bank Board of Education and its superintendent. There is nothing more important than our children. Over the years, I have jointly and successfully advocated with the Board to the New Jersey Department of Education for under-adequacy aid and we have continued to fight for additional resources. This strong, nonpartisan relationship is built on our mutual concern about educating Red Bank’s children. I expect our unified front to continue into the future, regardless of who is elected.”
Katz complimented the board on the work the members have done over the years.
“As a parent of a child that has gone through the middle school I cannot name one thing that I would object to that this board has done, I think they have done an excellent job,” said Katz.
“The only thing I would say that has no reflection on the board is that we need a change in attitude in town toward the schools. We need to let the town know it’s a partnership.”
Katz also commented on the school board’s ability to keep the music programs running through private partnerships and called for expanding on that initiative.
“The people had to get together to keep the music program going, why don’t we have that kind of feeling toward the academic program,” he said.
“We want some more academic programs after school if we could get them.”
Steinhorn also questioned the candidates, asking if they met all the legal requirements for serving on the Board of Education.
The question drew a response from Clancy, who has lived in the township since the beginning of this year. There is a residency requirement that candidates running for the board must have lived in the borough for one year.
Clancy responded that if elected, he plans to assume the board seat.
“I’ve lived in Red Bank for 10 months and it was a blunder of mine when I read the qualifications. I meet all the qualifications but the one about living in the municipality, I’m two months short,” said Clancy.
“After speaking to counsel, I was told that [the regulations] are unconstitutional and unenforceable, so I would say I do meet the qualifications.”
Katz weighed in on the matter, criticizing Clancy.
“All it takes is one person to make the objection or take it to the county office, and they will start action. Unfortunately, Mr. Clancy, if you do get elected, you will not be able to sit on the board,” said Katz.
Steinhorn also asked how the school board could unite the community with the borough being divided on so many levels.
Ludwikowski was the first to respond.
“I think Red Bank is divided in a lot of ways, and it’s pretty disheartening. You have the charter school, the public school, English Language Learners, people that only speak English, Republicans, Democrats, I could go on,” she said.
“We’re separating, we’re tearing ourselves apart and there’s not enough money, there’s not enough resources and we need to get it together regardless of if our kids go to this school or the charter school. We should all be fighting for the right funding for this school district.”