To the editor:
We are writing to thank everyone who attended the Not in Our Town Princeton Forum for the candidates for the Princeton Board of Education at the Princeton YWCA on October 14. Thank you to the approximately 70 audience members who attended in person and the 617 people who have watched the live-stream of the forum so far for taking the time to make an informed decision.
If you are interested in seeing where the candidates stand on important issues of equity, social justice, and mental health, please consider watching the live-stream of the forum. Most of the questions asked of the candidates were submitted ahead of time by students at Princeton High School. The video is located on the Not in Our Town-Princeton Facebook page and on the Not in Our Town Princeton website: https://niotprinceton.org/2018/10/17/video-of-school-board-candidate-forum/.
The board of education may seem like an insignificant portion of the ballot. It is easy to overlook the local when there is so much happening at the federal level. However, it is at the local level that many national issues manifest and that our choices as individuals can be the most impactful.
The board of education is the body who will make decisions that will affect our schools and our community for decades to come. Board members will be involved in responding to the results of the Equity Audit, working to address vital mental health concerns, and addressing facility needs across the district. It is as important as any other election on the November ballot.
We especially want to thank the candidates for attending and for their devotion to having these important conversations. Thank you to the Princeton YWCA for allowing us to use their beautiful facilities. Finally, thank you to Linda Oppenheim, Princess Hoagland, Joyce Turner, and the rest of Not in Our Town Princeton, without whom we could never have put this forum together.
The Student Organizers of the Forum
Salma Hashem ‘19
Hamza Nishtar ‘18
Raisa Rubin-Stankiewicz ‘20
Valeria Torres-Olivares ‘18