Galloway school board candidates discuss budgets, mental health in advance of election

Galloway Township — The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on student well-being and the state’s possible lack of funding to meet the challenges of the pandemic took center stage at City Hall in the recent School Board race .

The Galloway Family School Associations hosted City Hall at Middle School on Tuesday. Five of the six candidates running for three seats on the Galloway Board of Education participated in a prewritten discussion of the district’s future priorities, which included four elementary schools, one middle school, and one kindergarten. I answered your question. Dozens of residents have seen and heard.

The incumbent, James Gentile, is a former Deputy Attorney General and attorney working on youth and family services cases, with a focus on increasing responsibilities placed on schools, teachers, and administrators to help students focus on holistic care of

It said these rising expectations were a result of the lack of other mental health resources in the area, and said schools had to become more proactive in providing the services students need. .

“The role of schools seems to be changing … it seems to be becoming more complex,” Gentile said outside City Hall. It’s a time when I feel like I have to be an advocate for children, and especially on issues related to mental health.”

Gentil said that increasingly expensive health insurance premiums are a barrier to access to mental health services, and the board should encourage local and state governments, mental health professionals, social He said there is a need to work more closely with welfare agencies so that they can better serve students in need. Help the district meet its financial needs.

Incumbent Belinda Chester reiterated her concern for student well-being. One of her goals, she said, is to raise her awareness and petition states for more funding, even as federal pandemic assistance expires.

Chester said the pandemic has hampered the academic and social development of many students, and Trenton is particularly at risk of leaving children with special needs and disabilities behind if it does not provide academic and mental health resources. I said there is.

“Students have very different needs when we come out of COVID,” said Chester. “There are a lot of areas that really need people who can speak up and say, ‘My kids need them now and we can’t ignore them.'”

Joshua Smith, current president of the Galloway Port Republic Democratic Club, is running for school board for the first time. Smith said her daughter’s experience of being bullied in middle school inspired her to participate in the race. He said he hopes AtlantiCare’s partnership with local high schools will expand to elementary schools in Galloway.

“I don’t want my child to go through what my daughter had to endure when she was in middle school,” Smith said.

Given recent incidents of violence in schools across the country, Smith said he is working more closely with Galloway Police to give students a better sense of security and to enter into shared services contracts with local governments to control costs. Smith, an electrician at IBEW Local 351, said he wanted to expand his career opportunities.

Incumbent Suzette Carmen, who is now chairman, said she can continue to help districts meet their financial challenges. Her insurance audit director highlighted her experience with volunteer coaching work with local sports teams.

“My concern is not just about serving the children in this community and ensuring that everyone has an equal education. to take,” said Carmen.

Challenger Muhammad Ayub said he wanted to diversify the board and introduce the school district to the overlooked perspectives of parents, guardians and students in the community. and Frank Gilliam’s staff, and received the Distinguished Service Award from Stockton University.

“We have community members who are concerned and we need to hear from them,” Ayub said. “My inclusion brings diversity and new ideas.”

James Delkane was absent on November 1, but made a prepared statement to the crowd via proxy that he wanted to fight to keep taxes in the constituency.

In Galloway, as in other districts, there are concerns that the nominally nonpartisan school board elections have become too entangled in party politics. Township City Councilman Tom Basford criticized Smith for his decision to run, claiming he was only promoting Democratic influence. , emphasized its commitment to being nonpartisan while serving on the board. He told the Atlantic City press on Thursday that if he is elected to the school board, he will step down from his position as president of the Democratic Club to prevent the appearance of fraud.

While more conservative than other school districts, the debate over the new state’s general health and physical education standards, particularly the sex education curriculum, made headlines. Candidates widely acknowledged that school boards are limited in what they can do to change sex education standards. Smith said part of his anti-bullying platform is to make students feel included, regardless of their identity.

Ayub said he will work with parents to oppose the implementation of standards they deem inappropriate.

“It’s our children, not the children of the country,” Ayub said.