Sex, diversity, 'divisive' books are focus of Parsippany school board candidate forum
PARSIPPANY — Seven hopefuls for three seats on the township board of education dug into sex education, increasing diversity, appropriate reading for students and other issues facing Morris County's largest school district during a candidate forum on Tuesday.
The candidates maintained a respectful tone throughout the gathering at at Parsippany Hills High School, and largely agreed on several topics. But opinions veered when it came to some of the hot-button issues that have injected politics into many boards around New Jersey and the U.S. in recent years.
Two opposing slates of three candidates each differed on how the district should enact New Jersey's new curriculum on sex and gender education, as well as the role the board should play in approving reading materials for students. The six candidates including three incumbents, all vying for three three-year terms on the board.
Incumbents Alison Cogan and Kendra Von Achen are running with Michelle Shappell, a financial professional. Cogan has been on the board since 2014. Von Achen is seeking her second term.
The other slate includes 15-year board member Andrew Choffo, joined by challengers Jack Raia and Yvonne Ferise. Choffo and Raia identified themselves as conservatives. Raia added their ticket is endorsed by the Morris County chapter of Moms For Liberty, a nationally-based conservative group that has accused the state teacher's union of imposing a “woke” agenda in public schools and insulting parents who protest against it.
Ferise said she was running in objection to the state's revised sex education standards implemented this year, which she said includes "explicit sexual material" inappropriate for young students. She said she favors parental rights to opt-out of those lessons, something the state standards currently allow for.
Running on his own and completing the field is Falgun Bakhtarwala, an electrical engineer and data analyst who focused many of his comments on promoting STEM education and improving overall academic achievement.
The forum was sponsored and moderated by the League of Women Voters of the Morristown Area and the Woman’s Club of Parsippany Troy Hills. The election will be held on Nov. 8.
Responding to questions from moderator Louise Murray, the candidates mostly agreed that the district is doing a good job of maintaining the budget, supporting special-needs students, completing a new contract with the New Jersey Education Association and embracing the increasing ethnic diversity in town. Parsippany's population is 48% white, 37% Asian, 10% Hispanic and 3% African-American, according to the 2020 Census.
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Choffo, however, added that he "draws the line when certain groups are marginalized at the expense of others."
"I've made comments about certain books and novels put forth to the board of education for inclusion in the middle school and high school programs that I thought were completely divisive and we need to watch that very closely," he said.
No book titles were mentioned, but Cogan followed Choffo, saying "I think the value of diversity and inclusion for all is showing kids that everyone is different, everyone has value," she said. "And that they can see themselves represented in the curriculum in the books they read and the projects they have, and the only way that happens is if the entire community values and celebrates all of the differences."
Raia emphasized a "diversity of thought" and the value of highlighting "what we have in common."
Shappell said the district's embrace of diversity education fosters critical thinking and equips students "to be prepared to go out into society and get along with other people" and "appreciate what somebody else has to offer."
By law, school boards are nonpartisan. But politics have seeped into educational discussions around the country in recent months and Choffo struck a similar tone when the candidates were asked how they would keep political influences at bay.
"It seems to me when progressives get their way and everyone votes yes with them, it's nonpartisan," he said. "However, when others question things put before them and vote no, it's all of a sudden partisan, and I wonder how that comes to be?"
"We have got to come to grips with the fact that we not only set policy and approve the curriculum but we also have a voice, based on our constituents, based on the people who elected us who have a point of view, on how things are taught and what things are taught," Choffo said.
Shappell said board members take a pledge to devote themselves to "not standing by their own perspectives and being non-partisan."
"There should be repercussions for not abiding by this, including up to expulsion," she said. "I think the campaign rules should be updated to prevent political groups from recruiting candidates."
Von Achen echoed Sheppell's sentiments and said board members must "hold each other accountable."
Added Cogan, "I do believe questioning items is not considered partisan and that is not what several members of our [board] are doing."Once we are sitting at the table and conducting board business," she said, "we are supposed to be considering what is in the best interest of all students in our districts, not just the students that think like we do, not just the parents of the students who voted for us. But every student in the district."
William Westhoven is a local reporter for DailyRecord.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
Email: wwesthoven@dailyrecord.com
Twitter: @wwesthoven
This article originally appeared on Morristown Daily Record: Parsippany NJ BOE forum debates sex-ed, diversity, book ban
