Sparta school board hopefuls tackle sex-ed, diversity, overcrowding at election forum
SPARTA — Outdated educational facilities and the state's controversial sex education standards were front and center at Tuesday's school board candidates' forum, as voters considered their choices in one of New Jersey's most hotly contested local races.
Six of the 17 Sparta residents seeking a seat in the Nov. 8 election attended the event at the Sparta VFW. The candidates − incumbent Jennifer Miller and challengers Kaitlin Gagnon, Jennifer Grana, Tammy Mongon, Dana Gulino and Carlos Mohammed − answered a dozen audience-submitted questions during the two-hour session, moderated by Bill Askin of the Sparta-based Askin & Hooker law firm.
In a district that has been rife with conflict recently, including frequent board turnover and the abrupt departures of several teachers, candidates highlighted the need for incoming board members to restore stability.
"I believe, while a lot of us may have differences in views and differences in opinions, that we should all work together to come to a general consensus," Mohammed said. "What we don't need is divisiveness between people on the board. We need to work together because ultimately, what we're trying to do here is do what's best for our children and for our educators."
Disputes over sex ed, gender issues, COVID protocols and other issues have led to a flood of school board candidates across North Jersey this year. Sparta is no different, with the 17 candidates vying for six seats on the board. The field in Sparta includes two teams of six candidates each, another team of three incumbents and two running individually. Eleven candidates did not attend Tuesday's forum, including the entire six-person team that bills itself as "Students First."
Contacted Wednesday, two "Students First" members, Leigh McMichael and incumbent Lauren Collier, said the event conflicted with childcare duties for some candidates on the team. Collier and fellow board incumbent Kurt Morris could not attend because they were in Atlantic City for a New Jersey School Boards Association workshop.
Support for sex-ed program
Tuesday's discussion was civil but didn't shy away from arguably the most contentious issue in local board races: the state sex education standards set forth in 2020 and implemented by all public school districts this year. Asked whether they support the curriculum that Sparta has adopted to implement those standards, the candidates all said they trust in teachers' abilities to relay the lessons appropriately.
Gagnon alluded to the recent arrest of a teacher at Pope John XXIII Regional High School for taking lewd photos of students. The case, she said, highlights the importance of teaching young children sex education so they can recognize abuse.
"No one is indoctrinating our children, especially our Sparta teachers," said Gagnon, who's part of a six-person "Advocating for All" slate that was well-represented at Tuesday's forum. "We really need to get rid of and strip away the hysteria and the sensationalized talking points and really scrutinize what is happening. For a second-grader to be able to label and identify their body parts to avoid abuse; there is nothing wrong with that."
Mohammed compared the curriculum issue to his job as a chef, in which he listens to feedback but does not allow outsiders to come in the kitchen and tell him how to cook.
As board members,"We don't look and choose what curriculums are taught, so I believe that's really not a yes or no answer," he said. "We just support what's put out there, and we allow our teachers to use their professional opinion on how they put that forward."
'Let children be children'
Miller, running on a team with two other incumbents, noted that the state provides learning standards for all subjects, and each district decides how best to meet those standards.
"I feel very comfortable with the health and P.E. curriculum that was written for the Sparta school district, as it was written by a very competent team of teaching professionals," she said.
Where the "Students First" candidates stand on the new health standards wasn't completely clear. The issue isn't addressed directly on the group's website, though its platform does include a pledge to "Return the focus to education in the classroom and remove the political agendas. Let children be children and prepare them academically to excel in life."
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Collier, one of the Students First members, previously told the New Jersey Herald that lessons on puberty and safe sexual health practices are "important for our students, but only when introduced (at) age appropriate levels."
"If parents desire their children to learn these topics sooner, they should introduce them at home," she said. "The classroom is a place for education, not sexualization."
The rest of the slate's website focuses on a variety of issues, including the need for a new elementary school in town and expanding offerings for students with disabilities.
Overcrowding, diversity
Another issue raised Tuesday is the condition of the older Sparta school buildings, with overcrowding forcing some students and teachers into makeshift classrooms, as well as inadequate handicap accessibility in certain schools. Several candidates cited the much-needed repairs and upgrades as priorities in upcoming budgets.
"That's the kind of thing that Sparta has to look in the mirror about and really take care of," said Grana, part of the "Advocating for All" team with Gagnon, Mongon and Gulino. "Tax dollars are very important to the school system, and we need to spend them appropriately starting immediately."
"I want to see us really start to move forward," Mohammed added. "Yes, it's going to be a huge undertaking. It's going to take five years, it's going to take time, but the time is now."
The six candidates in attendance Tuesday, despite not all running on the same ticket, expressed many of the same values and objectives for Sparta schools. Each promoted the importance of working together as a board and pledged to ensure that all students' voices are heard − particularly students of color and members of the LGBTQ community.
"I spent my career as a teacher, especially as a journalism teacher, helping to show my students that they can be whoever they want to be," said Miller, who is now a principal in the West Milford school district. "I stand with inclusivity as a teacher, as an administrator and as a mom. I certainly stand with all people who want to be included."
Mongon, an eighth-grade teacher, said she's witnessed firsthand the welcoming environment that students provide for peers of all backgrounds. Parents need to follow their children's lead on social issues, sh eadded.
"I've had students who have come in, who have changed their names. They've changed their pronouns, and every single child in the class rolls with it," Mongon said.
"They accept it, and it's time for the adults to do the same," she said to applause from the audience.
The crowded Sparta race is indicative of a larger trend throughout North Jersey, where an unprecedented number of candidates are set to appear on the ballot in this year's election.
Frankford, Hardyston, Sussex-Wantage and Vernon are the other Sussex County districts with contested board races this year. In all, 85 candidates are competing for 79 open positions in the county, a sharp increase from the 64 who ran in 2021, 74 in 2020 and 70 in 2019.
The full list of Sparta candidates on the ballot can be found below.
'Students First'
Three-year terms
Kurt Morris (incumbent)
Lauren Collier (incumbent)
Leigh McMichael
One-year terms
Christina Longo-Keiling
Walter Knapp
LeeAnne Pitzer
'Advocating for All'
Three-year terms
Kaitlin Gagnon
Jen Grana
Jessica Nelson
One-year terms
Davina Daura
Dana Gulino
Tammy Mongon
'Experienced, Consistent, Dedicated'
Three-year terms
Niamh Grano (incumbent)
Jennifer Miller (incumbent)
Patrick McKernan (incumbent)
'Students, Parents, Faculty'
Three-year term
Gregory Rosenfeld
'Aspire and Achieve'
One-year term
Carlos Mohammed
This article originally appeared on New Jersey Herald: Sparta NJ school board candidates talk sex-ed, overcrowding
