Student success, teacher salaries and censorship among topics addressed at Harford County Board of Education candidates forum

Nov. 3—Student success, teacher salaries, fiscal responsibility and censorship were among the topics candidates for the Harford County Board of Education discussed during a virtual forum on Tuesday evening, hosted by the League of Women Voters.

Seven candidates spoke to more than 60 online viewers on issues important to them, with a pitch for why they should be elected to the school board.

"Our goal is to make sure we facilitate opportunities like this for community members and those running for office to have meaningful discourse," said Kira Sconion, president of Harford County League of Women Voters.

Although all of the candidates were sent invitations to the forum, Stephen Puopolo, Wade Sewell, Carol Mueller, Ariane Kelly, Carol Bruce, Diane Alvarez and Sharon Jacobs were the only candidates to attend the event, Sconion said.

Puopolo is running against Denise Perry to represent District A on the Board of Education. Sewell is running against Dennis Barry to represent District B.

Mueller is running against Kayla Mariskanish to retain her seat on the board. Kelly is running against Melissa Hahn to retain her seat. Both Mueller and Kelly were appointed to office to complete the remaining terms of previous board members.

[ VOTER GUIDE 2022: Read the candidates' positions on the issues ]

Bruce is running against Tanya Tyo to represent District E. Alvarez and Jacobs are competing to represent District F.

The candidates were given prepared questions and had a limited amount of time in which to answer. They described their motivations for running, what they believe to be purpose of the board, and the most-difficult challenges facing the Harford County's Board of Education. Here are some of the responses each candidate gave during the forum.

1. What do you see as the primary work of the Board of Education?

"The primary goal of a board of education should be the students progress," Puopolo said. "I know throughout the years progress has looked different, but that is the ultimate goal."

Sewell said the board's primary job is to inspire and prepare students for success in college or their career as mentioned in the vision statement for the Harford County Board of Education, Sewell said.

"The Board of Education must work to facilitate the success of every student," Sewell said. "We need to break down any barriers to this success."

Both current board members Mueller and Kelly admittedly took the question literally, which reflected in their answers. From her experience, Mueller said the primary work of the Board of Education is to manage the budget and policies while everything else is additional.

"The purpose of a school board is budget and policy; that's what school boards do," Mueller said. "Where you put your money is how you get some of these other issues."

Kelly said the board members are representatives of their district and everyone in the school system.

"I know my role on the board of education is to represent the community members within my district and the teachers, staff and students," Kelly said.

Bruce said board members should be sharing information from their districts to find solutions to similar issues.

"I don't feel this has to be a competitive thing going on between the districts," Bruce said. "We can all be working toward a better Harford County."

Alvarez agreed with Mueller's response to the question by saying the board's primary goal is to oversee budget and policy, but the board also has a responsibility to listen to the people they represent, Alvarez said.

Jacobs said she, too, believes the primary work of the board is to oversee budget and policy, while being advocates for the community.

2. Is there one particular issue that motivates you to serve on the Board of Education?

Puopolo, Mueller and Alvarez said they were motivated to join the school system after seeing many teachers struggling and leaving.

Puopolo said he saw his wife, who is a teacher for Harford County Public Schools, struggle throughout the past two to three years because of the pandemic and the teacher shortage.

Mueller said when she was teaching, the school system had her teaching a subject other than she was hired for, which was discouraging. With this experience, she said she became motivated to serve on the board to take care of teachers.

Alvarez, who has lived in Harford County for over 30 years, said she has seen an "alarming" amount of teachers leave the school system. But, she was motivated to serve on the board after seeing the dramatic changes to the curriculum which has greatly strayed away from traditional education, Alvarez said.

"The dramatic changes that we've seen in the curriculum are steering away from traditional education where children are taught how to write, compute, create and read," Alvarez said. "There has been more emotional control and things of that nature, and it has left our children unequipped for the workforce and unable to perform in the workforce when there's the slightest bit of discomfort."

Alvarez, along with Mariskanish, Barry, Tyo and Hahn, have been endorsed by Moms for Liberty, a conservative political action group focusing on parental rights in schools.

"Mom's For Liberty is a group focused on American values and education," Alvarez said. "They implore mothers to work with the government to protect the parental voice."

"I am motivated to be on the board of education by the love of our country," Sewell said. "I have a very deep passion for creating a better future for everyone."

Kelly and Jacobs' motivation came from motherhood. Kelly has a daughter in the school system and said she wants the best for her children. While Jacobs does not have children in the school system, she is reminded of the lessons she learned while raising her child.

"No matter what I achieved in my life, when I became a mother I had to learn things I never knew," Jacobs said. "I think what motivates me is the children of Harford. It is seeing them doing things that they never could do."

Bruce, who attended two of the county's Blacks-only schools, Havre de Grace Colored School and Havre de Grace Consolidated School, said her motivation is representation.

"Students should see people like them who represents them," Bruce said. "I am not saying that the current board didn't, but that's why I wanted to step up for this position."

3. What is one of the greatest challenges you foresee as member of the board of education and how will you address it?

Puopolo, Bruce and Jacobs believes that the greatest challenge for them if they serve on the school board for the next term will be the teacher shortage.

Salaries must be raised in order to attract quality teachers and paraeducators, Puopolo said, which will require additional funding from county government. While increasing the salary will be difficult, it will be key to retain the educators the school system has now, Jacobs said.

Sewell believes the greatest challenge will be getting parents directly involved in their child's academic journey since kids tend to do better academically when their parents are involved. If elected, Sewell plans to work on policies and programs that will help facilitate parent engagement.

Mueller believes Harford's Blueprint plan will be the board's greatest challenge since it has many legal ramifications and money that must be spent. She said it will be complicated figuring out where and how to spend the money, but she would like to put the money into teachers' salaries.

Kelly believes that mitigating learning loss from the pandemic will be the greatest challenge. Kelly would like to create more individualized programs for students which includes tutoring that would start at the beginning of the school year and be in person.

Alvarez believes that communication between the board and parents will be the greatest challenge. She would like to have parents and the board come together as team to fix issues facing them.

4. Have you received a donation or endorsement from any group or person?

Puopolo, Sewell, Mueller, Kelly, Bruce and Jacobs were endorsed by the Harford County Education Association.

In addition to Moms for Liberty, Alvarez was endorsed by Power to Parent and the Maryland Alliance of Parents and Students. Alvarez received $500 in donations from individuals as well as a donation from Mom's Demand Action. Sewell received a $750 donation from the Maryland's State Education Association.

The candidates also answered audience questions that were screened and presented anonymously, on possible changes to the health curriculum, diversity in recruitment and retention of teachers, and priorities for the school system's budget in the years ahead.

The candidates were asked to respond to the demand by some parents to ban certain books from school libraries, and exclude systemic racism and gender identity from the curriculum.

"The school system shouldn't be banning books because you are uncomfortable," Puopolo said. "Learning history should be uncomfortable."

He expressed concern over children being bullied, particularly those that identify as LGBTQ, and said he has "zero tolerance" for bullying.

"Censorship does not belong anywhere in America," Sewell said. "Public Schools are just that — public. They are for everyone. Everyone needs to feel they're in a safe and welcoming environment."

Instead of banning books, Bruce suggested parents read the books to learn the information before it reaches the child. There are some things one parent does not like that the another does, Bruce said.

"I don't think any parent should come in and tell the librarian, the math teacher or English teacher how to teach the subject," Bruce said. "That individual has gone to school and received an education and are now trying to deliver that."

Jacobs said that she, too, supports the school system in its decision to provide "a culturally responsible environment."

Alvarez said that while she doesn't believe in book banning, she wants to make sure that books are given to the right age group.

"Are we putting books in the hands of children who are not at that level of understanding in what they are reading?" she asked. "I think there is a balance that needs to be had here where we look at the books that we are providing for education."

Both of the current board members echoed what the school board has been saying on this topic since it's been brought up in board meetings. Mueller said books should not be banned and if parents have an issue with it, they can stop it themselves by opting out of LGBTQ topics in the curriculum and stopping their kids from getting those books.

"I have heard a lot of disturbing things read during school board meetings," Mueller said. "Bottom line is I don't believe in banning books. I also believe everyone should have available different books and different points of views. That being said, the way the school system is set up now, parents can go in and can say they don't want their child to check this book out in the library. They give parents the right to censor their own child, but not to censor everyone else."

The Morning Sun

"I will not be the school board member who bans books," Mueller said.