Last week, the four candidates running for two spots on the Verona Board of Education gave voters their views on the value of a public school education. This week, we turned to their goals–and what could get in the way of achieving those goals.
MyVeronaNJ.com asked the candidates to spell out what they want to achieve during their term on the Verona BOE, but the question can’t end there. The difference between promising change and achieving it often hinges on understanding what the obstacles to change are, and what the limitations are on each elected role. A candidate for the House of Representatives can’t pledge to vote for a treaty, for example, because that job belongs to the Senate. In New Jersey, a board of education can consider the impact of a curriculum change on the school district’s budget and look for budget-friendly ways to deliver education, but they don’t dictate what should or should not be taught. As for the budget (budget governance is a key BOE responsibility), it is worth noting that the Verona Board of Education has budgets dating back to the 2008-2009 school year on its website for anyone to review; voters may also find it helpful to peruse the district fact books.
The four candidates running in this November’s election are the current BOE President John Quattrocchi, Timothy Alworth, Pamela J. Priscoe and David Rullo. We will send them a new question every Saturday until October 20, and they must respond to by noon on Tuesday. Candidates’ responses are piblished in the order in which they were received, and MyVeronaNJ.com did not edit the answers in any way, including grammar, spelling or length.
Click on the arrows to advance to each candidate’s response. You can read their responses to question 1 about the value of a public school education here.
Question 2: What do you want to achieve during your term on the Verona BOE and what is the biggest impediment to making that happen?
