Poor Showing for Education Board Meet Candidates Forum

The recent board of education meet the candidates night was marked by a less than robust citizen turnout and with only four of the eight individuals running in November's elections in attendance, according to the Middletown Eye news blog.

One commenter wondered if the event had been publicized in enough locations to get the word out. A quick online check revealed it had been posted on the Middletown Federation of Teachers website, the Middletown Democrats' and Middletown Republican's Facebook pages, and in stories in the Middletown Press, the Middletown Eye and Middletown Patch.

A reader who posted in the Middletown Patch speak out section alerted us to the poor attendance with the following comment:

"Houston we have a problem ... please see the Middletown Eye regarding the turnout for the Board of Education meet the candidates meeting at Middletown high! 46,000 residents and a turnout of 66!? How can we better "touch" our residents to get word of meetings and goings on in our beautiful town of Middletown? Hard to believe the ratio of attendance is due to lack of interest!"

The event, held Oct. 16 at 7 p.m. in the Middletown High School auditorium, offered voters an opportunity to ask candidates questions sent in before the event on topics such as the school budget, taxes and the district’s curriculum. 

Four of the eight candidates, Democrat Steven Kovach and Republicans Brian Kaskel, Linda Szynkowicz and William Wilson were either ill or had a family obligation that evening.

Middletown Board of Education Secretary Ed McKeon, who wrote the Middletown Eye post, said he expected "hundreds of parents, teachers, students, residents and taxpayers" would show up to the event since in the two years he has served on the board, he's heard many complaints about what "residents feel is wrong with our schools, and suggestions about ways we can do things differently."

McKeon wrote that Sheila Daniels (R), Franca Biales (D), Richard Kagan (D), and Vinnie Loffredo (D) fielded many questions, including class size, school funding, state mandates, breakfast in the classroom, education reform and the relationship between the BOE, residents, parents and teachers.

Were you unable to attend the meet the candidates night? Do you wish you had? What questions would you like those running in November's election would you like answered? Tell us in the comments below.

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