The League of Women Voters candidate forum for the May 18 School & Library Election will be held tonight at 7:15 PM at the New Rochelle Public Library.
School Board Candidates:
Jerome Smith – current board member, 15 years on the board, retired from IBM, tax records indicate Smith no longer has a primary residence in New Rochelle.
Valerie Orellana – current Co-President of the PTA Council along with teachers union President Martin Daly, recently discovered to have received a possibly illegal email from Schools Superintendent Richard Organisciak who appears to have engaged in improper advocacy in a school election.
Lianne Merchant – former member of the New Rochelle Library’s Board of Trustees.
Status Quo
I left after the first question was asked by Mr. Sanchez who asked all three candidates how they would address the abysmal graduation rates of Hispanics (51%) and African Americans (55%) and whether they supported the current system of uncertified graduations.
Two out of the three supported certified graduations but NONE answered as to how they would address the abysmal graduation rates among minorities. Ms. Merchant said she had too many suggestions to list yet failed to offer one.
While I commend all candidates for their public service the choice that is presented is nothing more then the status-quo. My advice on how to cast your vote; Eeny-meeny-miney-MO