The Hamilton Post continues its tradition of providing comprehensive election coverage this year. Our coverage continues with an email Q&A with Hamilton Township Board of Education candidates Marc Crabtree, Christina Harvey, David Maher, John Muka, Don Snedeker, Denise Soto and Meaghan Stanton.
There are three three-year seats up for election this fall.
Marc Crabtree, 42, is a pastor at Refuge Church. The Mercerville resident has lived in Hamilton for 7 years. He is married to wife Jennifer and has two children: Annabeth, 5, and Brianna, 23, as well as a grandchild, Winnie, 3. Brianna graduated from Piscataway VoTech High School. Annabeth is a kindergartener in Hamilton Township.
Christina Vassiliou Harvey, 45, is a lawyer who lives in Hamilton Square. A 25-year township resident, she is married with two children who have attended Hamilton Township Schools. As a current school board member, she asserts that her responses below reflect her own beliefs and do not reflect those of the Hamilton Board of Education.
David Maher, 56, is a life safety consultant. The Langtree resident has lived in Hamilton his whole life. He is married to wife Joanne, and has a son, Christopher, 33, who attended Langree, Crockett and Notre Dame, and daughter Laura, 24, who attended Langtree and Our Lady of Sorrows.
John Muka, 60, works in process improvement consulting. He lives between Whitehorse and Mercerville. A lifetime township resident, he is married to wife Patricia and has three children, Brian, 40; Kathleen, 38; and Patrick, 25. All three attended Catholic schools before graduating from Hamilton High West.
Donald Snedeker II, 46, is a captain in the Hamilton Township Fire Department. The Whitehorse resident has lived in Hamilton for 28 years. He attended Hamilton schools and graduated from Montgomery High School. He is involved with Joey’s Little Angels and the Mercer County Youth Fire Setter Program. Snedeker and his wife Tina have two children: daughter Taylor, a Hamilton West Class of 2023 graduate, and son Joseph, 12, a student at Grice.
Denise Soto, 45, is chief development and communications officer at Oaks Integrated Care. The Mercerville resident has lived in the township for approximately 40 years. She is married to Robert Soto and together they have two daughters, ages 20 and 16, who both attended Langree, Crockett and Steinert. As a current school board member, Soto asserts that all statements made below are her own as a private citizen and not those of the board.
Meaghan Stanton, 32, is a special education service provider and educational advocate. The Hamilton Square resident attended Langtree, Reynolds and Steinert. Husband Brandon Johnson is also a Steinert graduate who works for the State of New Jersey. Together they have a son who attends Sayen Elementary School.
Responses have been lightly edited for clarity and style.
Editor’s Note: Candidate Brandon McNeice has ceased his campaign and thrown his support behind other candidates — the slate of Harvey, Soto and Stanton. He made this decision too late for his name to be removed from ballots, meaning he can still receive votes.
Tell us about the moment that you decided to run, or run again, for school board.
Marc Crabtree: My interest in the school board came first when my wife and I were being urged by parents and teachers within the HTSD not to put our youngest in public schools and to either send her to private school or home school her. Upon hearing that, I went to a school board meeting. At that school board meeting I was shocked that not only was there no transparency, the board actively fought against it and accountability was nonexistent. I had to run in hopes to change it because our community deserves better.
Christina Vassiliou Harvey: I was first elected to the board in 2020. I had made the decision to run as I was attempting to balance working full time while educating my children who were on virtual school. I saw many issues with the manner in which remote learning was being implemented with our youngest learners. For the last three years, I have continued to offer solutions to improve the educational opportunities for all students in Hamilton.
David Maher: I have served the community of Hamilton for my entire adult life, serving as a member of Nottingham Fire Company where over my 25 years there I have served as president, deputy chief and fire commissioner. I also served 8 years on the township zoning board. I see this as my next opportunity to serve the residents of Hamilton. I have a passion to see our students succeed and a connection to teachers.
John Muka: In June a year ago I became aware of the 2020 state-mandated comprehensive sex curriculum. The explicit content intended for grade-school kids was alarming. With the idea of our local BOE deciding the issue locally, I joined others at board meetings thinking we could work something out. We were completely ignored and this opened my eyes to the many other problems of staying in control of our own schools.
Donald Snedeker II: There was no specific moment that made me decide to run. I always wanted to be part of the decision-making process for our education system. Now that my children are older, I’m able to commit my time to the board and Hamilton community. I feel it’s an important elected position in any township to ensure our students are getting the best education we can give them.
Denise Soto: I had been approached to run by other parents/friends over the years. Given the timing and turmoil around book bans and the threat to LGBTQIA+ student rights being faced by school districts around the state, I decided now was the time. As a person of color, there had been times during my youth when I did not feel safe in my own community. I want to ensure that no child ever has to experience that feeling.
Meaghan Stanton: I began attending BOE meetings in 2022 in an attempt to learn how our district is run. Although I have been very pleased with my son’s experience in HTSD, in my professional advocacy I’ve become very disheartened with the state of Hamilton’s special education programs. From this perspective I have heard the pleas of many special needs families who are struggling to receive proper services.
My decision to run for board was based entirely on the dire need for a voice for special education on our BOE. Although our board members are caring and have the best intentions, it’s about time we have a true advocate for disability at the table.
Grade the job the school board has done in recent years. What can you as a member of the school board do to maintain or improve this grade?
Crabtree: Grade D. Board credibility has been fractured by the lack of transparency and accountability. A good example are the turf fields, while beautiful the fact is the rate of noncontact foot/ankle injury on a turf field opposed to a grass field is 69% higher. Interestingly, turf is far less expensive to maintain than grass. Another example is Policy 5756, the board demanded was state law which turned out to never be law as per the state deputy AG.
As a school board member, I would ensure full transparency and accountability to the community. This would allow the board’s credibility to be restored and the relationship between the board and the community can begin to mend, leading to greater student success in and out of school.
Harvey: B-. The district is doing well but should work towards improvement. The board has prioritized learning loss following the pandemic by increasing support for teachers, who can develop their own specialties to maximize student success. In addition, the board has worked to continue to modernize our facilities, for instance, air conditioning in several areas. We updated the athletic fields in order to reduce the risk of student injuries. We need to continue to modernize. I have asked the district to investigate cost-saving measures so money can be reinvested to better the opportunities for the students, such as reducing transportation costs by having parents who do not use busing to opt out or exploring the availability of grants to reduce transportation costs.
Maher: During Covid, the school board did a great job keeping the education going but, since Covid and the first year of state testing our scores went down in several school, our 3 high schools are ranked 218, 271 and 281, the lower third out of the entire state. We need to focus not only on state testing but, a better VoTech program and doing more for our special needs students.
Muka: Frankly, I never attended a school board meeting until June of 2022. I felt that Hamilton schools had a good reputation and my children had great experiences at Hamilton West 20 years ago. I think the board does A-level work in some areas, but earns at best a D- or F in others.
The board majority fails at asserting local home rule against outside mandates and on honoring informed consent by the voters to their decisions. David, Marc and I believe most people in Hamilton expect better performance from the board in these areas. The current board majority prefers providing minimal information to the public, which limits the support necessary to face the challenges ahead for our schools.
Snedeker II: I would rate the job the board has done a B. I feel as though board members have to make tough decisions balancing laws, policies and the needs of students, teachers and parents. I think the board has done a great job being transparent with the progress of the referendum that was passed making repairs and safety improvements to all 24 schools. I think communication between board members and the public during meetings could improve. The board and public speakers should have an interactive conversation instead of it being one sided by the public speaker. This would also contribute to transparency. My common-sense approach to problem solving would maintain or improve this grade.
Soto: B. I think the school board has done a fine job in recent years. People often lose sight of just how large we are (23 schools) and compare us to much smaller districts in more affluent socioeconomic communities. Under Dr. Rocco’s leadership, the district has made great improvements to its facilities and continues to move forward with its strategic plan wisely using the resources available to them.
In addition, the district has been able to get creative finding additional revenue streams. Its focus on establishing equity is to be commended, launching a restorative justice committee and purchasing supplies and software for under resourced schools.
Stanton: B-. In recent years there have been undeniable improvements made in our district, thanks to the BOE and our superintendent, Dr. Rocco. I’m thrilled to see these changes as our district was unfortunately stagnant for many years. I believe the majority of the individuals on the board truly have the best interests of every student at heart. That said, we still have much room for growth, especially in terms of special education.
As a member of the board I plan to be a liaison between our special education students, their families, and the Hamilton BOE. With a decade of experience advocating for special education students in neighboring districts, I understand both what disabled children are legally entitled to and what role school boards play in providing services. I hope to work with our budget and grants to improve our programs.
What are two vital issues facing the school board today, and what will you do as a member of the board to address them?
Crabtree: Two vital issues facing the school board today are the board’s unwillingness to protect the right of every parent to know what is happening with their child while in school and the mismanagement of resources.
Basic parental rights cover the books and content their children have access to, what they are exposed to in the classroom, bathroom and locker room use, the decisions and questions their children have, and safety.
The current school board places administration salaries over student needs and this needs to stop. A 3% raise and signing bonus for a superintendent whose salary is $30,000 or more above the state average should not be happening when basic life skill programs are being cut from our schools and teacher retention is plummeting.
Harvey: The district continues to address post-pandemic learning loss, and I will continue to support those efforts. The district uses iReady to identify learning gaps that teachers can then address with students individually. I seek the continuation of hiring tutors to assist in classrooms.
The district also must address continued overcrowding and aging buildings. I have worked on board committees to address these issues, and invite the public to participate in the discussions at the district’s long-range planning committee or emailing me suggestions. The discussion involves whether we reorganize our schools, add additions to our schools, create magnet-type schools, and encourage teacher specialization for better student instruction.
Maher: Overcrowding in schools. We need to look at all options, reshifting schools, looking and expanding or building and trying to acquire grants to take the burden off taxpayers. Also making sure that only Hamilton residents are attending our schools.
Muka: The vital school board issues are internal. The board is split on many important issues. Majority rule by 5 or 6 people is conducted without fair respect to the wishes and opinions of the remaining members.
I believe the board members are all good people. Still, good people can make bad decisions. This happens based on three things: deficient information as inputs, bad decision making processes and submitting to undue outside influences. These three things come together in the current board, where the majority ends up as good people supporting bad decisions. These are now bad habits.
The remedy: replace some members this election cycle so that home rule is asserted and the public can make informed choices about Hamilton school policies.
Snedeker II: Teacher shortage and aging facilities. We need to ensure our pay structure and benefits are comparable to districts similar to ours in order to be competitive in recruiting new teachers and retaining our current teachers. I would conduct an anonymous survey of our current teachers to see what makes them stay and what are the reasons they would want to leave.
We need to address our aging facilities and plan for the future. We need to explore options to determine what makes the most financial sense, building new schools, consolidating where possible, or refurbishing existing structures. We need to look into grants and funding from the state.
Soto: While the district has identified many gaps in equity already, I believe there is still work to be done. I hope to help find out the needs of our families by engaging with them more at school events and taking that information back to district leadership to see what more we can do to close the gaps.
In addition, we know that our staff vacancies continue to be a problem. As a new member of the personnel committee, I hope to learn more about the current strategies being used by the district to recruit and retain our staff and compare ourselves to other districts and consider out-of-the-box ideas to ensure we remain an attractive opportunity for those looking for careers in education.
Stanton: Although special education is my top priority, we have several vital issues to address, including our aging facilities, most of which are 60+ years old. We know that buildings require updates, additions and air conditioning. This is a huge project, yet I have faith that we can develop a long-term budget to address the needs of our campuses.
Providing a desirable work environment for teachers is the backbone of American public education. Hamilton is not unique in dealing with staffing shortages. It is of utmost importance that we hire, retain and cherish educators and staff if we are to continue to improve academically. New Jersey has some of the most highly qualified educators in the country and Hamilton is in need of their help. I plan to work with our teachers union to best serve our employees and make Hamilton a great place to work.
Do you believe that it is important that the board of education work to provide a safe and accepting environment for all students, regardless of race, religion or sexual orientation? Do you support all students’ right to determine their own sexual identity?
Crabtree: I believe it is not only important but that it is the responsibility of the school board to provide and maintain a safe environment for all students. I do not support any action that is dangerous to the development of a child or that harm a child, especially things that could potentially cause irreparable harm.
Allowing or directly exposing a child to things of a sexual nature, outside biology, human reproduction, and anatomy, goes to the detriment of the child’s well being. Unproven ideologies do not belong in academic studies.
Harvey: Public education should serve every student. Boards of education are tasked with ensuring students feel safe in school. There are laws to protect everyone, which include laws against discrimination, bullying or harassment. I have listened to concerns expressed at our meetings and also reports in the news. To address these concerns, I moved to send the transgender student policy for a close review to see if any revisions are needed.
As a result of this motion, there will be discussion among the administration, families, the board, and the community at large to ensure everyone’s rights are protected. I encourage anyone who wishes to be heard to send comments to the board regarding the policy so that we can address the concerns of our community.
Maher: Absolutely there should be a safe environment for all students as well as staff. We are all different and that’s what makes us unique and we need to be acceptable to each other. As far as their identity we as board members and educators need to work together with the parents. I feel strongly about parental rights.
Muka: Of course. Every student in our schools should experience a safe and accepting environment, but not necessarily an environment that simply affirms whatever a student might believe is true during the roller coaster ride of puberty. Everybody faces personal challenges during puberty. Ideally, we don’t want bullying or intimidation. We also must be sensitive to the rampant depression and anxiety students often face.
Still, sexual identity is primarily a personal concern and is not a settled academic discipline. Students may need truly effective counseling and support but it should not be part of the teaching curriculum in the schools. That curriculum should focus on basic biological facts about human reproduction including that it is amazingly designed for having a family and not just “recreational.”
Snedeker II: It is extremely important for all people, not just the board of education, to provide a safe and accepting environment for others. No one should ever feel less than, because of their race, religion or sexual orientation. I will do all I can to ensure this happens and would support discipline to anyone found in violation of these basic human rights. I would support a student who wishes to determine their own sexual identity, but that should have no bearing on how they are taught by our teachers and treated by staff and fellow students.
All students, no matter what, should be given the same education and taught content at the appropriate grade level.
Soto: 100%. I believe that the board has a responsibility to make sure that all students feel safe and welcomed in their schools. As the parent of a queer child, I do support the students’ right to not only determine their own sexual identity, but disclose said identity when they feel comfortable and prepared to do so on their own terms. We are not the ones who have to live with the consequences of that decision.
Each child’s home life is unique and they know when the time is right. Children can’t learn in an environment where they don’t feel safe and respected and every child should have access to schools like that to learn in.
Stanton: Not only is it important to provide a safe and accepting environment for all students, it is mandatory. Every student in Hamilton Township is protected by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as well as Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. It’s incredibly important to me that our children, regardless of race or orientation, are provided with a well-rounded and meaningful education in a safe and nurturing environment.
As humans we all deserve to live as our most authentic selves, students included. I will do my part to protect the rights of every single student in Hamilton Township.
Hamilton Township schoolchildren are far more diverse in terms of race, culture and heritage than they were just a few decades ago. Why are you the right person to ensure that the district is able to meet the needs of these diverse students?
Crabtree: Meeting the needs of diverse students is about going into the communities and connecting with those in the different communities our students represent. When it comes to diversity, there is one thing that will always create division, and that is perspective. Not any one group or subgroup can fully understand another without at least knowing the other groups’ perspectives and building bridges of relatability so that we can all do a better job at truly becoming #onehamilton.
I am the right person for that job because I have a wide range of life experiences that give me a unique ability to build a bridge of relatability across many spectrums. I am willing and available to go into our community to have these necessary honest conversations.
Harvey: As a first-generation American, I am cognizant of the importance of diversity. I grew up in a Greek-Cypriot-American single-parent household, which meant even in my Greek community, I was different. From a young age, I recognized the value of learning from others as well as teaching others about my own cultural similarities and differences. As a board member, I have raised issues to ensure that we are aware of concerns that might affect certain students but not others.
Maher: I have a strong background for working with several cultures, races and different heritage. I work to provide security at synagogues, Muslim centers, Catholic churches and a hospital, where you need to be acceptable and understanding to everyone who I meet.
Growing up I attended a church in Trenton. Over the years its culture and race changed, our family stayed dedicated to the church family and one year my father was honored as Liberian father of the year, what a great honor this was.
Muka: The impact of this growing diversity is largely hidden from a significant part of our Hamilton community. The current school board majority does little to inform those who have children or grandchildren in the school or the taxpayers in general about these realities. For example, most are unaware of the impact of so many students who speak almost no English or the rate of teacher resignations.
Instead of monthly reports on key statistics that show us such realities we have a continual set of “feel good” messages that all is well. Complex situations require honest observation and measurements of performance. I have done exactly that in my career and I will bring that to the Board decision making process.
Snedeker II: Through my career and volunteer work, I’ve spent 30 years interacting with people from diverse backgrounds. I believe in treating everyone with respect and the way I want to be treated. These interactions have helped me understand and appreciate the differences between different races, cultures and heritages. My only goal is to make Hamilton schools better than they are today, graduating highly educated and highly motivated young adults into higher education, the military and workforce.
Soto: I grew up in Hamilton very differently than my peers. I am a brown woman and the daughter of Egyptian emigrants who came to this country in the 1970s. I was raised in a Muslim household when those around me were mostly Irish or Italian Catholic. Today, I’m married to a (formerly Jehovah’s Witness) Hispanic male who grew up in a very urban neighborhood and we’re raising two biracial daughters, one of whom is gay.
Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging is very important to me because of the various elements of diversity that touched my own life and I continue to educate myself in DEI studies to ensure that I can advocate for marginalized communities appropriately.
Stanton: As the wife of a black man and mother of a biracial child, I am glad to see our district’s population continue to grow in terms of diversity. As students in Hamilton, even in the same schools, my husband and I had different experiences based entirely on race. I’m relieved to know my son’s skin color will not play such a role in his social experiences in our schools, that we no longer tolerate hate.
The importance of equity in our district will reflect in my actions as a board member. I plan to assist in initiatives to hire more diverse teachers, something that has been proven to aid not only in the success of students of color but also that of their caucasian peers. I also will be examining what we can do to create unity and equality between our schools. For far too long, your neighborhood and ethnic origin has played a role in the quality of education received.
In short, why should voters elect you to serve the next three years on the school board?
Crabtree: Hamiltonians should elect me because I will fight for the natural rights of every parent, I will stand firm for the resources and tools our teachers so desperately need while providing them with the benefits and salary they need to take care of their families, and I will make it a top priority to provide better resources for our special needs students and their families. I will fight so that no one is forgotten.
Harvey: If re-elected, during my next term, I will continue to work with my colleagues to expand learning opportunities for students. I will support the superintendent and the administration in these efforts. I will continue to listen to community members; advocate for consensus; and remember that I serve a very broad and diverse Hamilton community. I believe my life experiences as a working mother make me well suited for the task at hand.
Maher: I promise to be fair, open minded and work with the students, teachers, administrators, parents and taxpayers to provide excellent education to assure our students to succeed.
Muka: I’ve spent most of my life working with people to improve complex situations, like designing spacecraft and other high performance systems, running hospital operations, and even key processes at the Department of Labor and many other organizations. Even better, David and Marc bring their own complementary skills to our Responsible Education team. Together we will establish a unity based on “good people in great processes” and produce the results that Hamilton deserves.
Snedeker II: Being the only single candidate, I have no political agenda. I have a common-sense approach to problem solving. I have my own thoughts and ideas, the ability and willingness to work with other board members and the public on all school-related issues. Hamilton Township is a blue-collar community and I believe I represent that for all the hardworking Hamiltonians that just want the best schools for our students.
Soto: I hope to be able to continue to serve all of Hamilton in this capacity so I can be the voice for the voiceless. We have single parent households, parents working three jobs just to put food on the table, English Language Learning families, recent immigrants and families dealing with homelessness, just to name a few. Every student and family is unique and because of that, they can easily be overlooked without the right advocate.
Stanton: Hamilton voters can count on me to be an honest and fair advocate for all students, their families and our staff. As a parent in the district, my son’s education depends on the choices of our board. My priorities are to improve programming for all, with a focus on our most vulnerable populations. As an advocate I have the knowledge and ability to ensure our district continues to improve academically, socially, and culturally. We live in a great town with room for fantastic improvements.
