Recent school board elections have involved spending of hundreds or even thousands of dollars by the candidates.
While school board service is important, it provides no monetary compensation. People should vote for candidates because they believe he or she will promote good policies, not because his or her name appeared on a yard sign or flyer.
Much of this money has come from interest groups. Local politics should be free of influence from special interests. Filling a school board with special interest candidates will create a divisive, dysfunctional body.
The school board cannot repay special interests with contracts, state law prevents that. However, interest groups can steer policies and narrow the education of the district.
Consider the possibility that a special interest group succeeds in electing a majority of the board. These candidates could install and direct a sympathetic administration.
Next this group of board members could narrow the curriculum, subject to state limits. For example, a group could limit all non-core activities—restricting funding for programs not connected to their interest—and create a sports focused, or arts focused, or language focused district.
I will spend no money on my candidacy for WWP-board of education. This derives from two of my core beliefs. First, spend money responsibly; and, second, you get the elected representatives you deserve. Let me explain.
If you care about the education of all of our children, research the candidates, make informed decisions and ote responsibly. Don’t allow special interests to take over our school board. Keep West Windsor-Plainsboro a district that all of our students can love.
The views expressed are mine alone and do not represent the position of the West Windsor-Plainsboro School Board.
Scott Powell
West Windsor
Powell is an incumbent running for the WW-P School Board.
