Enfield Candidate Profile: Dr. Gerald Calnen, Board Of Education

ENFIELD, CT — The 2023 municipal election season is heating up in Enfield, and there are plenty of races with candidates eager to serve in elected office.

Enfield Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as Election Day draws near.

Name: Gerald Calnen, M.D.

How old will you be as of Election Day? 75

What city or town do you live in? Enfield

What office are you seeking? Board of Education

Party affiliation: Democratic Party

Education: B.A., M.D.

What is your occupation? Retired pediatrician

Do you have a family? If so, please tell us about them.

I’ve been married for 34 years and have two step children and two grandchildren

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government? No

Have you ever held a public office, whether appointive or elective?

I am currently finishing my first term on the Board of Education

Now we'd like to ask a few questions about your reasons for running and your general views on politics and government. First, why are you seeking this office?

As a physician who has lived and practiced in Enfield for over three decades, I am eager to pay back to the community all that it has given to me. I am very concerned about the state of health of our students, particularly their mental health, and I feel my background enables me to make a significant contribution in this area. Schools can play an important role in health maintenance: good health is necessary for a rich school experience, and good schools can contribute to optimal health.

Please complete this statement: The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is \_\_\_, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Feeling safe and secure in school. I will strive to ensure adequate resources to address the mental health needs of our students and their families.

What are the major differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

My age and my medical background. I have spent a good part of my youth in Enfield and its schools; I have seen where the town has been in terms of the education it has provided to its children, the mistakes made, the great progress achieved, and most importantly the resilience the school system has demonstrated over the decades in managing such challenges as the “baby boomer” population explosion of the 50’s, the unrest of the 60’s, and the COVID epidemic ending, hopefully, only a year ago. As a pediatrician, I strongly believe in the value of the school system as a potential health care resource, particularly for those children who currently have only limited access to care. We talk endlessly about the importance of equity; it’s time we demonstrate that we mean it.

What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign?

As the school modernization project moves forward, I want to ensure that the needs of all children, but especially those of our infants, toddlers and preschool children, are adequately addressed; we must be mindful of the physical and mental health needs of our teachers, as well.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

Prior to serving on the Board of Education, I have worked with the school system to bring an early childhood mental health therapeutic service, Child First, into Enfield. As a member of a community collaborative, Enfield KITE, I have been instrumental in bringing Enfield pediatricians together at a half dozen dinners over the last decade to discuss a variety of health challenges facing our town’s children. And I have worked with the school system and the Enfield Department of Social Services to incorporate a mental health initiative, “Circle of Security,” into the Stowe Early Learning Center’s professional development program.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

Don’t be distracted by set-backs; keep your eyes on the prize.

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

The best chance we have of moving forward as a society is to love and nurture our children.