Vernon Candidate Profile 2019: Jennifer Buckler, Board Of Ed

VERNON, CT — Vernon's election season is heating up, and there are plenty of contested races with candidates eager to represent their town in November's municipal election. Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns, and has been publishing candidate profiles as election day draws near.

Jennifer Buckler

Age:

34

Town of Residence:

Vernon

Position Sought:

Board of Education

Party Affiliation:

Democrat

Family:

Husband, and two daughter Rose and Evelyn Buckler ages 8 and 5.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

Not currently. My grandfather, Thomas Dooley, was the former State Representative for Vernon. He passed away in January and is one of the reasons I became involved in politics.

Education:

Current J.D. candidate UCONN Law, BA History from Saint Joseph College in West Hartford, CT

Occupation:

I'm currently working part-time as a law clerk while I attend Law School.

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office:

none

Campaign Website:

VernonDemocrats.com and Facebook.com/JenniferBucklerforVernon

The single most pressing issue facing our town/district is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Communication, current parents of Vernon students don't know who to contact or find the BOE to be unapproachable. A lot of the current Board Members either don't have children in the school system or have older children in the school system, this doesn't mean they can't do their job effectively, just that they need to find a way to put themselves out there to the families of the elementary schools other than just attending a monthly PTO meeting. We need to make it clear to the community, this is who we are, this is what issues we deal with and this is how to contact us. As a family who recently moved to Vernon and was actively trying to find out information about the schools and the BOE, I found it difficult to navigate their website and their meetings mysteriously don't get recorded at times. This is unacceptable, this is not just information for the few who are on the Board but for the whole community.

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

First, I have two young children in the schools so I can see issues from the perspective of a parent, but I also have several family members who are "empty-nesters" and I can appreciate the concerns of those who don't have children in the school system at all. Secondly, and most importantly to some, I don't feel that education, or most issues for that matter, should be a politic issue. We are all Vernon citizens, I don't like you or dislike you because of your political affiliation, that would be ignorant of me. Likewise, I don't believe issues on the table should be considered with any notion that it should be opposed because your "political rival" favors it, or fast tracked because it would "look good" for the upcoming election. I believe in doing what is good for community as a whole, and that sets me apart from other candidates.

List other issues that define your campaign platform:

I would like to keep Vernon children in Vernon schools. We have kids leaving the local schools to attend magnet schools. I want to find out what the attraction is to magnet schools and come up with a plan to keep kids in our school system.

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

I was on the board of a local school for several years. During that time I acted as secretary and helped make decisions that involved a major renovation project and technology upgrade. I was also part of the COL salary increase for the teachers that hadn't happened in years. I'm in my third year of law school, which I find to be a huge accomplishment while taking care of two children. From this experience, I've learned time management skills that allow me to stay dedicated to many different causes, and to adapt to news situations.

The best advice ever shared with me was ...

From my grandfather, "The key to success is, if you say you're going to do something, you do it, if you say you're to show up somewhere, you show up. Never over promise and under deliver." ---Seems simple, but a lot of people don't live by this.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

Please ask me questions, ask me about issues. I truly want you to reach out to me: JenniferBucklerforVernon@gmail.com