Arlington Candidate Profile: Paul Schlichtman For School Committee

ARLINGTON, MA — The town election is fast approaching on Saturday, March 28 and the School Committee race is one of its most contested.

Arlington Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles leading up to election day

Paul Schlichtman is running for School Committee in Arlington.

Age

73

Position sought

Arlington School Committee

Party affiliation

This is a non-partisan election, but I am a Democrat

Family

Married to Rieko Tanaka

Education

• B.S., City University of New York
​ (Double major - Elementary Education & Psychology)
• Ed. M. Harvard University Graduate School of Education
• C.A.S., Harvard University Graduate School of Education

Occupation

Retired educator (former teacher, principal, and central office administrator).

Previous or Current Elected Office

Arlington School Committee - Member (2001-2007 & 2012-2026), Chair (2004-2005, 2015-2016, 2024-2025)
(Appointed to fill the unexpired term of Joseph A. Curro, Jr. on May 3, 2012, and elected to fill the remainder of the term on April 4, 2012; re-elected on April 5, 2014, April 1, 2017, June 8, 2020, and April 1, 2023)
Minuteman Regional Technical Vocational School Committee - Member (1997-2001)
Massachusetts Association of School Committees (MASC)- President (2004)
President-Elect (2003), Immediate Past President (2005)
Arlington Town Meeting - Representative TMM (1993-2003, 2006-2028)
​(Re-elected to a three-year term on April 5, 2025)
Member, Massachusetts Local Government Advisory Commission (2003-2005)
Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, School & District Accountability & Assistance Advisory Council, MASC. Representative (2015-2021)

Campaign Website

schlichtman.org

Why are you seeking elected office?

I am running for re-election because I value the collaborative relationship between school committee members. I believe my experience as an educator and school committee member enables me to make positive contributions to our work.

The single most-pressing issue facing our town is

that state law restricts our ability to raise enough revenue to maintain level services.

And this is what I intend to do about it:

I am advocating for passage of the override ballot question, even though a successful override will require budget cuts over the next three years. I am also advocating reforms to state law so that cities and towns will have sufficient taxing authority to meet increases in state mandated spending.

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

While we have different backgrounds and life-experiences, we share a common commitment to working together for the benefit of students in the Arlington Public Schools.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

Supporting the district’s strategic plan, which gave voice to Arlington students.
Ensuring that the Arlington Public Schools can attract and retain quality educators.
Maintaining a culture of continuous improvement throughout the district.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

“marry your best friend."

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

As a Town Meeting Member, I have been a leader in the effort to extend the Red Line through Arlington. In 2024, Town Meeting passed a home rule petition to repeal a 1976 ban on constructing a transit facility in Arlington Center, and the repeal was signed into law by Governor Healey. This year, I filed a warrant article (Article 30) to seek repeal of a 1980 law that prohibits the MBTA from planning or constructing the Red Line beyond its current terminus at Thorndike Field.

See Also:

Arlington Candidate Profile: Dmitry Vasilyev For School Committee

Arlington Candidate Profile: Mary Winstanley O'Connor For Board Of Assessors