12 Plymouth-Canton School Board Candidates Quizzed by League of Women Voters

Collectively, the 12 school board candidates on stage at the Monday seemed aligned by the same goals for Plymouth-Canton Community Schools: They want students to have an excellent education in a safe environment in a district run with fiscal responsibility.

The candidates are competing for four seats on the school board. Monday, the League of Women Voters of Northwest Wayne County, a non-partisan group which cultivates political participation with education, hosted a question-and-answer session for all 14 candidates. (Two were no-shows. Paula Bowman, the League co-president, said Clifton R. Nealey of Canton called to say he was very busy but would try to make the event. The other missing candidate, Angie Williams-Chehmani of Canton, called to say she'd had a death in the family, Bowman said.)

The 12 candidates who did attend looked for ways to distinguish themselves. Mark Horvath, Mike Maloney, Matt Dame and Mike Andro, all Canton residents, indicated they were fiscal conservatives who want to see the district's resources concentrated on teaching and learning functions. They are running on a slate.

At least two candidates, attorney Stephanie Goecke and education activist and financial analyst Sheila Paton, promoted the development of an international baccalaureate program to help retain students. Plymouth-Canton has lost dozens of students to other districts which do offer such programs.

Incumbents Nancy Eggenberger and Steven Sneideman, as well as new candidate Abdul Muhiuddin, all of Canton, emphasized the importance of addressing the diversity of the district's students, either by tailoring classes to special needs or providing classes for learning secured or third languages.

Career skills were emphasized by incumbent board member John Jackson, who touted his human resources background and leadership, while retired educator John Barrett, currently a City of Plymouth trustee, talked about his experience as a teacher and principal.

Candidate Michael Redman of Canton proposed more strategic planning.

In order to get as much information as possible from the dozen candidates, the session was a mix of questions with answers limited to a "yes" or "no" as well as those which allowed each candidate up to 30 seconds to answer. Participants were also given two minutes at the end of the evening to sum up and make a final pitch for votes.

Nearly 75 people attended to hear the candidates, but the crowd appeared comprised mostly of candidates' friends, teachers and former school board members.

Jack Farrow of Plymouth said he came to get a better idea of the candidates.

"Actually, there probably are no bad choices," Farrow said. "I think, depending on your viewpoint, any of these candidates can do the job. I can say that because I used to be a school board member."

Farrow said he served on the school board with two candidates, Mark Horvath and Mike Maloney. Like many of those in the audience, Farrow declined to say who would get his votes but said he knew most of the candidates and what he heard "wasn't much of a surprise.

Canton resident John Nichols, who entered the race and then withdrew, echoed Farrow's comment, but said the League's forum was good.

Sheila Paton, in her first turn as a candidate for any office, said she found the questions challenging as well as the format, which included time limits for the answers to some questions. For many questions, candidate responses were limited to "yes" or "no."

League member Anne Marie Graham-Hudak moderated the evening, at times gently reminding candidates their time was up or that they could not stray from answers limited to the yes/no format. League members said the full sesson will be aired on area cable channels, but that times and dates had not been finalized.

The League of Women Voters of Northwest Wayne County has produced an online guide for voters on all the candidates. The election is Nov. 8. The last day to register to vote is Oct. 11.