Roseville School Board Candidates Sound Off at Debate

The six candidates for the Roseville Area School Board agree on many issues.

The consensus:Early Childhood and Family Education is a key component of effective teaching and learning, they say. We must do more to narrow the achievement gap. 

We must train students to compete in a global economy. We must do more to involve parents and other community residents in the schools. 

But the devil is in the details.  How do we accomplish those things?

That question was the focus of a candidate debate Wednesday sponsored by the Roseville-Maplewood-Falcon Heights chapter of the Minnesota League of Women Voters. 

School Board Chairwoman Lisa Edstrom, who is seeking a second term, and Director Tom Ring, seeking a third term, faced challengers Christopher J. Heinze, Shoreview, and Mike Boguszewski, Erin Azer and Kaying Thao, all of Roseville.  About 30 people attended the event at the John Rose Oval.

The candidates agreed that all schools must learn to do more with less in this period of scarcity.

“We need to be creative in meeting the needs of our students in ways that are cost-effective,” said Boguszewski.

Class sizes debated

But the candidates diverged  on some issues too.

“Small class sizes are expensive,” said Edstrom, noting that research supports small class sizes in grades K-3, but makes that less and less difference as grade-levels increase.

Ring agreed with that assessment. But he also contended that, while class size is important in early grades, quality teaching matters most in later grades, adding that professional development for teachers is a critical factor in effective teaching.

Azer, a former school teacher, challenged the assertion that small class sizes are not as important in higher grades. 

“Kids need connection, one-on-one time,” she said. “That goes beyond third grade. Seventh- and eighth-graders need to be engaged, too.”

Need for community involvement

The candidates also stressed the importance of community involvement. 

“We need to engage communities,” said Thao. “I would go to where they are…We need school board meetings that aren’t as structured as they are now.”

“Parents don’t feel they have access to the school board,” said Heinze. “The board is obligated to listen to parents, taxpayers. We are beholden to the people who elect us.”

Closing the achievement gap

Finally, the candidates agreed that closing the achievement gap is perhaps the most important issue facing the district. Ring and Edstrom said some progress has been made in closing the gap, but much work needs to be done.

Edstrom noted that Little Canada Elementary School, which did not meet goals under the federal No Child Left Act last year, met 100 percent of its goals this year.  The school initiated a strong family involvement program created by the board this year, which was likely a factor in the school’s success.

Heinze said the key component in the effort should be small class sizes, a strong curriculum, and increased expectations for students.

Azer called for more creative efforts to reach families and engage learners, including such things as home visits.  We must train teachers to create a respectful, engaged environment for learning, she said.

“Diversity is not integration,” said Boguszewski. “You can’t just throw kids into and environment and expect them to thrive.” 

“The true core issues are race, class and poverty,” said Thao.  "Those are structural issues.  Until the culture changes, those issues won’t change.”

The debate will be broadcast on CTV North Suburbs  Check www.ctv15.org for for times.

Look for Roseville Patch to have other stories about the candidates' debate.