Bernards School Board Election 2022: Keith Molinari

BASKING RIDGE, NJ — Bernards Township Board of Education general election on Nov. 8 has nine candidates running for four open seats.

Keith Molinari is running under the campaign slogan "For Bernards Children" along with Nimish Amin, Csilla Csipak, and Lawrence Rascio.

Another group of candidates running under the campaign slogan "Education For All" includes Guddia "Herpreet" Singh, Erica Blackman, Janice Corrado, and Suzanne Schafer-Skalski.

Deborah E. Penner Smith is also running on her own under the campaign slogan "Special Education Teacher."

Molinari is vying for one of the three, three-year full-term seats up for grabs.

Are you running for office in Basking Ridge? Contact Alexis Tarrazi at alexis.tarrazi@patch.com for information on being featured in a candidate's profile and submitting campaign announcements to Basking Ridge Patch.

(All of the candidates were given the same questions)

Keith Molinari

Age: 51

Town of residence: Bernards Township

Position sought: Board of Education

Family: Wife Stacey, Son Chris Molinari 17, Daughter Angela Molinari 15

Education: BA Sociology, BA History University of Southern Maine, MBA University of Scranton

Occupation: Rare Disease Consultant

Previous or current elected appointed office: This would be my first public office

Campaign website: www.forbernardschildren.com

Why are you seeking to run for School Board?

I believe in public education. The education my children have received from our school system has been outstanding. From Oak Street, to WAMS and now at Ridge, the journey has been enriching and rewarding for them. Over the last few years I have grown very concerned that this tradition of excellence is at risk. My biggest motivation is that the young ones just starting their journey have the same wonderful experience my children did and for their parents to have the upmost confidence in the school system their children attend.

School finances have been an issue raised recently. Do you feel the Board and administration are handling this properly? And why?

Organizations make choices on how they manage finances. Having the ranks of administration, support staff and supervisors swell while student head count has decreased is a choice. Allowing administrative compensation to grow well above the state average while teachers hover right around the state average is a choice. Spending grant money on a poorly vetted DEI consultant while our athletic fields deteriorate is a choice. Increasing taxes every year without first attempting to streamline any operations is a choice. Different choices may be possible. Bernards Township deserves BOE members who will at least ask questions and explore different avenues to ensure that the money we spend is well spent and applied towards the advancement of our students.

How do you feel about the current sex-ed curriculum in the district?

The current state standards are a governmental overstep and the way they are being implemented has no consensus within the community. I think most can agree on the need for older students to learn about human anatomy, reproduction and how to guard against STDs and pregnancy at the appropriate grade levels. Where opinion diverges, is when what is being taught goes far beyond that and into some of the broadest definitions of comprehensive sexual education and theories about human sexuality that lack solid evidence or any long term data on the effects of this type of curriculum. In light of the lack of community or scientific consensus, the district has an obligation to proceed with extreme caution. I do not feel they are doing that. Other districts are showing innovative approaches to threading this needle. From “opt-in” as opposed to “opt-out” to assigning controversial subjects as homework so families can approach this with their children at their kitchen tables in ways that align with their values, out of the box approaches exist to handle the controversial aspects of the sex-ed curriculum. It is up to the BOE to explore these options.

Would you be in favor of a later school start time for students?

A later start time would place the school schedule more in line with the natural sleep patterns of our students, especially at the high school level. There is evidence that a later start time can facilitate teenagers getting the ideal amount of sleep. This can lead to improved engagement and academic performance. On the other hand, delaying the start time comes with a host of challenges. Resource allocation is a delicate balance, and changing start times can interfere with the efficient use of buses. How would after school activities work? Sports, music and arts practices, student clubs, all rely on after school hours. What about daylight for outdoor sporting events? Are other districts following suit? This can have effects on parents getting to work or meeting other obligations. I am open to discussing the topic, but until we can get a clear handle on all the implications I would leave the start time as is.

What other issues do you feel need to be tackled in the school district?

Capital Improvements

The high school cafeteria has been a long-term issue with funds set aside but never used. A decision on what to do with these funds, especially in light of the decrease in student enrollment, needs to be made. In addition, the condition of many of our athletic fields leaves much to be desired. This is unacceptable and dangerous. Poor field/playing conditions can exponentially increase the risk of injury.

Teacher Retention

We need to find ways to take excessive administrative burdens off of our teacher’s plates. These additional requirements inevitably add to our teacher’s workload and distract them from the primary mission of providing a robust, core education to our students. We need to examine state mandates and, where it makes sense, minimize their impact on our overburdened teachers. Professional development opportunities that maximize teacher effectiveness in core classroom instruction should be emphasized. We should also look for ways to narrow the disparity in compensation between the levels of bureaucracy in our district and the ones who truly make our district work, the teachers.

Integration of technology and traditional modes of learning

Our district has done a good job of integrating technology into our schools. The technology presentation at the recent BT Connect meeting was impressive. While there are community concerns with classroom management software, it was clear that certain functionalities of these programs can increase aspects of student engagement and help more introverted students engage more fully in classroom instruction. I feel this technological approach needs to be balanced with also helping engage that same student face to face so the student’s inter-personal skills are also developed. Our children spend more time than ever in front of screens. While technology needs to be embraced, we also need to make sure it’s a tool in the toolbox, not an end to itself.

What sets you apart from the other challenging candidates?

I have a breadth of experience I feel would be an asset to our district. Throughout my career I have had to rapidly absorb new scientific data and relay it to a wide range of stakeholders. These communication skills will be vital to building trust with the community, rapport with our teachers and collaboration with my fellow board members. In addition, my military service has developed my leadership skills, given me an appreciation and knowledge of a wide range of cultures, and enabled me to cultivate a proven ability to act in an inclusive and respectful manner.

What else would you like to share about yourself or your campaign?

I believe in public service. From my military career, to volunteering with my church and local food bank to coaching little league baseball, I believe in giving back to the community. I would be honored to be given the opportunity to do so on the board of education.