Election 2022: Alexander Spielman For East Brunswick BOE

EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ — Five candidates are running for three seats on the East Brunswick Board of Education.

Newcomer Alexander Spielman is a 2011 graduate of East Brunswick High School. The biggest issue currently facing the school district is staffing shortages, according to Spielman. He plans to tackle the issue through competitive hiring and retaining current staff.

Below is Spielman's candidate profile.

(All candidates were given the same questions)

Editor's Note: Patch sent out emails to all candidates to the email addresses provided by the County clerk's office. All responses received will be published between now and Nov. 8 general election. Local candidates who did not receive the questionnaire from Patch can contact sarah.salvadore@patch.com.

Name: Alexander Spielman

Age: 29

Town of residence: East Brunswick

Position sought: Board of Education Member

Family: Mother, Father and three siblings, all of whom live in East Brunswick

Education: EBHS graduate, class 2011, multiple honor roll recipient, Middlesex County College graduate 2016, AAS Educational Practitioner with High Honors

Occupation: Grocery Clerk, Shoprite of Spotswood

Previous or current elected appointed office: None

Campaign website: https://www.facebook.com/AlexSpielman22

Why are you seeking to run for School Board?

I am running to promote and advocate a more transparent school environment, parental rights, and common-sense spending and construction.

COVID-19 resulted in learning loss for many students. What will you do to ensure students bounce back?

COVID-19 has hurt us all and our student's education truly suffered. This is a great opportunity to show the excellence of our public education system during this time of recovery. The best way to do so is to provide an open dialogue with the teachers, parents, and staff and provide resources whenever necessary. This may mean increasing the number of remedial classes or offering peer tutoring for community service credit. At the end of the day, we must show we support them and that we have their backs at all times

What according to you is the biggest issue facing the school district currently? How do you plan to tackle it?

I believe the biggest issue currently facing the school district is the staffing shortages which have greatly affected support staff, and transportation among others. The stability of our staff means our students have a sense of consistency which will help them feel comfortable and learn easier. My plan to tackle this issue would be to be far more competitive in hiring and in retaining current staff. This would be done by raises to current and higher rates for new support, transportation Staff, etc. plus having all staff on equal footing on future increases as well. This also means being flexible with contractors but still being firm about breaches of contract. Furthermore, I would like more feedback from staff about how we can fix this issue among others now and in the future.

What is your view on the sex education curriculum that Gov. Murphy put forth earlier this year?

Our curriculum was already compliant but, I felt the additions were not age-appropriate. Yet, it's up to the parents/guardians to decide whether to opt out.

What sets you apart from the other candidates?

Being the youngest candidate running, my time as a student is the most recent which helps me relate to the current student body. Moreover, being a special-needs student provides a unique outlook on things.

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

I'm always looking for feedback to improve myself.

Have a correction or news tip? Email sarah.salvadore@patch.com