School Board Candidate Says She Is Being Pressured To Withdraw From Race

A letter to the editor from Regina Discenza, candidate for Lacey Township Board of Education:

There’s no room for politics in education. I’ve said it before and now I must say it again. The last month has been agonizing for me. I first received a phone call (from a local public official) the week of July 7 asking me not to run for school board this year.

I then decided to put in my candidate petition because I do not believe anyone should run unopposed. And no one with relatives working for the District is a truly unbiased candidate. That was the main reason I began running 10 years ago. The voters had no choice because year after year only the incumbents would run and maybe one person like Mr. Tom Palczewski would challenge them. Then I joined in.

I told a friend who was interested in running about phone call number one. He said sign me up. And we completed his petition. On July 16, I submitted it. Not two hours later my phone was ringing (from the same public official) before the papers were even cold in Clerk’s office. I was in shock. I’ve been running on and off for 10 years and never received a phone call ever. Now all of a sudden, my candidacy is a problem?

Then a few days later phone call number three comes in. I go on vacation. Next day phone call number four. I am stunned.

Well, the July 28 deadline for school board candidates has now passed. There are SIX people in the running for two seats. It seems the incumbents, for the first time in many years, decided NOT to run. An amazing fact all by itself.

However, we now play a game of connect the dots. Two candidates are clearly connected to Township Mayor Gary Quinn. Two existing newer board members are also connected to Mr. Quinn (Giordano and McEvoy for those not able to guess). Four board members under the influence of Quinn would give him majority control. The two other candidates with strings attached, were put up by the other former town controller (I’ll let everyone guess here).

I have absolutely positively no strings attached.

Clearly, there is an awful power struggle in progress. Why? Because the Lacey Board of Education is like a candy jar to certain people--a candy jar of money. Many contracts and professional appointments are at stake.

I would never view the School Board in this manner. We must have the BEST possible education for our children. Not which friends can be appointed in high places at the taxpayer’s expense. Haven’t we all had enough of the friends and family plan? The children MUST come first. The taxpayers have not been getting the best bang for the buck for many years. Over borrowing to complete the solar project is just one MAJOR example (See NJ State Comptroller’s Alert dated 3/11/14

http://nj.gov/comptroller/news/docs/comptroller_alert_31114.pdf ).

A school district over $55 million in debt is not efficient. The Lacey School District needs change, but not the kind that lines peoples’ pockets.

Please stay tuned!