Meet The Candidate: Erin Popolo For South Brunswick BOE

SOUTH BRUNSWICK, NJ — It's a crowded field in the South Brunswick Board of Education election this year, with nine candidates running for three open seats.

South Brunswick resident Erin Popolo has thrown her hat in the ring. Popolo lost her daughter Emily Murillo to suicide earlier this year and is now running on a platform of anti-bullying and mental health. She hopes to bring changes to the school district to help students deal with the “pressures and challenges” of the new learning environment.

Read More about Popolo and her platform for the upcoming election in South Brunswick.

Name: Erin Popolo

Position Sought: Member, South Brunswick Board of Education

Age (as of Election Day): 47

Party Affiliation: Non-partisan

Family: Joseph, 46; Kaylee, 22; Emily, 17 (passed away in January); Dominic, 16; and Vincent, 14

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government? Yes, my husband works for the local government.

Education: 64 college credits, Certified Tax Collector (awaiting final state exam 12/21)

Occupation: Local government finance - 16 years

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office: None

Campaign website: Facebook- Your Kids Here

Why are you seeking elective office?

I am seeking a seat on the South Brunswick Board of Education to help instill change to some of the programming and pressing issues our students face on a daily basis.

The single most pressing issue facing our board, district, is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Student and teacher mental health. As we all return to some form of normalcy, the mental health of students and teachers alike has undoubtedly been affected by the pandemic. We need to have resources available to everyone and additional programming during this unprecedented time to deal with the pressures and challenges of the new learning environment.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I am passionate about my platform in the sense that I have already endured the greatest loss a human can endure during this pandemic. I lost my 17-year-old daughter to suicide due to mental illness and bullying. My passion for the subject of mental health and anti-bullying is driven by my desire to instill change so that students have the resources and programming in place to deal with the social-emotional learning needed during these times.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

Anti-bullying is a huge concern of mine. We need to teach these kids to be kinder and more inclusive. We need to teach them that their words hurt and that we never know what someone is dealing with under the surface. Just one negative mark on another can be the difference between life and death. Just as well, one kind thing can make that difference. I also believe in fiscal responsibility and transparency and will work to ensure that is attained. School-to-parent communication is also an area that can always use some fine-tuning.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I have been a single mother of two, working full time and navigating a challenging mental health system for my daughter, while also navigating the Special Education and IEP process for 12 years. I have helped develop and am a part of a new anti-bullying program being used this year for middle and high schoolers. I am a parent who understands what the cost can be when these resources are not in place for students.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

Be Kind. You never know what someone is going through.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I am just a mom, who endured the ultimate loss, and who wants to instill change in the school system so that no other child has to endure what my daughter did, and so that no other parent has to walk in my shoes on a journey they never wanted to be on.

In anticipation of the upcoming election, Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns. We will be publishing candidate profiles as election day draws near.

Thank you for reading. Have a correction or news tip? Email sarah.salvadore@patch.com

Get breaking news alerts on your phone with our app. Download here. Sign up to get Patch emails so you don't miss out on local and statewide news.