Meet the South Brunswick BOE Candidate: Stephen Parker

SOUTH BRUNSWICK, NJ — Stephen Parker has been on the South Brunswick Board of Education for 15 years. He knows well the role of a school board member and the responsibilities that come with it.

In the past, Parker has served as both the Vice President and President of the South Brunswick BOE. He believes that “every child matters,” and that all children should receive an equal and quality education.

Parker has a Ph.D. in mechanical and aerospace engineering, and his family includes his wife, Cathy, two sons ad five grandchildren.

Read below to learn more about Parker and his platform for the upcoming elections in South Brunswick.

Age (as of Election Day): 69

Town of residence: South Brunswick

Position sought: South Brunswick Board of Education

Party Affiliation: None

Family: Wife Christy, sons Andrew and Nathan, five grandchildren

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?: No

Education: Ph.D., Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Occupation: Engineer/Software Development, 41 years

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office: 15 years on South Brunswick Board of Education

Why are you seeking elective office?

Education of the next generation, our future leaders, doctors, scientists, musicians, teachers …, is one of the most important functions of human society. Only as we educate our children can our society continue to progress.

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

The current COVID-19 pandemic. While safety is always a concern for schools, it is particularly important during the pandemic. We must ensure the safety of the children, teachers, and staff in our schools. But we must also ensure that the schools are also places of education. A place where every child has the opportunity to grown and learn. If children (or three parents) don’t feel safe in schools they cannot learn. If teachers don’t feel safe they cannot teach. Making this particularly difficult are the ever-changing mandates from Trenton. It’s not always possible to manage the schools in the way this community wants due to restrictions placed on us. It is important that the SBSD continue to make sure our concerns are voiced and that we work for the changes required to properly manage the situation.

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

Experience: Certified Board Member issued by New Jersey School Board Association. Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

Equality in education: Every child matters. Every child deserves the have the opportunities and resources needed to learn and grow, to succeed. Each child is different. Every child has a different background. Every child lives in a different family situation. The schools and the community love to celebrate the successes of our top academic, athletic, and artistic achievers. The law requires, rightfully so, that we provide extra resources for our least able learners. But we must not forget all of the other children. Every child matters. Another aspect of equality is how we teach children about the past. In every conflict, there are two, and sometimes more, sides and often we have children from all sides in the classroom. How do we fairly represent all sides of the story? How do we make sure the children understand all sides of the conflict. It’s is only in understanding past conflicts that we can learn to prevent future conflicts.

School funding: The community is required to provide a “thorough and efficient” education for all children. The Federal government provides a small amount of funding, earmarked for specific costs. The State government provides some funding, again earmarked for specific costs. So, the bulk of the funding falls to the community. Educating our children is an expensive endeavor. We need to provide good teachers, ample resources, safe and efficient buildings. In New Jersey, education is funded through property taxes. Property taxes can be a burden for any family but especially so for retirees. South Brunswick is a very diverse community with a wide range of economic statuses. It is critical that the schools manage their funds efficiently, to ensure each dollar counts. This is an issue that I have had a particular focus on in my years on the Board. South Brunswick has one of the lowest equalized tax rates in Middlesex County and we need to keep it that way and still ensure each child’s needs are met.

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

I am a Certified Board Member, and I understand the many rules and laws governing public education and boards of education. I understand the role of the school board is an overseer. In the business world, they might be called the Board of Trustees. The board hires a CEO, which we call a superintendent, and tasks him with running the schools. The board provides the superintendent with directions for running the schools, in the form of policies. Then the board monitors the schools to see how well the superintendent is doing. At times I have served as both Vice President and President of the Board. I was President at a time when we had administrators behaving badly. I was able to lead the Board in resolving the issue.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

Never judge a person by their appearance but by their actions.

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

The board must keep in mind that the schools are to provide an education for every child in the community. It must view its actions in terms of how they affect every child. They must believe that every child matters.

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

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