Six Running for Three Board of Education Seats

Six candidates, including two incumbents, are vying for three open seats on the Teaneck Board of Education.

Each year the public has a chance to select three people to the nine-member board, and this year’s election is slated for April 27.

Incumbents include Board of Education President Ardie Walser and trustee Margaret Angeli. The third seat up for grabs is currently held by trustee Joseph Cliffe. Cliffe said he’s not seeking re-election because he’s moving to Florida at the end of June. He declined any further comments. A message left for Angeli was not immediately returned.

Walser said his primary goal in seeking re-election is to finish the job he started six years ago: opening up the governing process to the public.

“We actively recruit people to come to our board meetings,” Walser said. “And if someone is intimidated and doesn’t feel comfortable speaking in front of all the board members and officials, they can come speak to us one-on-one 30 minutes before our monthly public meetings.”

Walser said he wants to continue to find a way to tap into and engage parents, educators, houses of worship and the community when it comes to serving students and dealing with the budget.

“People are concerned, and many have to deal with losing jobs and careers,” Walser said. “The board has been receptive to people voicing their frustrations and in helping to renew their outlook.”

Howard Rose ran two years ago for a seat on the school board. He said his platform remains the same as his last run: academic excellence and financial responsibility.

“I’d like to see someone on the Board with a financial background,” he said. “Prior to owning , I was in educational administration for 25 years.”

Rose was the student finance officer at Cardozo School of Law and handled $25 million in financial aid and $15 million in tuition collection.

Rose said he’d like to see higher academic scores in the schools and a higher percentage of students attending four-year universities.

“I think we have to review and reinvigorate the system,” he said. “I’m OK with the level of funding in the current school budget, but I’d like to see some changes with the way it’s allocated.”

Running for public office for the first time, Alan Sohn said he wants to see more teachers in the classroom and to make better use of the resources the district already has.

“I’d like to build broad-based community support for the public schools,” he said.

In addition to visiting all seven schools in the district, Sohn also visited 15 public high schools in Bergen County in an effort to identify successful strategies that can be implemented in Teaneck schools.

Sohn said he supports the current school budget and its increase of less than one-half of one percent in the tax levy.

“The budget that’s been crafted is one I think everyone should get behind and support,” he said.

Clara Williams is also a newcomer on the ballot, but said her involvement in the community helped her to see how larger issues are tied with the school system.

“I have been addressing issues such as transparency in government and accountability, and I’ve organized around issues like jobs and education,” she said. “I think students and parents can benefit from an advocate like me fighting on their behalf.”

Williams said the present budget is “reasonable,” but warrants additional compromises, such as retaining the custodial staff instead of contracting the work to outside vendors.

“Any further cuts in general are going to destabilize the schools, making it more difficult to provide quality education,” she said.

The other board candidate is Patricia King-Butler, who could not be immediately reached for comment.