Warren Township School Board Election 2022: Natalie Feuchtbaum

WARREN, NJ — Warren Township Board of Education general election on Nov. 8 has seven candidates running for three open seats.

Natalie Feuchtbaum is running for one of the three, three-year full-term seats on the school board. Opposing candidates include Stephen Toor, Eric Winch, Ned Bolcar, Patricia Zohn, Mark Bisci, and Scott Otto.

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(All of the candidates were given the same questions)

Natalie Feuchtbaum

Age: 42

Town of residence: Warren, NJ

Position sought: Member, Board of Education

Family: Jason, daughter Amara (7), daughter Kira (5) and son Noah (8 months)

Education: Bachelor of Applied Sciences, Communications - Simon Fraser University (British Columbia, Canada) and Juris Doctor - Brooklyn Law School

Occupation: Privacy Attorney

Previous or current elected appointed office: None.

Campaign website: N/A

Why are you seeking to run for School Board?

I am running for School Board because I want to be involved in decisions that affect my children and my community. My education and profession provide me with a skillset that is uniquely suited to be a successful member of the School Board and to help make sure decisions are made that reflect the preferences and interests of all our families.

How do you feel about the current sex-ed curriculum in the district?

The proposed new sex-ed curriculum that was recently voted down needs to be revisited to ensure all familes are comfortable with it. That requires full transparency. It is the responsibility of the Board to make sure every family understands what will be taught and be given the opportunity to provide feedback. That is the only way we can make educated and informed decisions for our childrens' education. Teaching our children a common framework for understanding the world empowers them to better communicate with and understand each other.

Would you be in favor of a later school start time for students?

For our older children, yes. Data has consistently shown a correlation between insufficient sleep and increased health risks in teenagers. (School Start Times for Adolescents | Pediatrics | American Academy of Pediatrics (aap.org))

What other issues do you feel need to be tackled in the school district?

Fundamentals like math and reading need to be taught in a consistent, dynamic way to provide students a solid foundation so they have the chance to excel in more advanced areas such as computer programming, public speaking and even economics. These are subjects I didn't learn until college which I think need to now be introduced earlier to keep up with the complexity of our times.

What sets you apart from the other challenging candidates?

I'm not only a mother of three and an attorney, I'm also a thoughtful and conscientious woman with a sincere interest in the strength of the community in which I've chosen to lay down my roots.

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

Politics should have no place in decisions of the Board. We need to work together to find out how to best make decisions for our community that make our families feel comfortable and help set them up for success. Surely that is a goal we can all get behind. If there was ever a time to come together on an issue, it's when designing the path of our childrens’ education.