St. Mary's school board candidates square off

Candidates hoping to earn (or retain) a place on the St. Mary’s County Board of Education panel were able to voice their opinions and concerns during an election forum on April 11 at the Lexington Park library.

The forum featured candidates vying for at-Large and District 2 seats. Because two of the three candidates in District 4 — Mary Washington (illness, death in the family) and David Drys (trip abroad) — were absent and only Charles L.V. Carrington was in attendance, a decision to postpone that forum was made.

Candidates had three minutes to make opening remarks before answering questions from the audience and later offering closing remarks.

At-largeThe at-large seat is made up of candidates Brandie Edelen, Josh Guy, Deforest Rathbone and Angela M. Wathen.

“I am running because as a current educator at [College of Southern Maryland] in areas of dual-enrolled students, I’m able to see their abilities and they are not prepared for college,” Edelen said. “Increasing amounts in the disruptions in the classroom cannot facilitate effective learning, and ... because our curriculum is lacking in areas that students need, particularly in real life skills.”

“There’s three points I’d really like to hit on tonight,” Guy said, referring to safety and security, helping parents navigate the school system and a plan to recruit and retain teachers.

Rathbone, who is pushing for drug testing for middle and high school students, said drugs leads to violence and “we have to get that straightened out.”

Wathen did not attend last week’s forum, but did send remarks which were read by moderator Marsha L. Williams.

In her statement, Wathen said, “The member who is elected … needs to bring new ideas, new energy and broad experience to the board, and I believe I am that person.”

The candidates were asked what they would do to save money in the school budget.

Guy said he would look at administrative expenses and also plan better for future budgets, while Edelen responded, “When it comes to the budget it’s a tricky area because you don’t want to cut areas that are effective. The key is to understand where the money is going.”

The candidates were asked how they would let members of the community know about controversial issues affecting children’s education.

“We have a problem of things going bad in the schools that aren’t admitted, aren’t publicized,” Rathbone said. “A lot of the things about the fights and the beatings, you aren’t hearing about that. You have to start admitting what’s going on.”

Edelen said incidents “need to be made public, but before it’s released we need to have all of the facts.”

Guy added that parents are frustrated because they are not getting the information they need, so “transparency is going to be a key to success.”

District 2The District 2 race features current school board member Cathy Allen and challengers Elena Brewer and Anthony Lotierzo.

“It’s important that the voice of our community be heard in places that impact our schools and I have been that voice because I have the time, knowledge and commitment to do so,” Allen said. “While there are a number of positive things to come out of the [recent state] legislation, there are many issues with it, not the least of which is putting many decisions in the hands of the state rather than here in our county where they belong.”

“I want to promote excellence, excellence, excellence in education,” Brewer said. “I want to stop the sexualization and indoctrination of children and when I speak of indoctrination, I mean radical gender theory, racism, white guilt and many such things.”

Lotierzo said “changes need to be made in our school community now. There is an urgent need for parents to stop sitting on the sidelines and to take action.”

Allen was asked to describe parental involvement in the schools.

She said the board has made efforts to make sure parents have the opportunity to and are encouraged to be part of various committees “so their voices can be a part of the conversation.”

Concerning controversial books, Brewer voiced her desire to “remove every one that promotes radical gender theory, which is very, very destructive. I want books in schools to be age appropriate. Don’t talk banned, you don’t know what that means. I know what banned means.”

She added she would like to see teachers not have “clothing or jewelry or classroom décor that promotes LGBTQ” or ask students “what pronouns they think they have. I want to protect the innocence of our children and their God-given identity of male or female.”

When asked what he would fund in the school budget that is not currently funded, Lotierzo said teacher salaries, school security and “we are the world’s brunt as far as school lunches go,” but added he didn’t want to see things such as sports, liberal arts and music taken away.

The St. Mary’s Republican Club and Republican Women of St. Mary’s will host a “Let’s talk Politics” candidate forum for judges candidates and the school board hopefuls from 3 to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 20, at Taphouse 1637, 23418 Three Notch Road in California.

The primary election will be held May 14 with a week of early voting from May 2 to 9.