Forum introduces candidates

With just over a month until Election Day, the first in a long series of public forums for candidates kicked off last night at Monroe County Public Library.\nEight of the 10 candidates for the Monroe County Community School Corporation gathered last night at the library, 303 E. Kirkwood Ave., to answer the public's questions and state their opinions on issues facing Monroe County schools. The forum was sponsored by the League of Women Voters and the Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce.\nOne of the central issues discussed during the forum was increasing funding for schools. Recently social workers were hired for MCCSC despite the failure of last fall's referendum, which would have provided funds for those staff members. MCCSC teachers are now negotiating a pay raise, and it is widely feared they will receive only a 1 percent increase instead of the usual 3.5 to 5 percent as a result. \nJoan Hart, the incumbent candidate for District 5, said the pay raise is still being discussed, and she said she doubts it will be lower than usual. She also said providing social workers in Monroe County schools was an issue on the minds of many educators.\n"Every school I visit, I'm always asked about social workers," she said. \nSue Wanzer, candidate for District 2 also said her goal was to ease the burden on teachers paying for classroom supplies out of their own pocket. She said, according to a national study, teachers spend more than $400 annually of their own money to supplement their classroom tools, and those inequities must be corrected. \n"The role of the school board ... is to get obstacles out of the way so teachers can do their jobs," she said. \nLindsay Boyd, District 6 candidate, said he would pursue community outreach as a solution to the MCCSC's social worker problems. He also said it is vital to get the community involved in all aspects of its schools.\n"In my experience, I've found if you open your doors to the community, they'll open their doors to you," he said.\nKeith Klein, candidate for District 5, suggested using IU and local businesses as resources in the classroom. \n"Have an IU artist in residence. Have a loaned business executive teach or co-teach a class. We need to tell the community there's a place for them (in our schools)," he said.\nThe failed educational referendum, which would have raised property tax rates by 8 to 12 percent, garnered only 32 percent of the vote last fall. While not all of the candidates said they had supported the tax hike, all said they would proceed differently should another referendum be offered. \nLynn Coyne, candidate for District 4 and IU assistant vice president for administration, said misinformation was a big problem in last November's vote.\n"The choice shouldn't be for or against education, the choice should be on how that money will be used," he said.\nMike Gentile, candidate for District 6, said he did not support the referendum.\n"I saw the need for the money, but I didn't see (the referendum) as the only way to get it," he said. \nMonroe County's low graduation rates were also a hot topic. About 82 percent of students in the county make it to graduation, and all the candidates acknowledged that improvement is necessary. \n"It's important that every student make it to graduation," said Gretchen Elkins Weidner, candidate for District 2. \n"We need to evaluate test scores and how the students are performing (on the way to graduation)," said William Campbell, District 4 candidate.\nCandidates William Scott, District 2, and Peter Uthrppuru, District 6, did not participate in the forum. Scott is also a professor emeritus of personnel and organizational behavior at the Kelley School of Business.\nThe forum was broadcast live on Community Access Television, channel 12. It will be repeated at 1 p.m. today and 9 p.m. Thursday.