CHUH School Board Candidates Answer Questions at Forum

Cleveland Heights and University Heights residents heard from and questioned local candidates at a forum Thursday night in the

The featured candidates running for city council and school board seats in Cleveland Heights and University Heights, and was presented by the League of Women Voters Cuyahoga Area, Heights Chapter and FutureHeights.

Each candidate spoke for two minutes about his or her experience and was allotted one minute to answer questions. Audience members wrote questions on index cards read by moderator Deanna Bremer Fisher, executive director of FutureHeights. Below is a brief summary of each school board candidate's response, and follow this link to read about the portion of the evening. The event was recorded, and we will share a link to the video once it's available.

CLEVELAND HEIGHTS-UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATES

Bio Blast: Current Cleveland Heights-University Heights School Board member. Read his . 

Opening Statement: "I continue to be amazed at the work our teachers are doing, at the level we are pushing our kids. And I know, having been on the other side of the table, how it’s only going to get stronger. ... We're going to push for more rigor, we’re going to push for more relevance ... we want this district to be known as a tough district."

On Issue 2: "I do not support Senate Bill 5, I (don't) support Issue 2. I believe, as Nancy mentioned, collective bargaining has done very well for us in this district … SB5 actually sets us up against each other."

On the Cedar Center tax abatement issue: "We’ve been attempting to come to a resolution that both parties will benefit from and will help the kids, it won’t hurt the kids in this district and will help South Euclid continue to achieve economic success."

On improving low-performing schools: "We’re increasing time. We’re pulling teachers out of administration, some of our best teachers who have moved up the ranks and work in administration, we’re putting them back in the classroom. So there are more teachers per student."

"What be done to increase the knowledge and self-esteem of African-American students, their history and African-American curriculum?" We have definitely increased our participation in MSAN (Minority Student Achievement Network) and our commitment to it … we have recommitted to going forward with that and seeing how far we can take it in all of the schools."

Bio Blast: Current Cleveland Heights-University Heights School Board member. Read her . 

Opening Statement: "We’ve hired an excellent superintendent who came on board very, very quickly and said, for example, 'Why do we have a really short instructional day?' … We immediately turned around and increased instructional time, and that’s already paying off ... We’ve made significant budget cuts that didn’t touch the classrooms.

On Issue 2: "No, I (do not) support Issue 2, which will repeal Senate Bill 5. I believe that allowing for collective bargaining is a central tenant of democracy. It’s important, and it’s served us very well in this district."

On the Cedar Center tax abatement issue: "Before the Cedar Center property was raised, we were getting approximately $300,000 a year in taxes from that property, and all we’ve ever asked is to be held harmless going forward. That’s been our negotiating point, and we haven’t been able to come to agreement yet. It’s still in process."

On improving low-performing schools: "Two years ago, was in . Wiley this year, it was rated effective, and they moved up that quickly because we instituted this block schedule, which meant that all students had double the amount of instructional time in English language arts, and all students had double the amount of instructional time for math."

"How do we improve our understanding of urban black youth?" " I think that we’ve done a good job of hiring and supporting and promoting African-American educators in this district, and it’s something that I am really proud of."

Clarification: Coble and Peppler said they did support Issue 2 at the candidate forum, but they later clarified they did not support Issue 2, as the "No" vote will repeal Senate Bill 5.