Two Winners, One Too Close To Call In SOMSD Board Of Ed Race

Two major issues facing the South-Orange Maplewood Board of Education include the hiring of a new full-time superintendent and a plan to “integrate” the schools which has a price tag of over $100 million dollars.

The plan would initially combine all fifth- and sixth-graders at Maplewood Middle School and seventh- and eighth-graders at South Orange Middle School. But recently the plans have been altered with a focus on separating Marshall and Jefferson schools so they are both K-5. The rest of the grades would remain unchanged. Columbia High School would remain the same. All plans require additional classroom space to be constructed in the elementary schools and some redistricting.

In 2014, civil rights groups including the ACLU of New Jersey filed a complaint with the federal Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights urging an investigation into the South Orange-Maplewood School District. The groups charged that the district’s tracking and discipline practices “disproportionately confine students of color to lower-level classes and punish students of color and students with disabilities to a greater degree.”

In March, SOMA district administrators shared a statement with Patch about the work being done to address “integration, equity and school climate.”

The SOMA district is also in the midst of hiring a new superintendent. Those elected to the school board will be tasked with:

• Candidate Screening and Interviews, including reviewing resumes, screening and narrowing candidate pool, and conducting interviews of candidates.
• Final Selection of a Superintendent, including reference checks, community engagement and final selection. The Board’s goal is to appoint a new superintendent in Spring 2019.

The nonstop pouring rain did not keep voters home in what could be a record turnout midterm election. Even with the various issues facing local communities, President Trump was on their minds.

In one polling location, some shouted out, “Dump Trump!” while others walked in right beside them and excitedly said they think Trump is doing an excellent job.

“We are total Republicans and Trump has done everything right. We’re voting for Hugin,” said New Jersey resident Lorraine Luzzo, 82, with her husband, Louis.

“The economy is doing well, there are jobs, patriotism is back in our country,” she said.

Others had clearly different views

“President Dump, as I call him, is hands-down the worst president we’ve had in a long time,” said New Jersey resident Steve Laspina, 64. “He is … an embarrassment to our country. I’m embarrassed by his racist policies and what he says.”

“I agree!,” said a woman walking by. “He is immoral, he’s terrible.”

Others said they weren’t bothered by issues facing the man at the top of the Democratic ticket – Sen. Robert Menendez – who has been dogged by corruption charges for years

“That did bother me, but not as much as I hate Trump,” chimed in another Democratic voter, who only wanted to be identified as Nick, 72. “And that doesn’t bother me as much as Hugin being a big pharmaceutical executive and making millions off sick cancer patients. And Hugin raised thousands of dollars for Trump in New Jersey. He’s a big Trump supporter.”

“The corruption charges bother me, but Menendez is the lesser of two evils,” said Dominick Rose, 36 who said he’s begrudgingly voting for Menendez today. “I didn’t like either Hugin or Menendez but you have to pick one.”

Michael Alarcon, 42, is a Republican who voted for Trump. He said he will be voting for Hugin today because he thinks Trump has done a good job.

“Liberal Democrats screamed and yelled over the past two years and that’s not how you govern. Instead, all that screaming and yelling is what has driven a lot of Republicans out to vote today,” he predicted. “I think Trump has done an excellent job on the economy and on immigration.”

Alarcon, who is Latino, was educated at Harvard University, works in finance, but declined to give details beyond that, saying readers would just stereotype him as a wealthy Republican.

“I have gotten some pushback from fellow Latinos for supporting Trump. But I think there is a separation in the Latino community between people who just believe what they read on the news and people who fact check it, and find the truth is quite different,” he said. “And the media definitely has a purposefully negative attitude towards Trump.”

Alarcon said he doesn’t think Trump’s immigration policies or rhetoric have been racist at all.

“He wants to make sure there is order in our immigration system. He respects people who follow the laws and due process to get into our country,” he said. “And he’s very correct in acknowledging that people do do things to take advantage, such as child trafficking and smuggling in drugs and guns and criminals. This is not about race at all.”

Rose manages a car dealership and voted for Republican George W. Bush (“He was actually my favorite president”), Barack Obama, Trump and Gov. Phil Murphy. He said he would have voted for Bernie Sanders if he had been the candidate against Trump.

“I just try to look at the issues. This is actually the first time I’ve ever voted in a midterm. But to me, the issues are too important today: Healthcare, legalizing marijuana, which I strongly support, and tax reform,” he said. “I think Trump has done a good job so far. But Hugin is not for legalizing marijuana, which I support.”

(Photo courtesy of Shutterstock)

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