Seeking Innovative School Models

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The Black Parents Workshop, Inc. provided a questionnaire to all of the candidates for the South Orange-Maplewood Board of Education in the November 6, 2018 election. Every candidate was given ample time to respond to the questionnaire. We are publishing the questions we posed and the candidates’ responses in their entirety. We did not score the answers because we believe doing so, allows a candidate to manufacture responses to try to game the scoring system. We also believe scoring the candidates is simply subterfuge to create the appearance of objectivity for the selection of pre-determined candidate favorites. Our aim, as it was with our forum last year, is to raise critical questions, have the candidates answer them and allow you, the voter, to determine if a candidate’s response is sufficient to compel your support. We encourage your questioning of the candidates by directly contacting them through their respective campaigns. 

Every candidate with the exception of Shannon Cuttle answered our questionnaire. Candidate Cuttle suggested being advised by the New Jersey School Boards Association that responding to the questions would represent a 'conflict' if Shannon were  elected given that the Black Parents Workshop has filed litigation against the South Orange-Maplewood School District.  Candidate Cuttle responded:

“Thank you for inviting me to take part in the BPW questionnaire. For over 20 years, I have been deeply invested in creating welcoming, affirming, inclusive safe schools for all students. Students of color, marginalized, and underserved students disproportionately face harsher discipline rates and higher rates of bullying, and report higher rates of feeling unsafe at school. We need to work as a community with stakeholders to help close the achievement gap that negatively impacts students of color and other marginalized students and truly invest in equity, not just equality. Unfortunately, after seeking guidance from NJ State School Board Association legal counsel in regards to the questionnaire and the ongoing lawsuit with the district, I have determined that I ought not to complete the questionnaire. It is my understanding that completing the questionnaire may lead to my needing to recuse myself once elected to the BOE. The issues discussed in the questionnaire are vitally important to not only me but our school community, and I want to ensure that I will be able to have an active voice standing up for students and equity when I am elected to the BOE.” 

We don’t buy that explanation, particularly since no question sought comment specifically on our litigation and an incumbent candidate answered all of the questions. Therefore, we oppose in principle Shannon Cuttle’s candidacy. If a candidate cannot answer questions that are part of a larger public debate, we believe the individual is not worthy of voter support.