CAMPAIGN 2008 ENDORSEMENT:

WERTALIK & FRATO FOR SCHOOL TRUSTEE

THE BEST CHOICE FOR PARENTS, STUDENTS & HOMEOWNERS!

On Tuesday April 15th North Arlington voters will choose two individuals to serve a three-year term as members of the North Arlington Board of Education.

Being a member of the North Arlington BOE is a thankless effort.

Numerous meetings that run late into the night, collective bargaining negotiations and the construction of the annual budget are important responsibilities that require individuals who are competent and fiscally conservative with tax dollars.

At the same time, it can be very rewarding to play an advisory role in the construction of public policy and this position affords these residents the opportunity to make a difference.

Unfortunately, the embedded business of public education is in the hands of teachers, administrators, principals and the superintendent of schools. These people are the "constant" in the public education equation. Parents and students come and go, but school employees are the people who really run the schools for better or for worse!

Despite being volunteers with no compensation to the thousands of hours that go into being a school trustee over a three-year term, voters have four candidates seeking the two seats currently held by incumbents Karen Palatella and Fred Frato.

In year's past, ridiculous increases in school spending have sent seniors in droves to the polls to defeat the school budget.

This year, the school budget represents a 6.6% hike in spending if approved. Like last year, embedded school officials like Dr. Ollie Stringham and Kathleen Marano are seeking a "yes" vote despite having to exceed the state's mandated budget cap. Like last year, municipal officials like Mayor Peter Massa have asked school officials to hold the line on spending. While 6.6% is not an outrageous increase, the BOE could have done a better job in controlling costs. We're hopeful taxpayers will cast a "no" vote so that the Mayor & Council like last year will get the opportunity to review the spending plan and shave some costs taxpayers need not have to endure as we enter a full blown recession!

This year's candidates give voters a clear choice when it comes to taxes and spending as well as who is best suited to represent the parents as well as the students and homeowners who fund the cost of education here in North Arlington.

Incumbent Karen Palatella has served for nine years and three terms without accomplishment nor distinction. She has little, if nothing to say at board meetings and seems content to let the business of the district be managed by the professional staff. We're unaware of any new programs or increases in test scores provided by her leadership.

We see in her candidacy a passive trustee who is happy with the status quo.

We wish we could point to something, anything that she's done to warrant some semblance of praise for her near decade of service.

Based on a record of simply rubber stamping budgets and business as usual, maybe it's time for someone else to serve which brings us to the candidacy of Deborah Wertalik.

Wertalik understands the business of government.

The leader of the parents group Special Angels, Wertalik has built a solid reputation as a community organizer dedicated to the cause of assisting those children afflicted with the learning disability of autism. Those who know her describe her as a wonderful advocate for these children who is tireless in her efforts to find a breakthrough as well as educate the populace to the symptoms and causes of this severe learning challenge.

Wertalik has run a low key effort but has articulated the need for the BOE to work with the municipal government and that's a start. While we strongly disagree on the notion of student overcrowding as a legitimate issue, she seems ready and prepared to put in the time and energy that will make her an independent voice of school officials who seem to hate change of any kind!

The other challenger in this race is former NAHS principal and retired schools superintendent Anthony Blanco. Mr. Blanco is a passionate advocate for children and truly cares about the district he led for about decade. He's qualified to serve and understands the issues. He's probably hired most of the employees and top school officials in this district. His commitment to the job is without question.

But that's the problem.

Mr. Blanco is not objective about education in North Arlington. He sees the district as an excellent example of public education when in fact North Arlington is struggling at the bottom educationally with districts like Garfield, Lodi, Lyndhurst and Englewood. Test scores continue to be mediocre at best and his presence on the board would reduce the public's representation to four since he'll  be an advocate for more spending in the form of raises for teachers.

The last thing taxpayers need is an automatic vote for raises, more spending and no accountability.

We find it hard to believe that Mr. Blanco has the personality or the leadership skills to be objective and we fear his presence will be nothing more than an extension of the superintendent's goals and objectives. North Arlington needs an advocate for taxpayers, not an advocate for teachers, principals and Mr. Stringham.

His candidacy thus far has been non-existent and he's taken no public position on any issues. We'll assume he's for the budget, but where does he stand on the issue of school uniforms? While Mr. Blanco should be thanked for his previous public service as a well paid bureaucrat, his election to the BOE is just bad news for taxpayers.

Fred Frato is a member of the recreation community here in North Arlington and has given of his time as a volunteer for many years in the form of coaching and mentoring kids. Mr. Frato isn't an expert on issues like the school budget and is straight forward with the fact he still has lots to learn after serving a term of office. But what we like about Mr. Frato is that he's committed to the students and wants the district to improve both athletically and educationally.

Mr. Frato seems to struggle with some of the more complex issues of public education, but we wonder how much assistance school officials give the trustees to learn their role as advisory members to the deliverance of public education? The recent school uniform controversy is a perfect example of the lack of leadership displayed by both Stringham and Marano to give the board all the facts to come to a reasonable solution. Instead, you have cynical school employees coming to meetings and making a mockery of a good idea gone astray! How does the district's leadership let school employees make comparisons of a school uniform policy to the days of Nazi Germany? How does the district's leadership let school employees write letters to the local press attacking citizens they just don't like?

For school trustees to be effective, they need the cooperation of school officials. In the case of North Arlington, these school officials seem to keep the BOE in the dark while the real work is done by those employed, not elected by the public at-large.

All of these individuals should be congratulated for stepping up and taking the time to serve the district. Win or lose, it's people such as these candidates that will in the end be the stewards of public education.

We urge everyone who can vote to consider our choices and the reasons why we believe they make the most sense. But at the end of the day, the choice is up to you!

On Tuesday April 15th, we believe incumbent Fred Frato and challenger Deborah Wertalik are the right choices for our schools.

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