Schools

School Board Candidates Point to Experience

Four candidates vie for three available positions on the Plainview Board of Education.

Four candidates took the stage at Plainview-Old Bethpage Middle School Wednesday night in a candidates forum to present their case to the voters.

Three of them will be elected to a three-year term on the Board of Education in an election that will also decide the school's budget on May 21.

To an audience of about 50 people, including Superintendent Lorna Lewis and current members of the school board, all four stressed their experience. Two of them focused on their roles as incumbents on the board itself. The two newcomers stressed their qualifications in their business and professional roles.

The four candidates on the ballot are:

  • Incumbent Trustees Gary Bettan and Emily Schulman.
  • Challengers Kevin Rea and Seth Greenberg.
Bettan, a former board president and current member, spoke of his service to the board and his long insistence on rigorous, quality education. He has also been an outspoken opponent of high-stakes testing in its current form and state imposed unfunded mandated programs.

"I'm very proud of what we've accomplished," he said regarding fiscal responsibility. He said Dr. Lewis is one of the "main reasons" he is seeking his third term.

Schulman, a highly-educated teacher, is a graduate of the Plainview school system who says the district is what "brings us together," in Plainview. She said she wanted the best education possible for the students but is "also a pragmatist."

Seth Greenberg, a lawyer and business owner, said he decided to run for a seat because he wants to "ensure a quality education for the future generations of students." Like Schulman and Bettan, Greenberg has several children enrolled in various Plainview schools.

Kevin Rey, a graduate of Saint Anthony's High School and SUNY's Maritime College where he now attends graduate school, said he would bring "a unique perspective to the board." He is a Trustee of the State University of New York and SUNY Student Assembly president.

The candidates fielded a wide range of questions from the audience, written on index cards.

The event, which lasted about two hours, was sponsored by the Plainview-Old Bethpage PTA Council and moderated by members of the League of Women Voters. Also in attendance was Angel Cepeda, a highly visible school board member who has decided not to seek another term.

The budget vote is set for Tuesday May 21 from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. During the budget votes, these candidates will be on the ballot for a three-year-term on Plainview's Board of Education. The top three vote getters will earn a 3-year term on the school board.

The district's proposed budget is well under the tax cap as determined by New York State.

This story corrected an earlier version to reflect that candidate Kevin Rey is graduate of Saint Anthony's High School and SUNY's Maritime College where he now attends graduate school.



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