Kirkwood School Board Candidates Talk Budget, Role of Politics

Kirkwood Board of Education candidates participated in a candidate forum hosted by the League of Women Voters March 4. 

Out of five candidates, two will be elected for the Board April 2. Candidates include:

• Marie Kelly
• Darnel Frost
• Antona Brent Smith
• Eric Christian Peterson
• Amy Russell

Here's a quick wrap of some of the questions candidates answered at the forum. Check in on Kirkwood Patch's Election Guide before voting Tuesday.

What are your thoughts on publicly-funded preschool?

Frost: "I have nothing against them being around. ...My worry and wonder is how it would affect the Kirkwood School District."

Smith: "I 100 percent agree and believe that we should have some form of publicly-funded preschool. What that form takes will depend on the needs of that family and of those children."

Peterson: "What does the study say? ...You can't determine if you can afford unless you first know how you will go about it."

Russell: "...We need to make our decisions based on the research. ...80 percent of kids going into Kirkwood kindergarten attend private preschools in the area. I don't think we should interfere with what those parents have decided to do with their children. We should help the people that need the help and if others decide they don't want to send their children to preschool they shouldn't be forced to do it."

Kelly: "Early enrichment experiences for young children helps academic achievement. ...But it is an expensive proposition. ...Unless there's public state or federal support, I don't think it's a viable option for Kirkwood."

On the 2012 Missouri MAP test, students from Kirkwood High School had less than a 60 percent proficiency on math. What direction would you give to the administration to correct this problem?

Smith: "I would look at how we are teaching math. ...I would look at how we are preparing students for the test."

Peterson: "More math will get you higher scores, more practice will get you higher scores, more study will get you higher scores."

Russell: "I would propose decreasing class sizes. Studies have shown decreasing class sizes will promote academic achievement. ...Offer foreign language in elementary schools. ...Focus on things in elementary school to get long-term effects." 

Kelly: "What we need to do is continue to address students who come in from other places and see where they are quickly. ...The district needs to continue doing what they are, really." 

Frost: "Whatever is needed. ...Whether it's more tutoring, more math. ...Make sure that we are able to provide whatever they need to move forward in math."

How would you have voted on the decision to make improvements to the football stadium? If you have to make cuts where are you going to make them?

Peterson: "If you're talking about borrowing money to do something that is not academic, I would generally side against it. ...Fund what's most important first."

Russell: "Academic achievement is a No. 1 priority. ...I don't think $2.5 million is something we should be spending that on. ...Make sure we're getting the best bang for our buck."

Kelly: "I was really disappointed there was no public discussion on the stadium project. ...We have a responsibility to make sure our facilities our safe."

Frost: "We have to make sure every building in the district is ADA-compliant..."

Smith: "If there is a cost that does not directly benefit a student in the classroom, I would start there. ...My vote simply would have been 'no' at that time especially because the community was not invited in the discussion about the football stadium."

If you homeschool your children, how familiar are you with the public school curriculum?

Russell: "Unfortunately, Kirkwood did not offer things I wanted. They didn't offer foreign language in kindergarten...smaller class sizes...more time for recess. These are the things I am able to give my daughter at home. ...I don't know what our intent will be in the future."

Kelly: "Homeschooling is everyone's choice."

Frost: "...Concepts of homeschooling are different from what you're dealing with in a public school district."

Smith: "...Homeschool has a place but it is definitely child-specific."

Peterson: "...I think you get the best outcomes where you have the broadest variety. ...I applaud anybody for homeschooling their kids."

What should the role of politics in the school board be? Do you have any endorsements and support of a political party or pack?

Kelly: "I think the role of politics in a school board should be non-partisan, very non-partisan."

Frost: "Politics have absolutely no role in the school district whatsoever."

Smith: "Grassroots, bare bones -- that's my election committee. ...It should be non-partisan."

Peterson: "I have not been put up to this election by anybody. ...I'm paying for everything myself. ...If a pack endorses me, I welcome it. If you endorse me, I welcome it."

Russell: "There is absolutely no room for politics in the school board but unfortunately there is a lot of politics in the school board election."

View the entire candidate forum on the Kirkwood School District website.