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Jones, Zechman discuss issues
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Linda Jones says her passion for seeing children get the best possible education is what prompted her to run for School Board.
Her opponent, Bill Zechman, says Warren County students are doing remarkable things in the classroom.
Their comments were made Monday night during a political forum at WCHS. Zechman is the incumbent looking to fend off the challenge from Jones for his 2nd District School Board seat.
“I want to see children get the best possible education they can without breaking the backs of the taxpayers,” said Jones. “My passion is to see children shine.”
Said Zechman in his opening remark, “We need to do what’s right for young people. We need to support them and we need to nurture them. It’s my belief anything that needs to be done intellectually can be done right here in this community.”
Both candidates were asked if they thought teachers should be held responsible for the standardized test scores of their students. Both agreed they should.
“I think there are some students who don’t care and they can pull a teacher down,” said Jones, “but otherwise it works and it’s a good way to do it.”
Zechman said the school system is required to take “students of all shapes and sizes.” Even though all students may not be high achieving, Zechman said, “Teachers should definitely be responsible for what they do in the classroom.”
When asked their thoughts on cellphones, Zechman said the school system has a policy that is currently being revisited by the School Board. Local schools have operated under the policy that cellphones should not be used on school ground during regular hours from 7:45 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.
“I think we need a reasonable kind of policy where a student would have access to a cellphone in the event of an emergency,” said Zechman. “Students can’t have them on tethers around their necks, but we don’t need a Draconian policy where one size fits all.”
Jones said she doesn’t want cellphones to be another problem teachers have to address.
“What I think should not be allowed to happen is for students to have their phone out texting and causing a disruption in class,” said Jones.