For The First Time In 20 Years, A School Board Seat Is Contested: Candidates Meet At Forum

For more than 20 years, not a single seat on Scarsdale's school board has been contested -- until now.

This year's election pits a long-time financial advisor against a former federal attorney who was nominated the traditional way for Scarsdale's normally unopposed candidates: By earning the endorsement of the School Board Nominating Committee (SBNC).

The nomination process -- which some blame directly for the 20-year streak of uncontested elections -- became one of the central topics of discussion when the two candidates met Thursday night at a forum sponsored by the League of Women Voters.

The group organized the forum after Fox Meadow resident Bob Harrison gathered enough signatures to appear on the ballot. He is running against Suzanne Seiden, who was endorsed by the School Board Nominating Committee (SBNC).

Jill Spieler, a graphic designer who's served on the board since 2007 and is the current vice-president, is running uncontested for a second term. She gave a two-minute statement in favor of the non-partisan system in which the SBNC vets candidates privately and nominates them to outgoing board members' positions.

While critics say the system discourages civic participation and voter turnout, Spieler says it "has proven itself over time and has kept politics out of the process."

She said the nomination committee vets candidates, and while the SBNC ultimately nominates only one candidate to each vacant school board seat, individual members of the committee may disagree with the majority choice.

"Diversity strengethens conversations and ultimately decisions," she said.

Even long-time Scarsdale residents can't remember the last time a school board election was contested. The SBNC's nominations haven't been challenged since 1990 or earlier.

This year, Seiden and Harrison are competing for a seat vacated by Jeffrey Blatt, whose second term is expiring. Board members are limited to serving two three-year terms.

At the candidates forum, Seiden and Harrison answered three questions from the League of Women Voters. The candidates were allowed 90 seconds to answer each question, and were not allowed to rebut one another.

The moderator, former president of the League of Women Voters of Westchester Erin Malloy, asked the candidates to list their "most important skills and most significant past experiences that qualify [them] to serve on the school board."

Seiden listed a resume that includes nine years as a volunteer in the school district, and spearheading a 2004 effort to fund repairs at Quaker Ridge School.

Harrison touted a 43-year career in business and finance, and said he believes he can "help the board make sound financial and educational decisions in the future."

"We need a diverse board with experience in finance," he added.

The candidates were asked to explain what they believe will be "the biggest challenge facing next year's school board" and how they would tackle the issue.

"Our teachers are the highest paid in the state," with an average teacher salary of $118,886, Harrison said.

The school board should work toward "holding the line on [salary] increases" he said, pointing out teachers in neighboring Edgemont are paid less, but the SAT scores of kids in Edgemont "are just as good as those of Scarsdale children."

Seiden said the biggest challenge facing the board is "maintaining the quality of our schools while doing so as effectively as possible." She noted there could be "changes in the administration" next year and said the board would be charged with "evaluation and selecting talent."

"Being successful on these critical issues requires the board to work effectively together on delivering to the community, and I'm certain I can do that," Seiden said.

After taking questions from the League of Women Voters, the candidates chose two questions each from the audience, which were written on index cards.

One of the questions, "What are the advantanges of the School Board Nonimating Committee?" caused contention between the candidates.

Seiden said the committee's process for vetting candidates is akin to "doing a CIA background check," and claimed "they made a decision that I was a qualified candidate and would keep an open mind."

She also accused Harrison of "knowingly misleading the community" when he pointed out in his introductory comments that he had gathered 67 signatures while she had 32.

Seiden said the 32 signatures on her petition were "those of the SBNC" and "they didn't go to the train station or anywhere else in town to come up with a list."

The fact that there were no signatures from anyone outside of the committee is indicative of the problem, Harrison said.

"There hasn't been a contested election for school board as long back as you can go," he said. "There is a benefit to having a contested election."

Another audience member asked, "What specific experience do you bring to the board in this critical time in our economy?"

"I think we need more financial experience on the board," Harrison responded, noting he shares experience in the financial realm with outgoing board member Blatt.

Blatt, who was watching the debate while standing at the back of the room, sighed heavily at Harrison's answer.

"I have no concerns about my qualifications and neither did the School Board Nomination Committee," Seiden said in response to the same question.

She said she'll "roll up [her] sleeves, become informed on the issues, and ask the difficult questions."

Seiden also said working for a financial institution "doesn't guarantee you've gotten it right," to which audience members responded with laughter.

When the candidates were asked to address the importance of having children in Scarsdale's schools while serving on the board, Harrison said when his two sons were children he was "strongly in favor of small class sizes in the elementary school and I still feel that way."

Harrison now has two grandchildren, one of whom will be starting kindergarten in Scarsdale in the fall.

"We didn't leave like a lot of parents leave after their children graduate," he said.

Seiden, who has three school-aged children, said she's "had the benefit of being involved in all levels in the schools."

"I'm very in touch with parent voices and concerns," she said, "and I believe I would add a different voice to the board in having children in the schools as I do."

The school board and budget vote will be held at Scarsdale Middle School on May 18.