Paul Edelman, running as a Democratic candidate in the fast approaching School board Election, said on behalf of his candidacy, “It’s time to make the children a priority. It’s time to restore respect between the school board, teachers, parents, and community. It’s time to stop the war of words. It’s time for new leadership.” The following are Edelman’s responses to six interview questions asked of each incumbent Republican candidate and newcomer Democratic candidate who expressed a willingness to participate.
My name is Paul Edelman. I have lived in Upper Gwynedd for over ten years. I have been employed at Merck for fourteen years, my last twelve as an assistant laboratory technician. My wife Wendy and I have two daughters who attend elementary school in the North Penn School District. I currently serve as Vice President of Fundraising for our Home and School Association, where both my wife and I have volunteered for the last two school years. I am also a parent representative in our school’s Olweus Anti-bullying program. Together, Wendy and I believe in being involved with our children in all aspects of their lives, especially their education.
My greatest accomplishment in life, second only to raising our family, is to have survived cancer. To have survived cancer 22 years is more than just throwing out a number. The experience is a testimony to my character and personality. No one prepares for a battle with cancer. No one has experience with cancer when they originally get diagnosed. I took my cancer head on, dealt with everything each day, eventually overcoming the odds. I take on everything in my life in this manner. I don’t run. I cope. I adapt. I care.
Q: Why do you believe it is important to serve on the school board?
A: I have two children in the beginning of their education in the North Penn School District. For the next eleven years, they deserve to have the best opportunities to prepare them for their futures. The committee of directors is called the School Board. This committee, while it also represents the interests of the taxpayers, of which I am also a taxpayer, is supposed to represent the best interests of the children. Having children in the North Penn School District, this is important to me.
Q: What are your goals for the upcoming term?
A: First, we need to stop the war of words between the school board, the teachers, and the community. Then, we need to make sure we are meeting the needs of the students in terms of their safety and education. We need to commit to better planning and spending. And, finally, we need to achieve transparency. Yes, this is the always-popular political cliché, but we believe this can be done.”
Q: How do you plan to get these goals accomplished?
A: The first thing I would do, before even the first meeting, is to welcome any and all constructive dialogue. Once the avenue of discussion is opened, I want it maintained. Then we, as a board, work as hard as we can—without the use of outside consulting firms—to restore and rebuild respect for, and between, all entities of the North Penn School District. Once all of this has been re-established, we need to be receptive to all ideas, from everyone from student to taxpayer, fresh or tried, for the good of the North Penn School District.
In order for a student and school to take full advantage of its short calendar year, we need to take every opportunity to make sure that our district is ready well before the beginning of the school year. It is not fair to the students to make adjustments well into the start of school. We have to make sure that our district employs staff that have the tools, skills, and ability to make the decisions for the next year on July 1st.
There is simply no excuse that our renovation projects are done with seemingly blank checks. If construction costs cannot be contained, especially on every project, then perhaps we have to look at other engineering and architectural options. Our current school board believes in providing an education at the lowest cost. Some of the only savings our board has provided has been by refinancing debt and eliminating staff. We need to take a closer look than simply taking on more debt—now well over $20 million this year alone. We can’t reduce the number of staff needed to reach one of the largest populations of students in the state.
One of the main reasons that our school district and community have been at odds with each other for so
many years is the lack of transparency. It is simple for anyone to make a generalization. In fact, it has been difficult for our candidates to come up with exact answers to voters’ questions, because the details of the current situation aren’t always clear and open. Our large community expects its representatives to do what they are elected to. But when issues arise, and questions are raised, all of us wonder ‘how can this be?’ How can we expect to know what is going on with our district when too many sub-committee meetings are cancelled, no discussions are held during action meetings, and recommendations are then passed unanimously? With the vote nine and o, you’ll never know. Countless executive sessions… and when our district seems to have the most issues to deal with, silence, cancelled meetings. This is not transparency.
Q: How would you encourage local citizens to vote in this election?
A: It has been a long time since the North Penn School District has had the opportunity to have a clear option. The North Penn School District is one of the largest communities in the state. My fellow candidates and I have spent a lot of time, in all nine municipalities, getting to know as many people as we can, and will continue to do so, even after the election. We have been transparent with all of our actions. We have been approachable to everyone. Therefore, I urge everyone to vote for our full slate of First STEP candidates: Carolyn Murphy, Suzan Leonard, Tina Stoll, Alex Ryabin, and myself, Paul Edelman.
Q: Is there any final statement regarding your candidacy you would like to make?
A: It is time to make the children a priority. It is time to restore respect between the school board, teachers, parents, and the community. It is time to stop the war of words. It is time for new leadership.