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Date: 9/29/2021
NORTHAMPTON – Ahead of the election on Nov. 2, Reminder Publishing reached out to candidates in the race for the Northampton School Committee to ask questions about their goals and motivations for running for the committee.
In the race for seats on the School Committee, there are contested races for the Ward 2 Seat between Remiel Baskin and Holly Ghazey, the Ward 6 seat between Edwin Burlingame and Margaret Miller, and the At-Large seat between Gwen Agna and Aline LaBowit-Davis.
Reminder Publishing (RP): What made you want to run for School Committee?
Holly Ghazey: The social isolation that we all experienced due to one and a half years of COVID has generated my desire to be more actively involved in my community and give back to the school system that has supported me and my family for 35 years.
I have been distressed by the political fractures, distrust of “the other” and subsequent dysfunction of our country. Teachers work hard to build community within their classrooms and schools, and I find that the students of today are often more empathetic than the adults to the systemic racial and economic injustices that have been exposed. The thing that gives me the greatest hope for our future is how our young people have stepped up to advocate for racial equity and climate change policies. One needs to look no farther than the public comment section of our school committee meetings to hear the eloquent voices of our future, our children, asking for change and support.
Margaret Miller: I am running to represent Ward 6 on the School Committee because I want to give back to the school system that educated both of my sons, now 22 and 26. As a strong believer in public education, I think schools should be the great equalizer where every child can grow, learn, and develop. Our district’s children, educators, administrators, and staff need to be supported by a focused and dedicated School Committee.
Gwen Agna: I have been an educator for 46 years – a teacher and an administrator. My most recent job was as principal of the Jackson St. Elementary School. I retired from the position in June 2020 after 24 years there. Since becoming a Northampton administrator, first as the Early Childhood and Desegregation and Equity Coordinator, I have been on "the other side" of the School Committee, working with members on the many initiatives that the district has undertaken. I still have energy and interest in serving our community and believe that my experience and knowledge of history of the schools will serve me well and motivates me to run.
Aline LaBowit-Davis: I want to serve our city using my skills and knowledge. Our schools are our strength, and I will work to support the teachers and families to make them even better.
RP: What issue(s) do you hope to tackle if you are elected?
Ghazey: There are several issues that I am interested in pursuing on School Committee. One immediate task is making our schools as safe as possible for the teachers, staff and students (especially our unvaccinated elementary students) as Covid continues to threaten our community. We must also explore how to best help our students recover from a year of learning loss. In order to do that we also need to understand and address the generational impact that racial inequity and poverty have had on our educational system. I hope to use my experiences as a teacher, parent, grandparent, and community member when considering the issues and challenges that face our schools, and work to find compromise solutions that meet the needs of all the members of our diverse community.
Miller: As a School Committee member, I will be committed to ensuring a full and inclusive education for all Northampton children and am aware of the work we need to do as a collaborative group to ensure that all students are treated equally and that their diversity is celebrated and appreciated. In addition to my practice, I do adjunct intake assessments for Learning Solutions in Northampton, so I have experience with learning disabilities, ADHD, language-based learning disabilities, autism spectrum disorders and special education services.
I am particularly interested in how the School Committee will work on post-COVID learning and in how we will support the schools in addressing anti-racism and ensuring that restorative justice is developed, since it is a part of the code of conduct. While I represent Ward 6, I want to be sure that the school committee works together well to meet the needs of all students and educators in Northampton.
Agna: Issues that I am interested in providing advocacy and leadership in include:
• Navigating the challenges of COVID teaching and learning
• The implementation of the revised Code of Conduct, ensuring safety and equity for all students, families, staff, and faculty in our schools
• Participation at the state and national level in ensuring adequate funding for all children, ages 0-21.
• Continuing to review all student assessments, including MCAS.
• Working with schools to enhance communication practices to reach all our stakeholders.
LaBowit-Davis: There are a few issues that I hope to address if elected. First, I would like to emphasize the need to support and pay our teachers and ESPs professionally and competitively. Secondly, I think that Northampton should decrease the emphasis on the MCAS exam. As a teacher and a parent, I have observed the negative effects of this assessment. I would also like to revisit the decision to change the start times for the schools. There are many negative changes in the rest of the school day for students and families that should be remedied. Finally, I want to lend my voice to the efforts to ensure equity for all students.
RP: Why should residents vote for you to represent them on the School Committee?
Ghazey: I was a teacher for 22 years at Jackson Street School. My children were and my grandchildren are students in the Northampton Public Schools. I was an active member of the PTO before my employment in the NPS and a teacher representative to the Jackson St School Council. Since I retired from teaching, I have spent time organizing professional development for teachers, mentoring new teachers in the Northampton Public Schools and volunteering on a regular basis in my three grandchildren’s classes at Jackson Street School.
Miller: I have been an active supporter of the Northampton Public Schools since my sons entered school. I sat on the Cultural Arts Committee of the PTO at RK Finn Ryan Road school, where I organized performers, artists and writers to come to the school and helped with NEF grants. When my younger son attended Jackson Street school, I sat on the School Council and volunteered in his classrooms.
I started my career as a high school guidance counselor and then continued to be interested in both education and psychotherapy and received a doctorate in psychology. In my 30 plus years as a psychologist I have worked primarily with young people and their caregivers. I have a deep understanding and appreciation for children and adolescents in our school system who need extra support for language differences, learning disabilities and trauma, as part of their education.
Agna: I have both the experience of a longtime educator, a knowledge of the history of the schools and the many initiatives and challenges, as well as a desire to continue to serve my community.
LaBowit-Davis: I bring the perspectives of a community member, teacher, and parent of public school students. That perspective will be useful as policies and decisions are made about our schools. I always try to bring a positive energy to whatever I do. I am a proud graduate of the Smith College Graduate School of Education, and a long-time elementary school teacher. I believe that education and experience will add to my understanding of how decisions really affect students and teachers. I would like to be an energetic, progressive, and committed advocate for safe, equitable, and excellent schools.
Other candidates for these races did not respond to a request for comment by press time. While running unopposed, incoming Ward 1 representative Meg Robbins and incoming Ward 4 representative Michael Stein also answered questions ahead of their first terms as committee members. Their responses will be published in our next edition.