Winners Say Election Results Confirm Board of Ed's Direction

Andrea Wren-Hardin and Sandra Karriem to the South Orange-Maplewood Board of Education on Wednesday night, April 27.

A third incumbent whose seat was up for re-election,

The victorious candidates said their victory was an endorsement by voters of the Board's stated goal of closing the achievement gap between black and white students while providing a quality education for all students.

Defeated were newcomers Marian Cutler and Jim Lo Stuto. Both ran on a platform of better communications. Cutler was also a very vocal opponent of the Board's decision to de-level 7th grade science, social studies and English language arts last spring by combining levels 3 and 4.

Gaudelli, who gained his first elected office with the vote, was ebullient. "It was a great election!" Gaudelli added, "We are moving foward as a district, and the community supports the diretion we are moving in."

Gaudelli spoke of his desire to bring "everyone together" after divisiveness over the leveling/de-leveling question. "I represent everyone in the district now." Gaudelli said the victory sent "a great message" that local residents "want to talk about the issues in depth."

Karriem noted that she was "excited to be re-elected."

"We've begun to lay the foundations," said Karriem, "for real change in our district. This is confirmation that we're headed in the right direction."

Wren-Hardin concurred: "This is the sweetest victory," she said, noting that she had been elected twice before to the Board. Wren-Hardin said that after her first election, the Board had hired Superintendent Brian Osborne and "created a strong foundation for change and a direction for the district. The community is behind that direction. We know that now."

Added Wren-Hardin, "We live in a community where the Board and the Superintendent have focused on how we can educate every child. We can close the gap without choosing one group over another. That is the mandate. Every student in our district is important."

Both Marian Cutler and Jim Lo Stuto were gracious in defeat.

Cutler wrote in an email message to Patch:

"First, congratulations to Andrea, Bill and Sandy. It was a competitive election and I'm proud to have been part of something so dynamic.  My hope is the Board can take a strong lead—as purveyors of the information so many in our community clamor for—to help heal the dividing lines from the campaign and the issues challenging our District."

She noted, "And, with our first strategic communications plan due from the Board in May, I am excited to see the board step up their communications with our community and apply transparency to their discussions, plans and activities."

Lo Stuto had previously stated his support for the Board and Superintendent Brian Osborne "no matter the outcome" (Lo Stuto is president of the Tuscan School PTA), and had already invited Gaudelli over to his house.