School Board Candidates Debate Oct. 18

The Trumbull PTSA Council and the League of Women Voters of the Bridgeport Area will co-sponsor two candidate debates, one on Oct. 18 at 7 p.m. at Madison Middle School.

The school board candidates are Republicans Susan LaFrance, Joe Peddle and Jeff Donofrio; and Democrats Tom Tesoro, Anthony Timpanelli, Rosemary Seaman and Lainie McHugh.

Current school board members Steve Wright and Tom Kelly are not returning.  

“The debates are an important part of a mutual commitment to inform voters and encourage residents to join in and ‘Get Out the Vote,’” said Monica Welch, member of the Trumbull PTSA.

The last two debates will be for Oct. 22 and Oct. 31 for first selectman candidates. The Oct. 22 debate is at Madison Middle School and the Oct. 31 debate is at the Library at 7:30 a.m., sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce.

The Trumbull Board of Education candidates' debate starts at 7 p.m. 

"All of the candidates who are on the ballot for the Board of Education have been invited to participate," said the PTSA and the league.

“The debates are an important part of a mutual commitment to inform voters and encourage residents to join in and ‘Get Out the Vote,’” said Monica Welch, member of the Trumbull PTSA.

"The public is invited to attend both debates and audience members are encouraged to submit written questions to moderators, who are being furnished by the League of Women Voters," the groups said.  

Also, initial questions will be prepared by the PTSA Council in collaboration with the League of Women Voters that are drawn from the areas of "enrollment/crowding, funding for extracurricular activities and/or student performance."

The questions from the audience for the First Selectman debate may relate to "any topic pertinent to the role of first selectman as long as they are free of personal attack and are posed to both candidates as opposed to one singular candidate."

The initial questions for the first selectman debate will be drawn from the area of education with a focus on school facility maintenance and use of technology, according to the groups. 

Audience questions can pertain to any topic related to the responsibilities of the office of First Selectman including those not related to education.

“Please join us for these opportunities to introduce Trumbull Board of Education and First Selectman candidates to the community,” Welch said. “Even if you can’t get to the debates, please watch them on TV.”