Controversial Topics Surface in Questions for Grosse Pointe School Board Candidates

While the answers provided by the three candidates for the Board certainly varied, all three emphasized the level of professionalism and respect they would bring to the table.

Not surprisingly, they also all agreed that the capacity question needs to be determined now by the district before a definition is determined in Lansing related to the pending but possibly stalled .

The , are all opposed to the mandate and have been campaigning as such prior to the forum. 

The shared theme related to professionalism and respect surfaced repeatedly in response to the many questions related to controversial votes and difficult situations the current board has had to address in the last several months.

Among those questions:

• Fund Equity Balance
• Open Enrollment (Schools of Choice mandate)
•  or 
• Personal Time Commmittments for the Board Meetings
• the

Other questions were more focused on the individual candidates, the skills they bring to the table and endorsements by the Grosse Pointe Education Association.

When asked their most important qualification for this office:

• Valente said having her own three children in the district, noting the personal connection to students. She said any decision she would make as a board member impacts not only the other students in the district but also her own children.
• Karabetsos said her indenpendence from the district, noting that because she has no personal connection, she does not a pre-determined angle from which to anchor. She also said she has the time to devote to it. 
• Roeske said his biggest asset is his ability to work collaboratively as a team, emphasizing his belief that the board should set up the policies and then "step out of the way" of the administrators to let them do their job. He also empahsized his ability to perform the board duties in a "friendly, curteous and kind" way. 

A few dozen residents, many of whom were familiar faces to the crowd, attended the forum, which was recorded. It will be televised in its entirity on Comcast Channel 20 daily at 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. for one week beginning Friday Oct. 7.

The audio from the forum is also available through the Grosse Pointe Public Schools website. This is .