Scotch Plains School Board Election 2022: Gary Morris

SCOTCH PLAINS-FANWOOD, NJ — The Scotch Plains-Fanwood School Board election is coming up on Nov. 8, and five candidates are running for three seats on the board.

Two seats are open on the Scotch Plains board, and one seat is open on the Fanwood board for the election this November.

Incumbents Nancy Bauer and Stephanie Suriani are both running for re-election to maintain their current seats on the board. Resident John Greenblatt has also filed to run for the Scotch Plains board.

On Fanwood's board, current member Amy Winkler is running for re-election against newcomer Gary Morris.

Patch asked all the candidates a series of questions ahead of the November election. (All of the candidates were given the same questions).

Here are candidate Gary Morris's answers below:

Gary Morris

Campaign website:

https://www.facebook.com/MorrisFanwoodBOE/

Position Sought:

I am running for the SPF Board of Education for Fanwood.

Educational Background?

Associate in Applied Science in Engineering from Rockland Community College, Bachelor Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Manhattan College

Occupation?

Packaging Engineer

Do you have a family? Tell us about them.

I have been married to my wife Holly for 29 years. She was a stay at home mom while our kids were young and then was an elementary school teacher when our kids were older. Currently she is an aide for an extraordinary quadripalegic SPF Grad who is attending Kean University. We have been living in Fanwood for 25 years. We have 4 children - Jay, Jordan, Emily (currently a math Teacher in California) and Joshua. They all attended and Graduated from SPF Public Schools. They all graduated from Union County College and then went to local 4 year universities allowing them to work while in school and avoid school loans.

Why did you decide to run for the Board of Ed this year?

The future of our country depends on our educational system. There are many parents pulling their kids from public schools. It is important to hear the voices of the entire community when it comes to public schools. With 4 graduates of the SPF school system, I have experience with drop offs, pick-ups, carpools and child care issues. I would love to start a “Parents helping Parents” program that makes it easier for parents to link up with each other for carpools and childcare.

Have you previously run for Board of Ed or served on the board before?

I have not run for Board of Ed but have been to a number of meetings in person and virtually in the past year.

What do you hope to accomplish if you are elected to serve on the Scotch Plains-Fanwood Board of Education?

I want to make sure that parents are kept well informed. Building the trust between the schools and the parents is vital. Open, honest and prompt communication is essential.

What do you think is the most pressing issue for the Scotch Plains-Fanwood School District?

One of the most important issues facing our schools is the exodus of children to homeschooling and private schools. We pay substantial taxes, so we should actively try to make our schools acceptable to all members of our community. Financial literacy is another area of great concern. Educating kids on Credit, Loans and practical vocations should be prioritized.

What will you do to ensure that students feel safe at school?

The word “safe” has many meanings. Regarding the physical safety of students, I will make sure safety systems and procedures are implemented, tested and fully funded. There is also mental/self esteem safety. Every child should feel welcomed and be given an opportunity to succeed. Student bonding activities such as sports (as participants and fans), the Arts and clubs must remain an important element for developing well rounded students. I also believe Social Media literacy for both students and parents is fundamental to ensuring good mental health and safety.

What is your stance on the new sex education curriculum that has been introduced by the state?

The communication of what this means for SPF has been relatively slow compared to neighboring communities. This legislation was passed in 2020 and yet there is still no clear direction in 2022 on precisely what impact it will have on SPF. I am a firm believer in the “Opt In” process. When a teacher wanted to show an “R” rated film for one of the High School classes a number of years ago, they simply sent home a permission slip to the parents. This allowed the parents to determine if this was appropriate for their child. This is how any controversial curriculum topic should be handled. Allowing “Opt-out” is not good enough because the default is exposing children to topics that a parent that is very busy may not be aware is being introduced. You can’t unring a bell. Parents are ultimately responsible for determining what is age appropriate for their children, so the schools should always be mindful of this and take the necessary steps to keep the parents informed.

What is something new that you will bring to the Board in the coming year?

It is important to bring in new people to share the burdens and responsibilities and provide fresh perspectives. As an Engineer I am constantly challenged to reduce costs, improve processes and create sustainable solutions. These skills are extremely useful in any organization. Win or lose, it is important for students to see that dads are willing to step up to the plate and serve on the school board.

Anything else voters should know about you?

I coached rec soccer in SPF for 8 years and I currently serve as a member of the Fanwood Green Team. I served as a Youth Group Leader at Evangel Church in Scotch Plains for over 5 years. I have been involved in various volunteer activities including food bank worker, packing meals for Feed My Starving Children, volunteer for Children’s Specialized Hospital Fundraisers, packing backpacks for students, veterans visitation, packing Boxes of Hope, and painting a school. Although I have played Tennis, Racquetball, Soccer and Softball for many years, I am not ashamed to admit that pickleball is now my favorite “go to” recreational sport. Producing amusing family friendly social media content with my kids has also become one of my favorite family bonding activities in the past 2 years.