Three of the five candidates for two seats on the Shelbyville Central Schools board visited with teachers and community members Wednesday afternoon at Shelbyville Middle School.
The Shelbyville Central Teachers Association (SCTA) hosted the “Meet the Candidates” event. SCTA President Meredith Hall served as emcee, introduced incumbent David Finkel (photo) and challengers Mary Harper and Maria Bachman to the audience and asked direct questions gathered by the SCTA.
Incumbent Dr. James Rees and challenger Holden Stephens were unable to attend Wednesday’s event. Rees did submit responses, read by Hall, to the SCTA questions.
The candidates were asked to discuss their thoughts and opinions on the school system’s general fund for emergency purposes, the role of parents in decision making regarding district policy and curriculum, and how the school board can retain and recruit qualified teachers to the school system.
Bachman (photo) lives in Shelbyville and is an eighth-grade teacher at Southport Middle School on the south side of Indianapolis.
Harper (photo), who retired in June as Superintendent of Shelbyville Central Schools, is now running for a school board seat.
Finkel is completing his third term as a board member. His wife just recently retired after a long career with the school system.
The Shelby County Post will have a more detailed breakdown of the five candidates later this week.
Interviews with Finkel, Rees, Harper, Bachman and Stephens will air Thursday on GIANT fm Real Radio (96.5 fm, 106.3 fm, 1520 am) or on the GIANT fm app beginning at 8 a.m.
