Bayonne Board of Education candidate Mary Jane Desmond, who is seeking a three-year term on November 3, says that Common Core and PARCC should be “left in the hands of educators, not legislators.”
An extended family with a long history in Bayonne, Desmond explained that she has previously served on the city’s BOE, housing authority, council, the now defunct Bayonne Local Redevelopment Authority and even as the acting county clerk. She also has a background in healthcare and finance.
After expressing a concern with the funding coming into the Bayonne BOE, Desmond pleaded her case as to why Common Core and PARCC are detrimental to the entire state.
When questioned about Mayor Jimmy Davis’ endorsements of Denis Wilbeck and Dr. Thomas Howard, Jr., Desmond said they were indeed political – despite the administration recently claiming they were nothing of the sort – but are of little consequence in regards to several bigger issues at hand.
Furthermore, Desmond said she wanted to clear up some misconceptions about what a BOE trustee actually does.
Finally, on the subject of the teachers’ contract, she said negotiations need to begin sooner and and the timing of the pay increases also need some alterations.
