Candidates in two school board races disagreed on several points at a forum on Thursday ahead of the May 7 election in which questions came from Victoria Advocate readers and the paper’s editorial board.
Two challengers for District 1 of the Victoria Independent School District Board of Trustees, Kathy Bell and Theresa Klacman, had differing opinions about controversial subjects like critical race theory, social emotional learning and similar hot-button topics of the day. In the District 6 race, incumbent Margaret Pruett went head-to-head with challenger Emett Alvarez on the fate of the Stroman Middle School campus, fiscal management and parent access to board members at meetings.
Kathy Bell a candidate for trustee on the Victoria Independent School District's board of trustees answers a question at a political forum sponsored by the Victoria Chamber of Commerce and the Victoria Advocate. Keith Kohn, the newspaper's executive editor, right, was moderator of the event.
The forum, sponsored by the Victoria Chamber of Commerce and the Victoria Advocate and hosted by the University of Houston-Victoria in the Walker Auditorium, gave readers a chance to have their questions answered. It aired live on the Advocate’s Facebook page and about 50 people were in the audience.
Also at the forum were candidates for City Council Super District 6 incumbent Mark Loffgren and April Butler.
Bell, who served as a teacher for 24 years, said the priority needed to be on challenging students so they would remain in the community after graduation.
“We have bright kids, we have intelligent kids here,” Bell told the audience. “We want to keep them here.”
She said by making the schools more efficient it makes the students more successful in their future efforts.
Klacman, Bell’s opponent, said residents don’t trust how the current school board is spending tax dollars.
Theresa Klacman, candidate for a seat on the Victoria Independent School District's board of trustees, gave a very personal account of her early life at the University of Houston-Victoria during a political forum sponsored by the Victoria Chamber of Commerce and the Victoria Advocate.
“There definitely needs to be more communication with the community on how money is being spent,” Klacman said.
When asked if philosophies such as social emotional learning (which gives the same attention to social and emotional skills as studies on math, science and reading), gender identity, critical race theory and sexual orientation should be discussed in the classroom, both Bell and Klacman agreed that those issues were ones that needed to be discussed at home.
“I’m from the old school,” Bell said. “Those things should be taught at home, not at school.”
Gallery: Moments from political forum
Two Victoria City Council candidates and four Victoria Independent School District candidates discussed the issues and answered questions from readers and the Victoria Advocate's editorial board at a forum co-sponsored by the Victoria Chamber of Commerce at the University of Houston-Victoria on April 28, 2022.
April Butler speaks
City Council candidate speaks to an audience at the University of Houston-Victoria at a political forum sponsored by the Victoria Chamber of Commerce and the Victoria Advocate.
Loffgren speaks
City Councilman Mark Loffgren speaks to an audience at the University of Houston-Victoria during a political forum sponsored by the Victoria Chamber of Commerce and the Victoria Advocate.
Butler answers question
Victoria City Council candidate April Butler answers a question at a political forum at the University of Houston-Victoria sponsored by the Victoria Chamber of Commerce and the Victoria Advocate.
Loffgren responds to question
City Councilman Mark Loffgren responds to a question from the Victoria Advocate's editorial board at the University of Houston-Victoria during a political forum sponsored by the Victoria Chamber of Commerce and the Advocate. Keith Kohn, the newspaper's executive editor, right, was moderator of the event.
Answer detailed
Victoria City Council candidate April Butler details her answer to a question at a political forum at the University of Houston-Victoria sponsored by the Victoria Chamber of Commerce and the Victoria Advocate. Keith Kohn, the newspaper's executive editor, right, was moderator of the event, which was aired live on the Advocate's Facebook page.
Explaining zoning and other issues
City Councilman Mark Loffgren explained his view of zoning and other needs of the city at a political forum sponsored by the Victoria Chamber of Commerce and the Victoria Advocate.
Bell answers questions
Kathy Bell a candidate for trustee on the Victoria Independent School District's board of trustees answers a question at a political forum sponsored by the Victoria Chamber of Commerce and the Victoria Advocate. Keith Kohn, the newspaper's executive editor, right, was moderator of the event.
Explaining views
Kathy Bell, a candidate for trustee on the Victoria Independent School District's board of trustees, explained her views on a variety of topics at a political forum sponsored by the Victoria Chamber of Commerce and the Victoria Advocate. Keith Kohn, the newspaper's executive editor, right, was moderator of the event.
Klacman gets personal
Theresa Klacman, candidate for a seat on the Victoria Independent School District's board of trustees, gave a very personal account of her early life at the University of Houston-Victoria during a political forum sponsored by the Victoria Chamber of Commerce and the Victoria Advocate.
Explaining views
Theresa Klacman, candidate for a seat on the Victoria Independent School District's board of trustees, explains her views at the University of Houston-Victoria during a political forum sponsored by the Victoria Chamber of Commerce and the Victoria Advocate.
Alvarez talks about Stroman
Emett Alvarez, a candidate for a seat on the Victoria Independent School District's board of trustees, talked about saving money and about his youth at Stroman Middle School at the University of Houston-Victoria during a political forum sponsored by the Victoria Chamber of Commerce and the Victoria Advocate.
Hopes to spend responsibly
Emett Alvarez, a candidate for a seat on the Victoria Independent School District's board of trustees, said spending should be done responsibly, and money should be funded properly from Austin and Washington. He spoke at the University of Houston-Victoria during a political forum sponsored by the Victoria Chamber of Commerce and the Victoria Advocate.
Pruett explains legalities
School board member Margaret Pruett said trustees of the Victoria Independent School District cannot just have a conversation with parents during meetings. Rather state law prohibits a back-and-forth. Other candidates said those rules should be changed. Challenger Emett Alvarez awaits his turn to speak to her left. The discussion was at the University of Houston-Victoria during a political forum sponsored by the Victoria Chamber of Commerce and the Victoria Advocate.
Pruett brings parents concerns to superintendent
School board member Margaret Pruett said trustees of the Victoria Independent School District direct the administration and she often speaks with the superintendent about concerns raised by parents. She spoke with other candidates at the University of Houston-Victoria during a political forum sponsored by the Victoria Chamber of Commerce and the Victoria Advocate.
“It’s not the government’s responsibility to raise our children,” Klacman said. “It’s our responsibility.”
Klacman said the public needed to realize there are problems in the school system and that discipline needed to be brought into classrooms, giving teachers more authority.
“There’s really something wrong here,” she said. Klacman, who founded Restoration House Ministries, said students needed to learn in a safe and functional work space.
School board member Margaret Pruett said trustees of the Victoria Independent School District cannot just have a conversation with parents during meetings. Rather state law prohibits a back-and-forth. Other candidates said those rules should be changed. Challenger Emett Alvarez awaits his turn to speak to her left. The discussion was at the University of Houston-Victoria during a political forum sponsored by the Victoria Chamber of Commerce and the Victoria Advocate.
VISD District 6 Trustee Margaret Pruett and challenger Emett Alvarez were faced with the same questions from both the community and the Advocate’s editorial board.
Pruett said she has been involved with VISD since 1994, working in special education, English as a Second Language and as a permanent substitute teacher. Since her involvement on the school board, she said dropout rates have fallen and high school graduation rates have gone up. She said she would like to include the community in more school-related issues.
Emett Alvarez, a candidate for a seat on the Victoria Independent School District's board of trustees, said spending should be done responsibly, and money should be funded properly from Austin and Washington. He spoke at the University of Houston-Victoria during a political forum sponsored by the Victoria Chamber of Commerce and the Victoria Advocate.
“If we create more partnerships, it creates more opportunities for our students,” Pruett told the audience. “It gives them tools to be successful in their futures.”
Alvarez said he wanted to fix and renovate schools, including Stroman Middle School.
“I want our community to step up,” he said, adding taxpayers had to be informed about issues facing the schools in Victoria.
“We’ve come to a time where change is in order,” Alvarez said. “We are in the business of education. Isn’t it about the kids?”
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