The unfortunate defeat of Lisa Martinez this month leaves Mullica’s BOE devoid of any racial or ethnic minority representation on the board, after some sixteen years of board diversity. And this is in a town where approximately 20% of the population is Hispanic.
Her defeat came not long after one of her fellow board members suggested that the busing of students be stopped to and from the predominantly Hispanic Wharton Park section of the township, and nowhere else, in order to reduce the school budget this year.
This discriminatory recommendation, proposed by a thoughtless board member, exemplifies why our entire student population needs to be fairly represented by a racially and ethnically diverse board.
As schools of higher learning strive to recruit potential students who are reflective of the racial and ethnic makeup of the country, Mullica’s Board of Education also has an obligation to try to create a board that is reflective of its own town’s student population.
With the loss of Ms. Martinez on the school board, I think that it would behoove the rest of the board to reach out to encourage minority members of the community to consider running for the BOE next year to perhaps end this newly-created unbalance.
31 comments:
I think that this should have been brought out before the election. None of the candidates bothered to put any information before the public about themselves or their views or goals.
Lisa Martinez would be on the board right now if Wharton Park had that information last week and the Hispanic population came out to vote.
You're a little too late with your post.
That recommendation must have come from the old bigot. It is really scary what goes on in his head.
It is unfortunate that a hard working board member does not get re-elected. It is also interesting that the few times that we have people running against incumbents have been against minority board members. The last board member who was challenged was Mary Hunt prior to Lisa Martinez.
I find this post totally offensive and degrading to Ms. Martinez. And the comments, are you insinuating that the only way for her to get re-elected would be to form a minority voting block? How insulting to this intellegent and accomplished woman. Listen, I am not an insider of the BOE, but I was sorely disapointed when Lisa didn't win her seat back. I do not think for a second that race had a thing to do with it. I do believe however that her placement on the ballot in a very low key race had everything to do with her not winning. Not many people attend the BOE meetings, but if they had , they would have appreciated the job she did, which has nothing to with her ethnic background.
And let me add, why would anyone want to volunteer their time to any local board when theycan count on you to make thoughtless racist comments that belittle their intelligence based on race.I am absolutely appalled at this post. Bigotry comes in many forms.
I agree wholeheartedly with 8:21. To imply her race had anything to do with her losing is an insult to this town.
Furthermore, to claim Mary Hunt and Lisa Martinez both lost because they were minorities is even more ludicrous.
First conspiracy theories and now racism, you are bordering ridiculous sending this stuff in.
It is true that both Lisa Martinez and Mary Hunt were defeated by their novice, white male opponents. It is also true that many voters, other than the teachers, staff and their families who live in Mullica, typically have little idea as to who is on the board or care what kind of job they're doing for the school or the taxpayers. That being said, in a predominantly white community like Mullica, a white male will still more likely win over a minority female, no matter what their credentials are, because the majority feels more comfortable with a white male representing them. That's why Frank Kelly, of all people, and the board's most useless member, gets the most votes of all the candidates whenever he runs for re-election. Its just the way it is.
This is even more stupid than the posting or your other comment. As a woman, I am insulted by this. Frank Kelly gets voted in because he gets the teacher vote (because of his wife), senior vote and Republican vote, not because he's a white male. I do have to agree he is the most useless board member ever to sit up there.
re 8:26 pm
I haven't read anywhere where someone questioned Ms. Martinez's intelligence. Wharton Park should have been made aware of the proposal to stop their bus route and her horror at the proposal.
Maybe they would have come out to support her if they knew how much she was defending their children's safety.
No conspiracy here,just truth.
1:11 I am sure that other members on that board , whatever their ethnic background also did not agree with the busing comment. There is a diverse make up of people in Wharton Park, and to suggest that perhaps a race war be instituted to win a school board election is very sad. No, you didn't question Lisa's intelligence, you just chose to ignore it and focus on race as a reason she did't win. That my friend is bigotry.Face it, that ballot position killed her. Hopefully, she will run again next year, because she is an asset to our board and community.
Being of Hispanic heritage does not constitute a race. The fact remains there should be a Hispanic represented on the board despite the naysayers. Who's talking about a race war other than the 7:50am post?
7:50 AM-Race War? Minority voting block? Belittling intelligence? Now who's putting their own spin on things. Constantly stirring the pot.
Does the 7:50 poster's name begin with the initials L.L.? What a sh*t stirrer that one is.
In a perfect world, a woman would be recognized as herself, not as an asset because of her ethnic background. Just sayin...as are many commenting here today. I am not buying your "white male" theory either. Good try at dividing the community though.
"Frank Kelly gets voted in because he gets the teacher vote (because of his wife), senior vote and Republican vote, not because he's a white male. I do have to agree he is the most useless board member ever to sit up there."
What does this say about the people who constantly put him back in office, collecting the highest number of votes of the entire board every time he runs?
It says "DIVERSITY". Right or wrong, that's what it says.
RE 7:50 am
You're saying that ballot position determines who wins an election? The voters justed pushed 1,2,3 not even knowing or caring who they were voting for?
You are insinuating that the Mullican voters are just stupid and uneducated but not bigots.
Maybe there was a little bit of everything in this election.
I would not portray Frank Kelly as representing DIVERSITY on the board. To me, the word diversity connotes the acceptance of people of different color, national origin, sex, and religious beliefs. Kelly represents the antithesis of the meaning of this word.
The fact of life is that ethnicity and race are a an issue. To ignore the problem and say that it does not exist and to take offense that it would be brought up is naive. How is it going to be addressed if no on wants to admit that it is a problem. I would think that Lisa and Mary would not be offended that the issue came up because they know who they are. The point remains, Frank Kelly is White as is the rest of the Board of Education as it now stands.
Thee doth protest too much. To 7:50, 10:17 and 8:21
Isn't Malaspina Hispanic? Last I read, White wasn't a race.
9:48 poster-Doth soundeth like an idiot.
I always thought that Malaspina is Italian.
Isn't Spiros a Greek name?
Names can be very deceiving. He looks Irish to me.
The problem with the BOE and other organizations is that people don't have the interest in getting involved. It is easier to sit and pass judgement, critize and spread false information then to take time to do something personally.
And yes, I am involved in many different areas and do what I can to correct false information and shed light on what really goes on.
RE: 11:54 comment. The Board of Education isn't an organization, it's an elected position. You can't just "get involved" with it like Rec or another group. You go to meetings, you get a run around. They're full of secrets anyway. So please, feel free to shed some light and correct information on a post someone sent in on their opinion.
11:54 post
What?
Hispanic is an ethnicity. Hispanic can be of any race including White. White is a race and Dr Malaspina is Greek or of Greek heritage.
As big a loss of Ms. Martinez on the board is that she was 1 of 2 on the board that graduated from Mullica school. Ms Jones is the other. As much as the racial diversity, that perspective will be sorely missed.
Additionally, with the defeat of Ms. Martinez there are now six men on the board and only three women, a 2:1 ratio. She was also the board's vice president during the middle of the difficult ongoing contract negotiations with the teachers' union. Her experience is now lost to a novice, who now has to learn the ropes during this critical time for the school.
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