All candidates running in the at-large election for school board in Bangor, Maine—Frank Joseph Casella, Mallory Cole Cook, Laura Marlena Otis, and Benjamin J. Speed—completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey. These survey responses allow voters to hear directly from candidates about what motivates them to run for office.
All survey respondents are asked to tell voters what characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official. For Bangor school board, All four candidates’ responses are shown below.
Casella:
“A willingness to compromise as well as the ability to remain steadfast in your beliefs. In a representative government an official is elected to best represent their constituents. That means we may not always agree, but I will always listen.”
Cook:
“Much of my work is around education policy, with particular emphasis on curriculum/content standards, educator preparation, teacher mentorship, chronic absenteeism, educator retention, professional learning, and educator working conditions.”
Otis:
“Wisdom and insight from experience tempered with an openness and acknowledgment of areas for growth, respect for research and fact-based data, equity in all things, compassion and understanding before punitive reaction, attention to root causes over social and cultural symptoms, fiscal responsibility paired with creative and innovative problem solving for high-yield and efficient spending.”
Speed:
“An elected official must be a thoughtful collaborator who listens deeply, and seeks to find solutions for those they represent. They are public servants who work as a team with fellow committee members to set policy for the schools, students and families.”
You can view each candidate’s full survey responses using the links below:
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