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School board candidates discuss gay issues and drug-free learning

By Michele Tjin

The five candidates campaigning for board trustee positions in the high school district assembled for another forum in which they discussed incorporating homosexual lifestyles in education, maintaining drug-free learning environments and other issues.

At the second forum sponsored by the League of Women Voters, the candidates for the Los Gatos-Saratoga Union High School District met with voters on Oct. 17 at Saratoga High School. There are two open seats on the board. Incumbent Cynthia Chang faces Bill Chiocchi, a former trustee of the Loma Prieta Joint Union School District; Steven Kahl, an English teacher at Mountain View High School; Roger Mason, who was part of the committee that recommended Cary Matsuoka as superintendent; and Michele van Zuiden, a board member of the New Millennium Foundation.

In the first heavy question of the night, candidates were asked about their views on teaching about gay lifestyles in public schools. All five were in favor of it.

"Some kids are wrestling with this idea," Chiocchi said. "Instead of treating it as something terrible, if it's handled properly, it will be OK."

Kahl spoke of the need to present both straight and gay lifestyles in school.

"We should not ignore the contributions of gay artists, gay writers and gay mathematicians," said Kahl, who himself is gay.

Van Zuiden and Mason both said the issue is something high school students should know about, and Chang said as a member of a diversity task force, she believes in mutual respect for everyone.

Kahl was the target of another question when an audience member asked about potential conflicts of interest from relationships with teachers or district employees. Kahl's partner is an art teacher at Saratoga High School.

The ethics policies from the district and the state do not prohibit him from serving on the board, Kahl said. The policies state that as long as the family member has been working in the district for at least one year, there is no problem, he added. According to Kahl, his partner was hired eight years ago.

Kahl added his conduct would be aboveboard.

"I would recuse myself in votes if there is a financial gain" to his household, Kahl said.

Chang said she feels uncomfortable with the situation, but not because of the gay relationship.

"We plan a strategy of negotiations with the teachers union," she said. "I do see a potential conflict of interest. If the vote is 2-2, how will we make a decision?"

None of the other candidates said they had relationships with district employees. Chiocchi said while he was a board member at Loma Prieta, a fellow trustee was married to the district business officer, who has since left. Based on his experiences there, Chiocchi said he couldn't support having a board member who was so closely tied to the district office, though he had no issue with Kahl's situation.

Candidates were also asked how they would make the campuses drug-free learning environments. Chiocchi and Mason said efforts must start at home.

"Parents need to be involved," Mason said.

Kahl said that once-a-year assemblies on drug-free living are not sufficient. He said the message should be interwoven into core disciplines, such as working with statistics in math or making the prohibition movement relevant to today's teenagers.

Chang and van Zuiden suggested more programs and neighborhood partnerships.

"At Los Gatos, we have Alive and Loving Life, which involves the community," van Zuiden said. She believes providing more parent education classes could be helpful for adults.

The candidates were also asked about helping at-risk students so they can also succeed in high school. While Los Gatos and Saratoga high schools have a reputation for maintaining high standards, not all students are high achievers. The candidates' responses centered on what teachers can do.

Chang said teachers have to be proactive in contacting parents if students are performing poorly. Kahl's suggestion was to provide differentiated instruction so there is not just one way of presenting material. He said teachers who talk to their students individually and have a closer relationship with them can make an impact.

Mason and van Zuiden said more teachers should take advantage of Aeries, an information system in which they post grades so parents can keep track of their students.

Chiocchi said teachers should communicate regularly with parents. If there is little contact, "there is a problem at the staff level," he said.