We continue our conversations with primary candidates for Rochester City School Board. Seven candidates are vying for four open positions in the Democratic primary and ballot lines in the general election.
This hour, we talk with the second group of candidates about the biggest issues facing the district and how they plan to address them. Our guests:
*To hear Part One of this conversation, click here.
The candidates also spoke at a recorded Zoom forum organized by The Children's Agenda on June 12, 2023.
Meet the candidates
Ricardo Adams
Ricardo Adams was elected to the Rochester City School Board in 2020 and is seeking a second term. A parent to two students in RCSD, Adams says his volunteer time at the schools give him a unique insight into the challenges students face. He says he first ran because he felt like the board was ignoring his comments. He says the schools have the tools and resources to teach kids, but the biggest challenge they face is getting the kids in the door in the first place. His goal is to make the buildings more welcoming.
Vince Felder
Vince Felder was elected to the Monroe County Legislature as a Democrat in 2015 and served for six years. Felder says early literacy should be the primary goal of the city school board, noting that most Rochester elementary school students test below a third grade level in reading, and most test below their grade level in math. He says the high illiteracy rates for young students are directly fueling low college readiness rates, forcing them to spend money on non-credit remedial courses to catch up to their peers.
Beatriz LeBron
Beatriz LeBron currently serves as the vice president of the Rochester City School District Board and is seeking reelection. She's the executive director of the Father Tracy Advocacy Center, a community organization on Clinton Avenue, and a parent and grandparent of RCSD students. She says she wants to continue focusing on school finances in her second term and advocates for more transparency and participatory budgeting. She says the number one need right now is support for student mental health.
Amy Maloy
Amy Maloy is seeking a second term on the Rochester City School Board. A teacher for over 20 years in the district, she says the schools have provided a good environment for her four children, but opportunities aren't equitable. She says she'll focus on equitably raising up all students and making classrooms safe and culturally sensitive. Her top priority is to keep the school board focused on student outcomes and addressing safety.
Make your voting plan
Monroe County will hold a primary election on June 27, 2023. Are you registered to vote in Monroe County? If not, you can register to vote online or download forms to mail in. Early voting will be available from June 17 to June 25. If you can't vote early or in-person on June 27, you can request a mail-in ballot online by June 12 or in-person by June 26.
Here are the registered candidates for the primary.
final candidate, Jacqueline Griffin, was scheduled to participate, but did not arrive for the discussion.
