TEANECK, N.J.: Experience or change? That was the central question Thursday, Sept. 24, as the League of Women Voters of Teaneck hosted a candidates forum for five people vying for three seats on the Board of Education.

Incumbents David Gruber and Gerald B. Kirshenbaum defended their experience on the board and in education, arguing that the district needs institutional knowledge as it confronts rising expenses and searches for its next superintendent.

Their challengers, Liza Fernandez, Eric Rhea and Marcelo Venegas-Pizarro, running together as Team EFG under Column A, called for fresh thinking, tighter spending controls and a stronger focus on students and families.

The district’s roughly $130 million budget and 3,900 students were at the center of the discussion. Candidates debated how to manage rising health insurance, transportation and special education costs without harming classroom instruction or services students are entitled to receive.

Air conditioning emerged as a major dividing line. Gruber said the district was working toward a possible November 2027 referendum, with project costs and state subsidies still to be determined. Rhea and Venegas-Pizarro argued that students and teachers should not have to wait so long for cooler classrooms. Fernandez questioned whether the district could find savings before asking taxpayers to shoulder additional costs.

The candidates also discussed charter schools and the relationship between public schools and families who send their children to private schools. Transportation costs, special education services and the district’s obligation to provide mandated programs featured prominently.

The search for a new superintendent could prove equally consequential. Kirshenbaum and Gruber emphasized experience, leadership and familiarity with the district. The challengers called for clear goals, stronger accountability and better communication with parents and residents.

Curriculum was another major topic. Candidates discussed Algebra 1 performance, outdated textbooks, bilingual education, cultural representation and the role of technology in classrooms. They also addressed federal attacks on diversity, equity and inclusion programs, with answers that varied in emphasis.

The League’s written voters guide adds another dimension to the debate. Candidates were asked how to approach the superintendent search, where to find savings and which past board decisions they considered mistakes or successes. Their answers reveal differences over school closures during COVID, capital improvements, academic programs and the district’s leadership.

Gruber and Kirshenbaum are running on Column B. Fernandez, Rhea and Venegas-Pizarro are running on Column A.

Voters will choose three candidates for three-year terms on Tuesday, Nov. 3.