Hermon school committee candidates debate mental health, teacher support and social media conduct

Barbara McDade, a member of the Bangor League of Women Voters leadership team, opened a candidate forum in Hermon on issues facing the schools and explained that audience questions must be submitted in writing and will be timed.

Tony, a lifelong Hermon resident and former town council member, said he would "do the best thing I can for the kids" if elected and emphasized protecting teachers and administrators so they can teach effectively. "I want the kids in Hermon to get a great education," he said.

Greg (transcript: "Greg n"), a retired Army servicemember who volunteers in the schools, said his experience as a substitute teacher and as a member of the Middle School parent advisory council motivated him to seek a seat on the committee. Regina Leonard described 19 years in town and community leadership bringing extracurricular events, saying she ran because "our process is broken" and she wants to restore communication.

Incumbent Stephanie oer, identified in the forum as the current chair of the Hermon School Committee, framed her candidacy around leadership, stability and collaboration. "Stability is really going to be key," she said, citing 21 years in financial services and experience working with local education programs.

All candidates named student mental health, declining standardized-test performance and teacher support as top concerns. Candidates proposed increased parent and community involvement, advisory committees, better communication between schools and families, and more support for counselors and behavioral resources. "The mental health of our children is really important," one candidate said, noting post-pandemic challenges.

On standards and accountability, candidates urged a data-driven approach to falling test scores. Stephanie oer noted the district's new full-time curriculum coordinator and said that role should help improve results; other candidates called for studying the causes of declines (migration, homeschooling, private schools or instructional gaps) before selecting remedies.

When asked about repeated disparaging social-media posts by members, candidates said they would follow the current codes of ethics and consider getting an outside legal opinion to clarify what constitutes "disparaging." Candidates balanced the need for higher standards for elected members with free-speech protections: one said the policy must be precise about what behavior is prohibited.

Candidates also praised the strengths of the district's administrators and extracurricular programs, including partnerships that provide college-credit opportunities and technical education pathways. Several speakers noted gaps (middle-school recess scheduling and outdoor playtime) and urged consultation with administrators and the athletic director to find fixes.

The forum included questions about enrollment trends and town partnerships; candidates urged further analysis of why enrollments shift and reminded voters that some tuition-contract decisions are made by sending towns. The candidates closed by asking residents to vote on June 11 and pledging to prioritize students, teachers and community collaboration.

The forum was recorded and, per the moderator, will be posted on the Bangor League of Women Voters website.