1. The biggest topic of discussion in Board of Education meetings has been the transgender policy. What are your thoughts on the conversation and what do you think the board should do moving forward in terms of the policy, or at least addressing the conversation in meetings?

I believe that some Bridgewater parents may not be aware of what Policy #5756 is, what it states, or most importantly, what it means.  So, the first step is to help parents be knowledgeable of what the Policy says, particularly the sections that state that the district “shall accept a student’s asserted gender identity” and that “parental consent is not required… A student need not meet any threshold diagnosis or treatment requirements to have his or her gender identity recognized and respected by the school district, school or schools staff members. In addition, a legal or court-ordered name change is not required.  There is no affirmative duty for any school district staff member to notify a student’s parent of the student’s gender identity or expression.”  Parents do not know this – that the school by this policy would not notify the parents of their children undergoing gender transition. I believe the Board needs to be transparent and let parents know that this policy codifies keeping secrets from parents.  It allows minor children to secretly make a major life choice to socially transition and change their names and pronouns in school without parental notification, knowledge or consent.  Although there exist differences in opinion on how to work with individuals with transgenderism, there is no mental health study or literature that recommends as an intervention for minor students to keep secrets from parents.  Rather, there is a vast amount of literature indicating that abuse (sexual, emotional, physical) thrives in secrecy.  Therefore, for the safety and well-being of minors, schools should not adopt any policy that does not require school employees to inform parents of what is going on with their minor children. A policy that states that there is no affirmative duty for a school employee to notify parents of their child’s major life decision gives the metamessage to students that parents may be left out and not trusted. It risks parental alienation. This is harmful for a child’s emotional and psychological health.  In the event a school employee suspects that a parent may harm a child, there is an agency, which is not the school, that specifically addresses such a concern, namely, DCP&P (Child Protective Services). To protect minors, there should be no policy that allows secrets between school employees involving minor students under their supervision and their parents.  Parental involvement is crucial for a child’s mental health, for it acts as a protective factor that improves academic success, emotional functioning, and reduces the risk of mental health problems and risky behavior.  Therefore, the best outcome for transitioning students is to provide early disclosure of the situation to the parents, contrary to Policy #5756, which should not be adopted as a district policy for the above reasons. 

2. Talk about the budget in the district. So many other districts are dealing with huge tax increases to cover costs without eliminating too many programs. What can the district do to keep costs stable, keep taxes stable, and still provide the services the students need?

To keep costs and taxes stable, and still provide the full range of services students need, it is important to share services where appropriate, assure competitive bidding, and find cost savings opportunities and to streamline administrative costs.  With the impending decline of student enrollment due to demographic trends of fewer children, there should theoretically be opportunities for cost savings that can ideally be passed down to the taxpayer. The Board needs to make that happen when situations allow.

3. Transparency

There are several things that the district can do to increase transparency and communication.  For instance, videos of public meetings should be available at all times and easy to search.  Committee meeting minutes (without confidential information) should be available online so the public can access it at their convenience.  Public comment should be scheduled within the first ½ hour of the public meeting.  In this way, the board members can get information and guidance from the public that can help inform their decisions and strategies.

4. Background

I have lived in Martinsville for over 22 years with my husband.  We raised a son who is now a young adult.   After receiving a BA in Sociology/Education, I taught in elementary school and high school. After earning a Master’s degree in Psychological Counseling and a doctoral degree in Counseling Psychology, I have provided psychological counseling and mental health assessments for clients with a variety of mental health issues for over 25 years in diverse settings such as hospitals, clinics, college counseling centers, high school, and private practice.  In addition, I was a professor of school and mental health counseling at Long Island University, Brooklyn and also taught and served as Director of the Masters Clinical Mental Health Program at Fairleigh Dickinson University, Madison.  In addition, on the state level, I served for 14 years on the NJ Licensing Board of Marriage and Family Therapy and the NJ Professional Counselors Examiners Licensing Committee as Vice Chair.  In my work as a licensed mental health professional and professor, I am very much aware of the issues and challenges facing young people and families.  I would like to apply my knowledge and experience on the school board level for the benefit of students of Bridgewater-Raritan.

5. Message to Residents

If given the opportunity to serve, my goal would be to apply my knowledge and experience to establish meaningful outcomes in mental health and academics so that each student can obtain the skills and knowledge to enable them to become a positive and productive contributor to society.  I would also seek accountability for academic outcomes and budget responsibility and promote transparency in communication, particularly with parents, making parents allies and not adversaries in their child’s academic and personal development.  

I have been inspired and impressed by board member Dr Lucy Li, who is knowledgeable, approachable, and listens to the voices of families and communities. I was impressed by her compassion for students, commitment to the best education outcome possible, logical and balanced decision making and reasoning, support and protection of all students, overseeing for efficient and responsible spending are all for the best of our district. I am also very impressed with Mrs Deanna Nye, who is a loving mother of medically complex children. She has a big heart and has been sharing her experiences and knowledge helping children with special needs. Not only did she do this alone, she founded and worked tirelessly leading the organization helping kids and families in need. I believe Dr Lucy Li, Mrs Deanna Nye and I will bring beneficial contribution to the BOE in our unique way yet working together to build a stronger, more compassionate, excellent school district where parents are respected and involved, staff are valued, and every child achieves their potential. Please support Li Maxwell and Nye for BOE and vote for all 3 of us.