LePage pulls out of MPBN debate
BANGOR — The five candidates for governor fielded questions Wednesday night from high school students concerned about funding for K-12 schools, Maine’s dropout rate and whether those who graduate will be able to find jobs in their home state.
In what was billed as the first gubernatorial debate organized by young people, more than a half-dozen students from throughout Maine pressed the candidates for answers on issues while students in 18 schools statewide held “watching parties.”
In addition to being broadcast on WABI-TV5 and two other television stations, the forum was relayed live over the Internet while students “live blogged” about the events, and other students posted comments or questions on a special Facebook page.
Two themes throughout Wednesday’s questioning were what the candidates would do to make sure Maine’s educational system is adequately funded and preparing students with the skills they will need.
All five candidates pledged to work to find efficiencies in school administration as well as to reduce the size of state government.
Front-runner Paul LePage, a Republican, discussed his plan for a 13th year of high school during which students could receive an associate degree or two years of college credit while saving money on tuition and still living at home.
At the same time, LePage said, the state needs to strengthen its vocational education programs for noncollege bound students and reduce its dropout rate by figuring out which “buttons to push” that will keep students interested in school.
“We need to find those kids, and we need to find what will motivate those kids to return to school,” LePage said.
Independent Eliot Cutler of Cape Elizabeth said Maine needs “massive reform” in the educational system involving public charter schools and magnet schools, performance pay for teachers and a longer school year. LePage also talked about the need for charter and magnet schools.
Additionally, Cutler said he would merge the university and community college systems to eliminate duplication and find administrative efficiencies.
“We have a cost problem in higher education and in order to give more kids access to higher education, we need to get our costs down,” Cutler said.
Democrat Libby Mitchell, a former teacher who now serves as president of the Maine Senate, disagreed with Cutler and LePage on charter schools, arguing that they divert much-needed resources from other classrooms.
Mitchell said she would work to introduce pre-kindergarten programs to all Maine schools financed, in part, by renegotiating the state’s liquor contract. She also called for strengthening vocational training and adult education as well as expanding the Jobs for Maine’s Graduates program, which works with at-risk youth in more than 60 schools statewide.
“If something works, why can’t it be in all schools?” Mitchell said.
Shawn Moody, an independent from Gorham, talked about his own experiences as a 17-year-old senior who, working through his high school’s co-op program, went to school part-time while starting his own business.
Moody said Maine needs to reinvest in such programs to lower the dropout rate while making sure students have the technological tools they need in school to succeed after graduation.
Independent Kevin Scott pledged to be a “champion” for education in office and would use his experience as a recruiter for high-tech companies to build educational partnerships with businesses.
Scott also discussed his plan to supply Maine schools with locally grown food by focusing on year-round agriculture in greenhouses, which he said would revive Maine’s agriculture industry and create research opportunities at Maine universities.
Wednesday’s forum, held at Bangor High School’s Peakes Auditorium, was the second of four televised gubernatorial debates being held this week.
The Bangor Daily News offers a new Maine Politics webpage, http://new.bangordailynews.com/politics/, to help voters track campaigns. The new site offers expanded political profiles — including all BDN coverage of the candidates — and information to help readers follow the races.
LePage pulls out of MPBN debate
Paul LePage generated a buzz when his campaign announced late Wednesday that the candidate had withdrawn from Thursday’s live debate on the Maine Public Broadcasting Network.
LePage spokesman Dan Demeritt noted that the candidate is doing three debates this week and said the campaign decided to spend time in Newport and Millinocket.
“Paul’s ‘People before Politics’ tour has touched towns throughout Maine, but we still have communities we need to reach and time is short,” Demeritt said in a statement.
The Maine Democratic Party suggested in a statement that LePage withdrew from the forum at the last minute for political reasons.