School board candidates forum focuses on controversial math program

The Newport-Mesa Unified School District’s contested Swun Math curriculum dominated Thursday night’s school board candidates form, with the board’s incumbents saying the program still has kinks to work out as their challengers contended that Swun is not state-approved and remains deeply unpopular.

The event at the OASIS Senior Center in Corona del Mar — hosted by the Newport Beach Women’s Democratic Club and moderated by the club’s president, Rima Nashashibi — was marked by banter among the candidates, who also answered questions from the audience of about 50.

Five of six challengers for the board’s three open seats attended the forum: Trustee Area 1 candidates Vicki Snell, who is up for reelection, and challenger Michael Schwarzmann; Trustee Area 3’s Martha Fluor, who’s being challenged by businesswoman Amy Peters; and Trustee Area 6 candidate Dana Black, who is running for reelection and is the board’s president.

Area 6 candidate Leslie Bubb — a Newport Beach resident who trains teachers — did not attend due to a family commitment.

Since the district began using Swun in 2013, parents and teachers have said that the materials are riddled with typos and errors. At Tuesday’s school board meeting, district staff and the Newport-Mesa Federation of Teachers said that they are collaborating to explore alternate math programs to pilot in classrooms.

At the forum, Schwarzmann, who directs an accounting and technology firm, said he was comforted by Tuesday’s announcement about Swun. He called it “horrific” that more than 5,000 students who took the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress didn’t pass its math standards last school year.

Black agreed, saying the 50% figure was disappointing, but that district staff are attempting to fix the problem.

“We have thrown staff development, technology, math adoption books” to remedy the issues, she said.

Snell added: “We can continue to train teachers … so they know how to teach this different type of math. That’s what we’re trying to teach our children: math, currently, for 21st century jobs. It is to understand and solve problems, not just formulas.”

Peters, who touted her experience as a knowledgeable parent of three children educated in the district, said she was disappointed that Newport-Mesa continues to rely on Swun, which isn’t state-approved.

“There are 30 state-approved math programs … we’ve been correcting [Swun materials] and we’ve been paying teachers to correct it,” she said.

Fluor used the forum to highlight her extensive knowledge of the district, like when she and the other candidates were asked about its alternate education programs. Fluor, a trustee for more than 20 years, pointed to Early College High School, whose students can take courses for college credit.

Fluor also stressed that while some may want change at the district to happen overnight, governance and policy-making take time, patience and teamwork.

Black said the district can be proud of its decades-long effort to modernize every school, improve sports fields and construct theaters and middle school enclaves for Corona del Mar and Costa Mesa.

Snell said her priorities include growing the high school signature academies and ensuring funding for foster youth and English-language learners.

Schwarzmann said his primary interest is to establish transparency for future Newport-Mesa Unified decisions.

“I want an inclusive process where all constituents are involved in the decision-making process,” he said. “Let’s bring all this input in so we’re making an informed decision.”

The women’s club also hosted a Newport Beach City Council candidates forum, which took place following the school board event.