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During the next Board of Education meeting following September’s meeting, where the Board was faced with confronting the process of creating a process to appoint 2 people to 2 vacated Board seats (see previous article, “What Shook The Room At Beacon’s BOE Meeting; 2 Open Seats But 1 Was Filled”), the Board heard from one new candidate, Joseph Puliafito. The candidate has been a resident of Beacon since the 1950s, owns 9 parcels in Beacon, and has teaching experience in educational technology and special education. A second candidate had applied in addition to Joseph, but withdrew before this meeting where the Board could interview candidates in a public format.

Of the 4 original candidates who applied previously, Jasmine Johnson was appointed to the Board, and John Galloway Jr. opted to have his application roll over for reconsideration to this second appointment process. Both Jasmine and John are Black. The other two candidates - Barb Fisher and Travis Fisher - a married couple who are white - withdrew their applications (read their letters of withdraw here) shortly after that meeting, both stating that the Board seemed to have a candidate who would fit the Board’s needs (this was prior to Joseph applying).

Interview With Candidate Joseph Puliafito

In their public interview with Joseph, where he stated that John Galloway Jr. “seems to be a great, nice guy” with a lot of people supporting him, Joseph asked the Board how they felt they were doing with their goals, stating: “It's a very trying time, in terms of economics and racial unrest. I do hope we see change as soon as possible and that everybody would be on the same page because all lives matter, Black and white.”

Joseph’s experience includes orphanages and public schools, stating: “I have a lot of experience since I was a teenager, in orphanages, for many different types of social problems in the family. I've worked since 1970 in colleges, with public school teachers in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens. And I've seen the problems there. It's not easy as you said to solve problems. And it's slow in some cases.”

Joseph continued to express how he roots success in happiness and selflessness: “Everyone has to be on the same page, and not think about themselves, but each other. And their lives. And to make everybody else's life better. Economically, socially. People should be happy. People are not happy now. Everyone has to be served.”

When Board president Meredith Heuer asked if he had considered applying to the Board in the past, Joseph exclaimed: “I've always paid my taxes, and they have been exorbitant. I have 9 parcels in Beacon. I did want to see where the money was going. I started to think: ‘Well maybe I should be part of it.’"

Interview With Candidate John Galloway Jr.

With most of his appeals made during the first meeting on 9/14/2020, where John focused on his young age and current connection with youth in Beacon, which would help him be a bridge between the Board and the students, John focused this speaking opportunity on how his supporters were behaving. Most of the supporters calling in to the voice support for the meeting were adults who felt passionately about voicing their opinions about what was said at the prior meeting. Some of those vocal supporters stated professional experiences with Boards of Education in general, run a business, or run a local organization. A handful of vocal supporters were current students.

John addressed that by saying: “Thank you for the opportunity again for allowing my application to roll over. I want to make a point to everybody who is calling in and doing a lot of things on social media. I appreciate the support, it is really outstanding, it is really appreciated. But also to remember to do your best to respect the Board and respect the process of the Board. This is an appointment process, this isn't an election. Some stuff that's going on is a bit, I would say it's ...supportive but also unnecessary. It is an appointment process, we just have to stick to the process, and hopefully that will be the result. We just have to hope for the best. Just respect the Board if possible. Because it is still not getting anything done, raising what I would call havoc - coming at board members - and making daily posts about it. Just try your best to support me, and if you would like to call in, that's fine, but there is no need to come at the board. If you want me on it so bad, I would just think that counter-productive.”

The Board will finish their appointment process during their October 26, 2020 meeting. You can watch recorded Board of Education meetings here at YouTube. The Zoom link to the live meeting is usually posted at the District’s website.