Hartford, Conn. – In an unusual coincidence, a Trinity College freshman and two professors are candidates for the West Hartford Board of Education.  Andrew Bannon-Guasp ’13; Elin Katz, Visiting Lecturer in the Allen K. Smith Center for Writing and Rhetoric; and Naogan Ma, Principal Lecturer in Language and Culture Studies and International Studies, will all be on the ballot on Nov. 3.

Elin Katz	Andrew Bannon-Guasp	Naogan Ma

"As a member of the West Hartford Board of Education, I will work to eliminate the achievement gap by providing resources to the students who need them the most,” Bannon-Guasp, a Republican who served as a student representative on the board when he was in high school, said. “Additionally, I believe that class sizes need to be smaller than they currently are and that extracurricular activities that promote good study habits need to be emphasized in our schools to start students off on a good track in life.”

Katz and Ma are both running on the Democratic ticket along with incumbent Claire Kimball.  They said their primary focus is to provide for good neighborhood schools and also to find a way to keep class sizes at reasonable levels.

“West Hartford has top-notch private schools, but it is important to maintain quality public schools and make sure to continue to provide vital education programs in tough economic times,” Ma said. 

Katz, a former environmental attorney, said one of her top priorities is to maintain small class sizes.

“I’ve spent time advocating the school board against cutting classes,” said Katz, who has twin boys in the West Hartford school system. “I was advocating as a parent because I believe it is extremely important.”

All three candidates come from families deeply involved in education.

Katz, who earned her M.A. at Trinity, has a brother on the school board in Lansing, N.Y. Her grandfather was the president of the school board in Windham, N.Y., and her mother was a teacher.

Ma, whose children attended the West Hartford schools, has a daughter who is a teacher, and a son at Connecticut College. She said her father was a great believer in the values of reading and education.

Bannon-Guasp, who who turned 18 years old on Monday, has a mother and aunt who are both teachers, and two of his grandparents were teachers as well.

He said he thinks his youth would give the board a fresh voice. 

“Young?  Yes.  Unqualified?  No,” he said.  “I don’t have experience as a parent, but I bring a young person’s perspective to go along with 13 years of experience in the West Hartford school system.”

Katz said her family has strongly influenced her views on education.

“I’ve always grown up believing in service to the schools,” she said. 
 
Ma, who has taught at Trinity for 23 years, said it would be a privilege to serve on the board.

“Not to contribute, for me, would almost be a crime,” she said. 
 
The three candidates said they have great respect for one another. 

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