It is no secret candidates running for office do not always see eye-to-eye on every issue, but Monday evening those running for the Selma City School Board were given a forum to share their and face questions from the public as well.

The Delta Pi Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. hosted the hosted a candidate forum for candidates running for school board positions Monday at the Striplin Performing Arts Center.

Joseph Brumbey, president of the Delta Pi Lambda chapter, asked the entire group of candidates a question and then each candidate had one minute to respond. They were also given three minutes to introduce themselves and two minutes to give a closing statement.

Al Perry was the lone candidate running for the school board’s District 1 post, as his opponents, Dr. Kirit Chapatwala and Cynthia Harris did not attend.

Brumbey asked the candidates how they would respond to the State Board of Education recommendation that Byrd School and the School of Discovery be closed. The responses were varied on this topic.

“If the state makes that recommendation, I don’t think this board would have the authority to just ignore it and go its own way,” Perry said. “If we did that we would find ourselves in the predicament that Birmingham City Schools finds itself in today.”

District 2 candidate Velma Brewer said she would also listen to a state recommendation and, if the board had decided last year to close the schools, the money saved could have potentially been used to saved the defunct Early College program.

“That is an example of why you need to have board members that really know about school board business,” current District 2 representative Brenda Obomanu said. “That was not a recommendation from the state first of all.”

Obomanu said as a school board member she researched and found that closing those schools would save no money.

The audience then could ask anonymous questions to the candidates. One question asked if the candidates would ever support the merging of Dallas County School Systems and Selma City School Systems.

“I was an advocate of that a while back and that is something that we cannot decide, that is something that legislators and Montgomery deal with,” Kimesha “Sunshine” Alvarado candidate for School Board President said. “Until the state makes that decision, I don’t think that is going to be feasible and so that is something we are going to have to push for in a vote and if the people support it, then I am 100 percent what the people need.”

Current school board member and candidate for the school board president, Holland Powell said the only savings that would come with a merger would be top management like the superintendent and financial officer in the central office.

“The teaching units are determined by the state, and each school. You can’t reduce teachers … I think it would be extremely politically charged I don’t think there are enough savings in it to really make a difference,” Powell said.

Current Selma City School President, Henry Hicks Jr. said he would support the conversation of a merger.