Oshkosh school-board candidates debate literacy, book-review rules, teacher pay and equity at League forum

Four candidates for seats on the Oshkosh Area School District school board summarized competing priorities and policy views at a League of Women Voters forum in Oshkosh as voters prepare to elect three members April 2.

The forum, moderated by League President Margie Davie, featured candidate Timothy Hess and incumbents Christopher Karnes and Chris Wright; Beth Wyman submitted a written statement that was read aloud. Panelist Karen Schneider of the Oshkosh Herald posed questions submitted in advance and from the audience.

Candidates fronted literacy and student achievement as top concerns. Candidate Timothy Hess said the district’s results were “troubling,” saying “less than 36% of students are proficient” in key subjects and urging the board to demand concrete results rather than “platitude and rhetoric.” Incumbent Christopher Karnes said the board has made literacy a policy priority and described ongoing efforts to build data systems and accountability: “We have prioritized literacy.” Wright, the board treasurer, noted a recent uptick in literacy scores and said work remains: “Literacy scores did go up 3% last year.”

The candidates differed only slightly on book-review policy. Karnes said he is “not in favor of banning books” and pointed to the district’s existing review and appeal process. Wright said he does not support bans but favors age-appropriate material and parental involvement; he described district specialists and an appeals process for contested titles. Hess said he generally opposes bans but raised concern about explicit content in some books and suggested parental-approval mechanisms for particularly graphic material.

On racial disparities and discipline, candidates acknowledged persistent gaps. Karnes called the disparity statistics “disappointing” and said the district is meeting with community members to seek remedies. Hess pressed for more frequent, timely reporting, saying, “The district has that data. It should be released on, like, a monthly basis,” so the board and public can track progress between annual reports.

All three candidates said private and voucher schools that receive public funds should face accountability. Karnes said, “If you’re taking public funds, there should be accountability,” and Wright and Hess echoed that view while noting technical issues in state reporting methods.

Teacher pay, staffing and mental-health supports were also central. Candidates described recent pay increases and urged further investment. Hess said the district could “find more money for the teachers,” arguing for clearer budget choices; Karnes pointed to projected operational savings tied to facility consolidation and said he would like to see those funds “invested back into our staff and to our teachers.” On mental health, candidates supported more counselors and better local data collection so the district can allocate resources quickly.

Candidates disclosed potential conflicts of interest when asked. Karnes said he has recused himself from votes on substitute pay and from votes tied to the district’s health-insurance plan because of a family employment relationship and a private-sector affiliation; other candidates described possible future recusals if personal or business interests overlap with board decisions.

The forum closed with procedural voting information read by the moderator: the April 2 election polls will be open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.; voters must present photo ID and may register on election day with proof of residence.

The event served primarily as a candidate-question forum; no formal board actions or votes took place during the meeting.