Oshkosh school board candidates make literacy central and split on referendum, vouchers at LWV forum

A candidate forum hosted by the League of Women Voters of Winnebago County and Oshkosh Media brought three Oshkosh Area School Board candidates together to outline priorities centered on literacy, teacher retention and facilities — and sharply divided them on a proposed district referendum and use of public funds for private school vouchers.

The forum, moderated by League president Margie Davie and recorded for Oshkosh Media, featured candidates Michael Ford, Molly Smeltnick and Jacob Wolf answering questions from a panel and audience-submitted items. All three repeatedly returned to reading instruction as a top priority.

The candidates framed reading instruction as foundational. Molly Smeltnick, a current board member and candidate, said, "every child has a right to learn to read in our public schools," and described district adoption this past fall of a curriculum aligned with Wisconsin Act 20 (the Right to Read Act). Michael Ford, a candidate and director of the Wisconsin Institute for Citizenship and Civil Dialogue, said the district has piloted programs under Act 20 despite delays in state funding and argued the board…