Westfield Board of Education candidates outline priorities on $225 million referendum, class sizes, AI and student safety

Three candidates for the Westfield Board of Education — incumbent Kent Diamond and challengers Patrick Duffy and Anthony Tesitore — told a packed Parent Teacher Council forum that implementing the district's recently passed referendum and keeping class sizes low will be top priorities if elected.

Kent Diamond, a current board member and finance‑committee co‑chair, said the referendum will affect nine of the district's 10 schools and that behind‑the‑scenes work has begun. He said the board recently decided against adding a second ballot question in this year's budget to avoid adding to taxpayers' already heavy burden, and estimated the district will later ask the town for an average of about $400 per household to cover operating costs for full‑day kindergarten staffing and related expenses. "We pulled that from the budget, and we did things like that," Diamond said, describing targeted reductions in noncritical purchases to limit near‑term tax pressure.

Patrick Duffy emphasized volunteer experience with local PTOs and said community support and fundraising — he cited more than $2.2 million raised to replace an unsafe playground — show parents' willingness to invest in schools. Duffy said smaller class sizes are a priority: "Class size ratio is 14 to 1," he said, calling that an acceptable target he would fight to maintain.

Anthony Tesitore, a first‑time candidate and local attorney, said the district should pair the large capital program with careful vendor selection and oversight to get "the best value for our buck" as projects roll out. "That is probably...the biggest challenge is we implement the referendum and look to develop our buildings," Tesitore said, urging the board to hire stable contractors and closely monitor spending and schedules.

All three candidates described district efforts to make curriculum materials available to the public and encouraged two‑way communication. Kent Diamond pointed to an online repository and said the curriculum committee posts documents and holds public meetings; candidates suggested simplifying communications (reducing unexplained acronyms) and using road‑show presentations and social media to reach different audiences.

Technology and classroom tools were a point of disagreement over scope. Patrick Duffy described himself as part of a "wait‑until‑late" movement for technology in early grades, advocating against Chromebook homework for young students and recommending stage‑based rules for AI. "I would move to ban it at the elementary level," Duffy said, proposing limited use in middle school and integration at the high‑school level with teacher training. Tesitore and Diamond favored a balanced approach: Diamond called AI and similar tools a reality that should be integrated with guardrails and policies, while Tesitore said banning would be a mistake and recommended grade‑based limits and clear implementation rules.

On student safety, candidates urged a partnership between families and schools to address social‑media harms. Diamond noted a recently passed state law that will restrict student cell‑phone use "bell to bell" beginning in September and said the district is developing implementation details, including where phones will be stored and what consequences will apply for misuse.

Several candidates framed the referendum as both an opportunity and a risk. Diamond warned that managing $225 million across multiple projects poses implementation risks — supply issues, contractor performance and infrastructure constraints — but said the district has hired architects and firms and plans careful oversight. Duffy and Tesitore said protecting students' mental health and managing technology use are major near‑term concerns.

In closing, Duffy urged voters to back the referendum's goals and said he would put students first; Tesitore reiterated his volunteer background and repeated that, if elected, he would seek answers and work collaboratively; Diamond invited residents to view upcoming architect renderings at a public board meeting. Moderator Lisa Espina reminded the audience to vote on April 21.

The forum focused on implementation of the referendum, operating‑cost questions tied to full‑day kindergarten, class‑size commitments and districtwide policies for technology and AI. No formal endorsements or board actions were taken at the event; it served as an opportunity for candidates to lay out priorities before the April 21 election.