Five candidates for three open seats on the Croton-Harmon Board of Education squared off at a League of Women Voters forum on May 12, fielding questions on educational technology, academic rigor, discrimination, and district accountability at Croton-Harmon High School. The candidates — incumbents Sarah Carrier, Anamika Bhatnagar, and Neal Haber, and challengers Jake Day and Betsy Laird — answered eight questions selected from public submissions. Laurie Schultz of the League of Women Voters of the River Towns moderated. Terry Luken, co-president of the Northwest Westchester League of Women Voters, opened the evening by noting her own six years of service on the Croton-Harmon school board. Carrier, a nine-year board veteran, highlighted her experience and the district's strategic vision map. Bhatnagar, seeking a second term, emphasized her push to change district culture so more work happens in public. Haber pointed to his years of service and called himself a "policy wonk." Day, who moved to Croton four years ago, cited his role organizing 60 families to advocate for universal pre-K. Laird, a clinical psychologist who will appear as "Elizabeth" on the ballot, highlighted her experience evaluating large-scale programs for outcomes. Educational technology emerged as the sharpest area of disagreement. Day noted that the district's computer-assisted instruction budget has grown significantly. "Our computer assisted instruction budget has grown 45% in the past five years," 31:05▶ Day said, adding that middle schoolers are using AI tools in the classroom. "We don't have an AI policy in place," 31:05▶ he said. Bhatnagar pointed to research questioning the value of classroom technology. "Most of the technology that we're using in our schools is not additive or really supporting student achievement," 32:48▶ she said, calling for the board to ensure data privacy policies are in place. Laird cited a specific budget item from the previous Thursday's board meeting. "There was an item on the docket to spend a $132,000 on iPads for grades two and grades five," 34:15▶ Laird said, arguing that iPads should be reallocated from kindergartners to fifth graders and the savings spent on additional instruction. Haber cautioned that technology policy must remain adaptable given how rapidly the landscape shifts, while Carrier said the appropriate use of technology differs in every classroom and at every grade level. On academic rigor, candidates clashed over the district's vision map and metrics. Haber defended the formative approach, citing a 2024 Tri-State evaluation report and saying that timelines and metrics would follow as programs develop. Bhatnagar pushed back, arguing that a vision without operational metrics falls short. "This question of having set aside reviewing curriculum for a while, it's a dereliction of duty and we need to change that," 83:44▶ she said. The question of how the board holds the superintendent accountable produced some of the forum's most pointed exchanges. Haber described the board's annual evaluation process and its questioning of district leadership. Day called for quantitative measures in superintendent evaluations, noting that recent reviews lacked hard numbers. "The superintendent reports to the board," 61:48▶ Day said, arguing that the board should not be deferential to the superintendent and should set measurable outcomes. Betsy Laird outlined three components of accountability drawn from her professional work evaluating programs. "There are three components to making an accountable strategy," 48:46▶ Laird said. "You define what success looks like at the start." 48:46▶ On discrimination and student safety, Laird noted the absence of an adopted DEI policy and said draft policies that have not been implemented protect no one. Haber acknowledged the national climate around DEI terminology but said the board maintains its oversight role and supports initiatives like the high school's Take Back the Night march. Bhatnagar said the board had driven implementation of school climate surveys and called for a culture of trust where students feel safe reporting incidents. Communication was another flashpoint. Carrier, who serves on the board's communications committee, said improving responsiveness is an ongoing focus. Day argued the issue is less about communication than about response, noting it took months of pressure from dozens of residents to get a FAQ section about universal pre-K posted on the district website. Bhatnagar agreed, saying it should not take board trustees weeks of advocacy for something that straightforward. In closing statements, Laird noted that no current board member has a child in the elementary school. "There is not a single member of the Croton-Harmon Board of Education with a child in the elementary school," 85:38▶ she said, arguing the board needs direct insight from families across all school levels. Day pointed to his preparation and willingness to challenge the status quo. "Someone who has done the homework, who isn't afraid to ask hard questions," 88:47▶ he said, describing what he hoped voters heard from him. His son starts kindergarten at CET in September, he said, and he plans to be involved for the long haul. The election was held May 19, with voters choosing three of the five candidates to serve on the board.