Silverman to open campaign for re-election to school board

8/9/2001

Peter Silverman, Toledo board of education president, plans to officially kick off his re-election campaign today for one of three open seats.

Mr. Silverman, a lawyer, is one of three candidates endorsed by the Lucas County Democratic Party. The others are David Welch and Anita Lopez, general counsel and director of enforcement for the Toledo Fair Housing Center.

Also running for the five-member board are Becky Berry and Jeffrey Greeno, who have the endorsement of the Lucas County Republican Party, and Steven Steel, who is endorsed by the Green Party.

Mr. Silverman, 45, plans to formally announce his candidacy at 11:30 a.m. today at the Old West End Academy.

“I'm proud of what we accomplished the last four years,” he said. “What we've done is only a start. Instead of 1,000 tutors and mentors, we need 10,000. We should start an international baccalaureate high school to be the premier high school in the region.

“We should double the number of students taking honors and advanced placement classes. Our vocational programs should be focused on the most demanding 21st-century jobs.”

A uniform core curriculum, early intervention for children falling behind, intensive summer school, and performance testing are all initiatives Mr. Silverman supports.

He was elected to the board in 1997 and served on Toledo council from 1989 to 1993.

In 1993, Mr. Silverman was the Democratic Party's endorsed candidate for mayor but failed to make it out of the primary. Carty Finkbeiner won the general election.

Mr. Silverman has a law degree from the University of Michigan and a bachelor's degree from George Washington University. He and his wife, Marcia, have one son.