School Committee Candidates Debate Raises, Full-Day Kindergarten and Honors [VIDEO]

School Committee candidates answered tough questions from panelists John Lepper and Max Volterra and from their opponents during a public debate held at on Thursday night.

Ward candidates including Incumbents Robert Hill, Jim Stors, Mike Levinson and Fran Zito along with new candidates Laura Dolan, Kenneth Parent, Bill Larson, Christopher O'Neil had to answer questions about the functioning of the school committee, using the City's rainy day fund for school programs, where they stood on full-day kindergarten, Superintendent Pia Durkin's evaluation and replacing the track at the , to name a few.

School Committee Candidates running At Large including Barbara Craw, Michael Tyler, Robert Geddes, David Murphy and Ray DiCiaccio answered tough questions about the school department's consideration to do away with honors classes, the pay raise of Business Manager Mark Furtado and a pay for play system for sports and extracurricular activities. 

Missing from the debate between ward candidates were Ward 4 candidates Brenda Furtado and Helen Johnson and missing from the debate between at large candidates was Gregory Stevens.

Moderator Peter Gay said the debate, at times, seemed like a love fest. The honeymoon between candidates, however, was over when candidates asked eachother some tough questions including one from Ward 5 candidate Laura Dolan to opponent Frances Zito.

Dolan asked Zito what went into her decision to give Superintendent Pia Durkin a perfect score on her evaluation if everyone has room for improvement. Zito responded by saying Durkin works long hours, cares about the students and wants to make Attleboro schools the best in the state and nation.

Questions and answers are included in the videos featured with this story.