Endorsements: Crotty, Fisher, Romberg, Samuels for Naperville Dist. 203 board

Eleven candidates are running for four seats on the board of education in Naperville Unit District 203, and selecting among them is no easy task — for a voter or for an editorial board weighing endorsement options. The candidates are Susan Crotty, Charles Cush, David Fish, Jay Fisher, Kristin Fitzgerald, Derek Krauss, Sabina Qadir, Heather Rajamoney, Jackie Romberg, Neil Samuels and Donna Wandke. It is an impressive field, aptly reflecting the diversity and talent of the community. In reviewing the candidates, our priority was to look for those who appreciate the board’s responsibility to balance commitments to quality education and to the taxpayers’ pocketbooks. If candidates stressed one obligation to the detriment of the other, we ruled them out. Even with that approach, the winnowing was difficult. There are more credentialed candidates with a proper view of the school board’s role than seats to occupy them. In the end, we endorse Jay Fisher, Neil Samuels and incumbents Susan Crotty and Jackie Romberg as having the best combination of demonstrated commitment to District 203 and proper respect for both affordability and quality education. There are many other fine candidates. Of them, we particularly like Krauss, Rajamoney and Wandke, among others. But we believe Crotty, Fisher, Romberg and Samuels are best suited to continue District 203’s tradition of strong schools and fiscal discipline.