By Moneth G. Deposa
Variety News Staff

THE Association of Commonwealth Teachers favors an independent election for the teacher representative to the Board of Education.
The association’s president, Betty Miller, said Gov. Benigno R. Fitial will appoint the winner of the election as the teacher representative.
“The governor, the election commission and the Board of Education will not conduct an election for the teacher rep to BOE,” she told Variety. “They have all made it clear this is a decision to be made by teachers.”
But she said ACT “cannot hold an election either because our president is the candidate we will support for the position.”
Not all teachers are members of the association and they may have someone else they would like to see as their BOE teacher representative, Miller said.
“If there are teachers out there who are not ACT members and they would like to be considered as a candidate for the BOE teacher representative, an independent election will be organized,” she said.
Miller said they have assigned San Vicente Elementary teacher Jaime Vergara as the contact person for anyone who wants to run for the position.
Candidates should e-mail a notice of their interest before Nov. 14.
Miller, as ACT’s president, will be a candidate.
If there is no other candidates, ACT will ask the governor to appoint Miller as the teacher representative.
Incumbent teacher representative Ambrose Bennett, said he will not seek reelection.
Bennett earlier raised concern about ACT’s president being an acting vice principal and not a teacher as the CNMI Constitution requires.
“That’s the concern I raised with the association,” he said. “I am totally against it…but if teachers accept it, it’s their decision. I just wish that whoever my successor is will have the capability to organize all teachers.”