This month marks the start of the state campaign season, when candidates vying for a seat at the General Assembly start crafting their political messaging for their respective communities. 

In Danbury, no area of concern has garnered more political attention than the debate over education funding and the topic of charter schools. Democratic incumbents in traditional 

Republican-leaning districts in the area who want to return to the State Capitol for another term would be wise to address the education-funding dilemma head-on with their electorate.

For the last two years in Danbury, the argument over educational funding and the debate over the merits of a proposed charter school have dominated political dialogue in the city. 

While members of the city's Democratic state delegation who opposed charter schools won re-election in 2020, last November, most local Democrats who ran on an anti-charter school platform were defeated at the polls. Meanwhile, victories by pro-charter school Republican candidates resulted in the party gaining back control of the Board of Education in a year when the topic of education dominated the headlines. 

Democratic state delegation members who hold seats in traditional Republican strongholds face formidable challengers encouraged by their party's recent victories.

Pro-charter school supporter Michele Cohelo was victorious in her run for a seat on the Board of Education, garnering one of the highest vote totals among all candidates. Cohelo is running for State Senate in the 24th district against incumbent Julie Kushner, who many see as the area's most vocal charter school critic.

Like Cohelo, fellow Republican Board of Education member Rachel Chaleski is also a charter school supporter seeking election to state office in a district once known as a stronghold for the Republican Party. The incumbent, Ken Gucker, is also a vocal anti-charter school critic who didn't face a credible challenge in his first run for re-election, but he will undoubtedly face a determined challenge for his seat this year.

Elected officials who have blocked attempts to establish a charter school in Danbury should open themselves to inquiry from the voting electorate. The challengers to the Democratic anti-charter school incumbents are well-versed in educational matters; their entry into the race presents the public with an opportunity to hear an honest debate on the issue of educational funding and should contribute to a well-informed electorate in November.