Gubernatorial candidates differ on immigration, school discipline

Delaware gubernatorial candidates sat down for their third debate Aug. 14, hitting on similar topics as in previous debates but with some striking differences on immigration and discipline in the classroom.

During the event sponsored by the Delaware Journalism Collaborative, immigration hit a nerve.

Republican newcomer Bobby Williamson said he has watched crime and gang activity in the immigrant communities riddle his town of Seaford.

“There are some great people in that community, but there are also thugs; there are gangs,” he said to some audible boos in the audience. “I’m not trying to pick on one ethnicity; it’s just there are certain gangs that are thriving in this … they have come with the immigrants and are intruding on our peaceful way of living.”

Democrat candidates all embraced welcoming migrants to the state.

Collin O’Mara bristled at any criticism of immigrants and called it partisan rhetoric.

“Immigration is the future of Delaware,” O’Mara said. “We want to be one of the most hospitable states to immigrants anywhere in the country. Immigrants have made communities safer. Immigrants make the economy stronger. Immigrants allow economies to function. Anything that suggests otherwise just isn’t based on data; it’s just scare tactics from Fox News to brainwash this country.”

Lt. Gov. Bethany Hall-Long said immigrants are the backbone of our communities.

“These are individuals that deserve our support. They make us stronger,” she said. “We are so much better with diversity.”

Matt Meyer said he supports opening an Office of New Americans to help diverse communities across the world access government services and for the government to have access to worldwide communities.

Back on the Republican side, Jerry Price said he would treat everyone the same and would enlist churches and other charitable organizations to help.

Republican Mike Ramone said Hispanic landscapers who work for his company regularly complain about how expensive and complex it is to get proper documentation.

“My people are very frustrated that others are moving in front of them and are working for other landscaping companies and getting paid cash,” he said. “It’s a very complicated issue, and I’d love to work with the Hispanic community to get the right answers.”

Candidates also differed on the subject of discipline in the classroom.

Both Price and Williamson agreed that discipline is needed in the classroom so teachers can teach and children who want to learn have the opportunity to do so.

“We need to graduate them out, not with diplomas, but down the road,” Williamson said about disruptive students.

Ramone said educators are not in an environment where they can educate because of what bureaucracy has done to the classrooms. Educational funding needs to be changed so that more money goes into the classrooms, he said. 

O’Mara said to reduce violence in schools, officials need to make sure children are fed.

“Because when kids aren’t fed they act out and things escalate,” he said. “We need to do so much better to surround them in love.”

Hall-Long said that the state needs to focus on education for children ages 0-5.

“Long haul, my legacy will be from birth to 5. That will be a game changer,” she said.

Meyer said safety must be a priority.

“My view of safety is different from a few people up here tonight,” he said. “My view of safety is you find those who are having challenges and you bring them in. You envelop them with resources.”

Despite some heated accusations over the past few weeks between Hall-Long and Meyer, there was little acrimony during the debate; although, the two were strategically placed on opposite ends of the table.