MURRIETA —— Seven school board candidates weighed in on several issues Thursday night, most often agreeing with each other in an election debate that could best be described as uncontentious.

They all said strengthening vocational opportunities for Murrieta Valley Unified School District students is important, while a few candidates chimed in that college prep is just as critical.

And they all agreed that continuing to find ways to address the city's growing and diverse population is crucial.

Only a few times did the candidates really differentiate themselves during the forum, which was sponsored by the Murrieta Chamber of Commerce and which took place in front of about 60 residents at City Hall.

When asked about how their life experiences prepared them for the role of a board of education trustee, each of the candidates offered varied responses.

The candidates present at Thursday's forum were incumbent and small-business owner Kris Thomasian and challengers conservative attorney Richard Ackerman, small-business owner Robin Crist, teacher Jacqueline Hanny, freelance journalist Wyatt Haupt, educational consultant Sheree Jederberg and pastor John Wells. Candidate Jan Fletcher, a small-business owner, did not attend.

Each candidate at the forum touched on some personal moments in their lives when explaining why they are qualified to help lead the 20,000-student school district.

Ackerman said he grew up in a home supported by welfare and worked hard to achieve great things academically, taught in schools for a while, and now is a partner in a law firm that fights for the rights of people who believe they have been wronged in some way.

Crist said that, as a parent of three children who went through the Murrieta school district, as a longtime classroom volunteer and parent leader, and as someone who led efforts to pass bonds to build schools, she has illustrated her dedication to the district.

Hanny cited her master's degree and 15-year teaching career, as well as her work with special-needs children and their parents in this community and elsewhere in the county.

Haupt recalled his four years in the United States Coast Guard in the 1980s, and said the process of saving lives and that service to this country taught him valuable life lessons.

Jederberg said she was assistant superintendent of the Catholic Diocese of Newark, N.J., which includes 23 schools, during the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and led the effort to ensure the safety of the students in a region that considers New York its backyard. She touted her profession as an educational consultant who works to help schools improve.

Thomasian said her four years on the board have taught her a tremendous amount about what it takes to help lead the district. She also cited her 26 years as a student behavior management consultant and service as director of a preschool.

Wells described himself as a community-oriented person, and said that after serving as a mentor, coach, pastor and police officer, he is up for the job of leading the district.

The candidates were also asked about how the process for building a third high school should unfold. The main response from the candidates was a bond measure may be necessary, but that all other options for obtaining money must be exhausted.

Ackerman, while not saying he would refuse to support a bond if elected, did make the strongest statements against the concept of a bond.

"Before we go strap the taxpayer with a multimillion dollar bond, we had better make sure we have tapped every resource for funding," he said, saying grants from private foundations were the best option.

Also during the forum, Ackerman and Thomasian supported re-creating a district advisory committee, which would consist of teachers, parents and administrators from all the schools. They said it was dissolved by former Superintendent Chet Francisco. Crist, however, said she believes the committee was disbanded for a good reason, saying in her experience it tended to be a "meeting for the sake of meeting."

Contact staff writer Jennifer Kabbany at (951) 676-4315, Ext. 2625,or jkabbany@californian.com.