AUGUSTA – Education policy dominated Senate debate Thursday as Democrats unsuccessfully challenged the nomination of Stephen Bowen to be Maine’s next education commissioner.

Bowen, the nominee of Gov. Paul LePage, was confirmed by a vote of 25-10, with Democrats casting all votes in opposition.

Four Democrats and Sen. Dick Woodbury, an independent from Yarmouth, voted in support of Bowen.

The Legislature’s Education Committee spent about five hours Wednesday considering Bowen’s nomination, and the Senate on Thursday discussed his statements on school choice and merit pay for teachers.

“How many (Maine educators) would be supporting tax dollars going into parochial schools? He is in favor of it. And how many of them are saying merit pay is going to change our educational system? I believe not many. But yet these are the policies that we have to look forward to,” said Sen. Justin Alfond, D-Portland.

Alfond, who serves on the Education Committee, opposed Bowen’s nomination.

Sen. Garrett Mason, R-Lisbon Falls, the committee’s Senate chair, argued that Mainers voted for change in November.

“It really shocks me, that there are people in this Legislature that would stick with the status quo and only extend school choice to the wealthy,” he said during Thursday’s debate.

Bowen, who left his spot as the Republican governor’s senior adviser on education policy to take the Cabinet post, worked as a teacher in Camden-Rockport and at the Maine Heritage Policy Center, as the conservative think tank’s top education analyst.

During his time with the Maine Heritage Policy Center, Bowen often testified on education legislation and wrote policy memos in support of establishing charter schools, merit pay and vouchers in Maine’s education system.

LePage has promised that education reforms will be near the top of his agenda as governor.

MaineToday Media State House Writer Rebekah Metzler can be contacted at 620-7016 or at:

rmetzler@mainetoday.com