Candidates seated in Town Hall Jan. 24 according to ballot order, from left are, Sean Garballey, Andrew O'Brien, Jeffrey Thielman, Robert Valeri and John Worden III.

Andrew E. O’Brien: A substitute teacher who has the political freshness of a first-time candidate.

Jeffrey D.Thielman: At 44, an experienced alliance maker whose work in education is marked by social justice. These three are Democrats.

Robert V. Valeri: An unenrolled, political neophyte who provides a view from his grass roots as a 55-year-old who owns an Arlington printing business.

John L. Worden III: A 69-year-old Republican whose experience in Arlington public affairs spans more than 40 years, including 19 years as Town Meeting moderator.

The forum -- not a debate -- provided an opportunity for each of the five to answer eight questions. The league prepared the first question; the rest were written by audience members, organizer Merri Lea Shaw said.

No question addressed the issue underlying the competition between Garballey and Thielman, whose signs were most plentiful in front of Town Hall before the forum – issues at Ottoson that led to dismissals last summer of a principal and teacher. Both addressed those issues only in passing.

Here is how each candidate introduced himself followed by a summary of the eight questions and how each answered. The moderator was Deborah Strod of the Lexington LWV.