Last month’s flurry of interest in Scott Booker’s views on the Plainfield school board has died down, but the question remains: Who is Scott Booker?

Plaintalker made a few inquiries last month with no concrete results. A call to the household of Charles and Anna Booker, who have decades of service in Plainfield, drew a blank.

A board member who shall remain nameless surmised that “Scott Booker” is a pseudonym. This person felt that certain information in the Courier News opinion piece could only have come from inside knowledge of board happenings.

The mystery may be solved by 4 p.m. Feb. 26, when candidates for school board seats must file petitions to be in the April school board election.

If Scott Booker is indeed a dark horse candidate, all will be revealed on the filing date.

The postings regarding Scott Booker are still up on the NJ Forum web site of the Star-Ledger. Since the frisson of speculation last month, the forum has mostly been quiet.

There are three seats up for three-year terms on the Board of Education. Potential candidates can check the New Jersey School Boards Association for qualifications. Petitions may be picked up at 504 Madison Avenue.

Considering that more than half the incoming kindergarten class this year was from Latino households, one hopes there will be a Spanish-speaking candidate for 2007.

Incumbents whose terms expire in April are Martin Cox, Wilma Campbell and Rev. Tracey Brown.

--Bernice Paglia