The Mansfield Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People held a candidates forum Thursday night at the Mansfield-Richland County Public Library in downtown Mansfield.

Candidates for Mansfield City Council and Mansfield City Schools Board of Education fielded questions from the moderator and audience members during the forum.

NAACP political action chairwoman Deanna West-Torrence said says the goal of the forum was to stir away from the negativity of some of the campaigns and focus on key issues. 

The school board candidates were asked to address how they would increase academic achievement in the district, work with Supt. Dr. Lloyd Martin and meet the needs of minority students.  

West-Torrence said the Mansfield Branch of the NAACP is non-partisan organization which does not endorse any particular candidate or issue.

(Click here to watch the entire candidates forum. Video contributed by the Mansfield Branch of the NAACP)