Republican joins Democrats on school board ticket

Longtime Pennsbury Township Republican Beverly Brookes has teamed up with Democrats Gregg Linder and Kathy Do to run as a ticket in next year’s Unionville-Chadds Ford School Board election.

The announcement was made during a breakfast press conference at Hank’s Place on Tuesday, Nov. 18.

According to Brookes, she was first asked to form a ticket with two other candidates, Carolyn Daniels and Dell Joshi, by Chadds Ford Republican Party leader Mary Kot, but declined the offer.

“I turned down [Kot’s] offer… in large part because of my strong commitment to Kathy Do and Gregg Lindner,” Brookes said in a prepared statement. “I supported them in 2011, and I have paid close attention to their work on the school board. I have found them to be hard-working and thoughtful board members who look at each issue on its merits, without any philosophical ideology or political bias.”

Brookes went on to say that neither Lindner nor Do are big tax and spend types, despite what others have thought.

“I, in good conscience, could not run against Gregg and Kathy,” Brookes said at the restaurant. “They’re very good and dynamic members of the school board.”

Kot confirmed that she had asked Brookes if she would be willing to run on a ticket with Daniels and Joshi, adding that she was “disappointed” with Brookes’ final decision.

Beverly Brooks, Gregg Lindner and Kathy Do will run as a ticket in next year's school board race.
Beverly Brooks, Gregg Lindner and Kathy Do will run as a ticket in next year's school board race.

During the press conference, Lindner said he and Do originally asked Daniels, also an incumbent whose term is up next year, if she were willing to be on a ticket with them, but that she declined.

Daniels was unavailable for comment.

Lindner referred to the newly formed ticket as “nonpartisan.” He and Do both said that nonpartisanship is important to them with regard to the school board.

“It should be nonpartisan ideologies that govern the schools,” Do said.

Lindner added that the ticket is a way of showing people that’s the direction they want to take.

According to Do, the goal in running a nonpartisan ticket is to “eliminate the hostility from the election.”

Do added that she doesn’t understand why the Chadds Ford Republican Committee is so invested in the school board race.

“We have seven townships in our district. Each township has a Republican and a Democratic Party. The only party structure I’ve seen get involved in a school board race are the Chadds Ford Republicans, and I’ve never understood why, at least to the level that they do,” Do said.

School board races in Pennsylvania are nonpartisan and candidates may cross-file with different parties as they wish. However, Brookes acknowledged that isn’t always the case.

“Our Region C is the only region [in the district] that has made the position [of school board director] political,” she said in her statement. “In the past I was partly responsible for that since the bylaws of the Chester County Republican Committee forbid committee members from supporting members of the other party. Since I am no longer involved in party politics, I can do as my conscience dictates.”

Brookes said she was active with the Republican Party for more than 40 years, even before moving to Pennsbury 38 years ago. In Pennsbury she has been a Republican committeewoman, chairman of the Area 16 Republicans, as well as holding some nonpolitical positions.

In deciding to run for school board, Brookes said she wants to find a proper balance between taxes and quality education.

“We need to look at the cost of [education.] I’m retired. I live in Cartmel. We’re on a fixed income. I’m very concerned about big tax increases,” Brookes said.

When asked what she thinks she can do to find that balance between affordable taxes and education, Brookes said she can connect with the retired people and be a liaison with them to see what can be done to keep the quality of education high, but keep taxes manageable.

Speaking about his and Do’s decisions to run for another term, Lindner said: “We’ve certainly enjoyed our experiences on the board. We think we’re doing the right things so we’re going to run for re-election in 2015.”

Do added: “We both feel that we’ve made some good contributions and actually made different contributions. Gregg has strengths in areas of business, finance and working with employees…My area has had a lot to do with policy and curriculum. Individually, we both feel very happy with what we’ve done and feel that we deserve another term.”

 

About Rich Schwartzman

Rich Schwartzman has been reporting on events in the greater Chadds Ford area since September 2001 when he became the founding editor of The Chadds Ford Post. In April 2009 he became managing editor of ChaddsFordLive. He is also an award-winning photographer.

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