Democrats running for seats on
the Unionville-Chadds Ford School Board from Region C are calling for tone and
priority changes on the board. They think the current board members don’t
understand what’s important and they’re getting support from a former U.S.
congressman.
Gregg Lindner, of Chadds Ford
Township, and Kathy Do, of Pennsbury, earned their position on the ballot
through a successful write-in campaign during the primary election this past
spring.
Do said she’s running because
she’s seen a shift in the board’s priorities over the years.
“I believe, absolutely, that
the current board members do consider our children’s education to be a
priority, but I do not believe that they currently believe it to be the highest
priority,” she said in an interview held during a fund-raiser at the home of
Steve and Carolyn Mohr in Pennsbury Township.
Do said the recent school
budget demonstrates how priorities have shifted away from what she thinks is
right.
“This past year, the board had
the option to approve a budget at 1.4 percent [tax increase], the 1.4 percent
increase that was the cap [without the need for a referendum], what most
districts in the state were doing. They chose not to do that. Understandably,
they said let’s stay below the cap,” Do said. “They ended up passing a budget
at 1.1 percent. In order to do that, they had to lay off something like 20
support staff, many people who have worked for the district for years and have
a very valuable role in the district [such as] reading support staff, people
who work to help the teachers.”
She added that shortly after
the layoffs, $800,000 was restored to education in the state budget. The board
could have rehired the people laid off, but didn’t.
Do said the board wants to cut
costs, something she accepts as necessary, but that it must be done in ways
that don’t hurt children.
“The majority of people on the
board are looking at the concerns of people in the district who want to move
away from the educational vision of a person like [recently retired
Superintendent] Sharon Parker…They’re looking to cut back our programs and what
I want to do is to be the voice of the person who always, always, always puts
the children first.”
(Chadds Ford Democratic Party
Chairman Rob Porter said in a recent email message that it was school board
actions that led Parker to retire.)
Do said education must be the
top priority with an emphasis on curriculum changes and new technologies that
could save money in the long run. She would also like to see the district
employ naming rights as a way generate revenue.
“Why can’t our beautiful new
auditorium be named after a reputable local business,” she asked.
Do, a freelance writer and
public policy analyst, wrote a critique of No Child Left Behind — the
challenges and the benefits — with recommendation on how it could be
strengthened for the Rockland County New York legislature. She is also the vice
president of the Unionville-Chadds Ford Education Foundation.
Lindner, the executive vice
president and chief research officer for Arbitron, a media research company,
served on the board temporarily to fill in for Ed Wandersee who moved out of
the district. He served until Frank Murphy defeated him in a special election.
Lindner wants to see a change in tone on the board.
“All the discussions that have
taken place around whether there’s revenue enhancement or whether there are
budget decisions that are being made, some of the areas that I had talked about
previously, when I was on the board briefly, did not ever rise to a discussion
at the board. So, for instance, we talked about naming rights as one manner in
which to get more revenue for the district. That has really not progressed,” he
said.
Lindner, like Do, thinks
current priorities are wrong.
“There’s not been any movement
on [the naming rights idea] in the past two years. Instead, the discussion has
been more around user fees for students…So there’s been a different approach
about how to look for different revenues in the district and I’d like to see a
broader discussion about that.”
Lindner said his business
background makes him ideal for the position.
“I have an understanding of
running large budgets, being somebody who’s run a $70 million business. It’s
given me the opportunity to manage large groups of people, look for how you
bring about consensus in a constructive way to move forward with different
projects. It’s something I believe is not presently on the board and it’s
important to have that kind of view on the board and that’s why I believe that
kind of background from me and with Kathy’s background on the educational
programs makes for a very potent combination of the two of us running for the
positions.”
At least two-dozen people
attended the July 8 fund-raiser, with some wearing buttons reading, “I’m a
parent and I vote.”
Among those supporting Do and
Lindner is former U.S. Rep. Joe Sestak.
“I think they understand the
proper balance we have here in America, in our Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and
right here, right where school districts really matter,” Sestak said. “We
appreciate rugged individualism. We’d love to have individual opportunity, but
if we don’t balance it with the common wealth, the greater effort of all to
have a fair opportunity, we aren’t going to make it.”
Sestak, a retired admiral,
cited statistics that indicate 40 percent of Americans who are between 20 and
40 years old are functionally illiterate. He told a story of how, as a young
ensign, he dealt with five senior noncommissioned officers — chief petty
officers — only one of whom had graduated from high school. By the end of his
naval career, enlistees did not reach that rank without at least an associate’s
degree.
All three seats form Region C —
made up of Chadds Ford and Pennsbury townships — are up for election. Seeking
re-election are Timotha Trigg and Frank Murphy. Paul Price is stepping down.
Filling out the Republican ticket is Sharon Jones. Murphy is also running as a
Democrat.
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.
