Article Summary –
In Pennsylvania, school board candidates who support extremist policies such as book bans and curriculum censorship have been both voted out and voted in in recent local elections. Former Central York school board member Veronica Gemma, now education director for the PA Economic Growth PAC, is actively recruiting conservative candidates for school boards across the county, aiming to influence education policy. However, such actions have been criticized by parents and community members, who claim that these policies are rarely popular and that the school board elections often don’t draw much attention, allowing extremist candidates to sneak in.
Extremist Policies Losing Popularity in Local School Board Elections
Recent local school board elections have shown a declining support for candidates who advocate for extremist policies, including book bans and curriculum censorship. However, new ones have emerged in other school districts, as witnessed in Pennsylvania’s November 2023 elections.
In Bucks County’s Central Bucks and Pennridge school districts and Montgomery County’s Perkiomen Valley School District, right-wing school board members lost their seats. Conversely, similar candidates won in West Shore and East Pennsboro school districts of Cumberland County. Conservative activists continue to rally and organize, aiming to consolidate power where gained and seek it elsewhere.
Former Central York school board member, Veronica Gemma, who lost the 2021 election, now serves as the education director for the PA Economic Growth PAC. In an interview with Epoch Times, she detailed her strategy to fill Pennsylvania school boards with conservative members.
Despite their efforts, the policies advocated by these board members aren’t usually popular. Danielle Gross, a parent in the West Shore School District, confirmed that school board elections often go unnoticed, enabling extremist candidates to win under the radar. “Americans generally aren’t in favour of targeting LGBTQIA kids, supporting book-banning policies, or mixing religion with governance,” Gross emphasized to the Pennsylvania Independent.
On May 1, the York Dispatch reported about Gemma’s secret meetings with school board members supporting anti-LGBTQ+ measures and book bans. The PA Economic Growth PAC, however, did not comment when contacted by the Pennsylvania Independent.
Regarding the radical actions by school boards, like firing its solicitor and appointing a right-wing law firm, Gross observed an increase in community concern and a broad bipartisan effort against such actions.
For parents seeking to respond to these issues, Gross advised not to feel guilty but to learn from districts like Central Bucks and Pennridge, which ousted extremist members. She encouraged parents to attend school board meetings, email the board, and engage in dialogues to make substantial impacts.
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