Democratic Tickets Dominate School Board Elections in Contested District Races
Democratic candidates swept the local school board elections in several highly competitive districts, including East Penn, Parkland, and Southern Lehigh. These races were characterized by debates over cultural issues, with community members engaging in discussions even if the candidates themselves did not directly address such topics.
In all three districts, the Democratic tickets consisted of candidates who ran as a bipartisan slate. These candidates, who were registered Democrats and registered Republicans, crossfiled in the primary and secured the Democratic Party’s nominations. They then emerged as the winners in the general election, according to unofficial results.
One of the successful Democratic candidates, Emily Gehman, believes that the bipartisan approach resonated with voters. Gehman, along with Eric Boyer, Tim Kearney, Candi Kruse, and Melissa Torba, comprised the Southern Lehigh slate, including both registered Republicans and a registered Democrat. Gehman emphasized that their slate represented centrism and moderation instead of extreme positions on either end of the political spectrum.
The Southern Lehigh race sparked significant community conversation surrounding a pledge taken by the Republican candidates, which included Paul Deebel, Doug Durham, James Pica II, Danelle Roy, and Lance Tittle. The pledge contained a section on “biological differences,” advocating for a district policy that would require students to use bathrooms and participate in sports teams aligned with their biological sex. Similar policies impacting transgender students were also debated in other Pennsylvania school districts, including Pennridge and Central Bucks.
Deebel acknowledged that the positions taken in the pledge might have turned off some voters but believed that the overall impact on the election was not significant, considering the total turnout. He attributed the Democratic Party’s better organization, particularly in mobilizing voters for the Pennsylvania Supreme Court race, as a contributing factor to their success in the school board elections.
The Democratic victories in these races reflect a growing electorate and a desire for more moderate leadership in the school board. Gehman expressed that voters were exhausted by extreme positions and desired a collaborative approach between teachers, parents, and students, rather than blanket policies like those proposed in the controversial pledge.
The East Penn School Board race highlighted an increase in negativity compared to past campaigns. Incumbent candidates Joshua Levinson and Jeff Jankowski, who successfully secured re-election, acknowledged that they had to spend significant effort defending themselves against false claims and dispelling negative comments made by their opponents.
The Parkland School Board elections also saw Democrats emerge as winners. Lisa Roth, Chris Pirrotta, Carol Facchiano, Jay Rohatgi, and Marisa Ziegler, running as a Democratic slate, secured all five open four-year seats. Roth pointed out that the focus of their platform was on planning ahead and ensuring fiscal responsibility for proposed district expansion projects. There were concerns among voters about potential book bans, but Roth reassured them that the school board was committed to maintaining a nonpartisan approach and serving the local Parkland community.
Republican candidates in Parkland, who ran under the “Elevate Education” slate, faced challenges. George Rivera believed that his slate was labeled as extremists by local Democrats because of their focus on issues like gender ideology and book bans. However, Rivera emphasized that their campaign primarily focused on fiscal responsibility. Despite receiving support from a conservative PAC, the Republican slate did not promise anything in return for the donations received.
The successful Democratic candidates in these races, along with their Republican counterparts, highlighted concerns about future tax increases and the impact on residents, particularly seniors on fixed incomes. The need for cost-saving options in budget planning and potential tax relief for seniors were areas of interest raised by both parties.
Moving forward, the new school boards will need to address district growth and construction, as well as negotiating teachers’ contracts. They will prioritize the interests of the local community while working towards a collaborative and moderate approach in shaping educational policies.