READERS

Keep extremists off school boards: Letter

Carol Little and Betty Hooker
American Association of University Women-York Branch

On May 16, voters will choose candidates for school boards across York County. Typically, this is a low voter turnout situation, with little enthusiasm or controversy. This year, however, some extremist groups have organized with the intention of “packing” local school boards with candidates who will attempt to implement their political agenda with specific policies that reflect their own point of view.When extremists achieve a majority on school boards and implement book bans and censorship, it can lead to expensive lawsuits and money wasted on legal bills, which has happened in York County in the past. This can lead to higher taxes, and lower educational quality.

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Central York high school student Favor Gabriel holds up a sign to fight the book ban Friday, May 5, 2023. Submitted photo

School Board elections are nonpartisan, so candidates often “cross file.” Their names will appear on both the Republican and Democratic ballots.

You can contact the County Board of Elections (717-771-9604) to request a full list of the school board candidates in each district. You can also check this website for more information:http://www.vote.pa.gov//Pages/default.aspx

Before you vote, you can check out the school board candidates on Facebook or Google.Question school board candidates. Ask them:

  • Why do you want to become a school board member?
  • What do you view as the role of the school board?
  • What are major issues facing the school district?
  • What are your budget priorities?
  • What is your position on school boards controlling the information that students can access in their school libraries?

School Board candidates should not be running to promote their religious beliefs or to promote a political agenda. Their goals should be to use tax dollars wisely and to ensure that schools provide all students with a quality education and provide opportunities for students to thrive after graduation.

— Carol Little and Betty Hooker are part of the American Association of University Women-York Branch's Education Action Group