A nonpartisan movement dedicated to informing and educating voters about the local school board election process.
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A nonpartisan movement dedicated to informing and educating voters about the local school board election process.
Learn More
TERM ENDS 2025
TERM ENDS 2025
TERM ENDS 2023
TERM ENDS 2023
TERM ENDS 2023
TERM ENDS 2023
Christine did not respond to our requests for comment.
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TERM ENDS 2025
TERM ENDS 2025
Anthony did not respond to our requests for comment.
Contact Anthony via FacebookContact Anthony via Facebook
TERM ENDS 2023
TERM ENDS 2023
TERM ENDS 2023
TERM ENDS 2023
“I believe that the BASD school board should make a statement affirming its commitment to the values of equality and equity as it relates to the education of our students. Some have said that this is being made into a political issue, but racism is not political. It is a social issue. All students have the right to expect that schools will be a safe place for them to learn. All students deserve to feel secure and welcome in the school environment. For these reasons, I feel that it is important for the BASD school board to publicly reaffirm our commitment to anti-racism and nondiscriminatory practices so that all members of our school community feel supported and safe. These are my personal views, and do not represent the views of the BASD school board as a whole.”
Email LisaEmail Lisa
TERM ENDS 2025
TERM ENDS 2025
Jeffrey did not respond to our requests for comment.
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TERM ENDS 2023
TERM ENDS 2023
Brian did not respond to our requests for comment. Brian is the School Board President.
Email BrianEmail Brian
TERM ENDS 2023
TERM ENDS 2023
SEEKING RE-ELECTION
SEEKING RE-ELECTION
NOT SEEKING RE-ELECTION
NOT SEEKING RE-ELECTION
“I do think the school board should make a statement denouncing racism. I've made statements to this effect during board comments at school board meetings. As a community, we have made progress, but I still feel we have a long way to go. When I moved here 28 years ago, the KKK was still standing on the street corners. Although they are no longer there, we still see people making racist comments and treating the minorities of our communities poorly.”
Email MelodyEmail MelodyTERM ENDS 2023
TERM ENDS 2023
Christine did not respond to our requests for comment.
Email ChristineEmail Christine
Kirstin did not respond to our requests for comment.
Contact Kirstin via FacebookContact Kirstin via FacebookTERM ENDS 2023
TERM ENDS 2023
NOT SEEKING RE-ELECTION
NOT SEEKING RE-ELECTION
“In light of recent events, and events that have taken place in the last year, I feel it is imperative as a school board member, who is an elected public official, to once again reiterate my firm stance against not just racism but any discrimination in our community, and particularly in our schools.”
Email JillEmail JillTERM ENDS 2023
TERM ENDS 2023
“I believe that the BASD school board should make a statement affirming its commitment to the values of equality and equity as it relates to the education of our students. Some have said that this is being made into a political issue, but racism is not political. It is a social issue. All students have the right to expect that schools will be a safe place for them to learn. All students deserve to feel secure and welcome in the school environment. For these reasons, I feel that it is important for the BASD school board to publicly reaffirm our commitment to anti-racism and nondiscriminatory practices so that all members of our school community feel supported and safe. These are my personal views, and do not represent the views of the BASD school board as a whole.”
Email LisaEmail LisaAnthony did not respond to our requests for comment.
Contact Anthony via FacebookContact Anthony via Facebook
“In my opinion, school board members are expected to keep their political and religious beliefs separated from their board’s role for approving policy decisions that affect the educational environment in many ways. These decisions not only include how students learn, how students are taught, how learning is measured, but also how teachers, parents and the community are supported and involved in student learning. These decisions, when made from an equity perspective, clearly shows that unless board members are “on board” with the implementation of racial equity within their school district, will lead to many opportunities to fail their students. All students should have equal access to a high-quality education and school board members must work together to identify barriers and obstacles to opportunity. We must never make excuses for disparities in our schools or lower our expectations for any students. It is essential that we, as school board members, focus our work on racial equity in schools and identify all forms of racial inequity. Getting school boards to commit to this requires more than finding just anyone to serve on the board. However, making a real impact on student achievement requires skills, courage, strength, and determination. School board members must be willing to work together to create policies that consider racial equity. Any member or candidate that does not have these skills or cannot in good conscience serve on the board as required, should not be a school board member. Therefore, I feel that the school board should jointly acknowledge that the Boyertown School District does not support any candidate that due to their racist actions would have to recuse themselves when voting on racial equity policies. In order to move forward, the school board needs to be solid in its commitment to the importance of racial equity policies and not endorse the efforts of any racist candidate.”
Email SoniaEmail Sonia
NOT SEEKING RE-ELECTION
NOT SEEKING RE-ELECTION
“Public schools are, first and foremost, a place where all students should feel safe, comfortable, and excited to come to learn among their peers. As a No Place for Hate school district, Boyertown in particular has an obligation to ensure that students and staff from backgrounds that are underrepresented, and/or discriminated against, feel welcomed. We are stronger when we work together to celebrate our differences and lift each other up. For me that has always meant working toward robust and diverse course offerings and breaking down barriers of entry to clubs and programs. Our goal as school directors should be to uphold a governance structure that creates a great place to learn and empowers teachers, staff, and students of all backgrounds. Insensitive comments about race, gender, or ethnicity serve no purpose other than to divide, and demonstrate an immaturity that should concern any parent or community member. They certainly don't reflect the values I seek to uphold as a graduate of Boyertown Area High School (2002). I do, however, seek to offer compassion, kindness, and forgiveness. I hope anyone espousing views to the contrary would reflect on how their words and actions can impact others, and aim to be better. Leadership takes courage and that often means finding it within ourselves to reflect on ways we can better serve others. It is a privilege to serve the community, especially the children of a community. They are our future. We owe them our most sincere efforts to do right and model our shared values.”
Email BrandonEmail BrandonTERM ENDS 2023
TERM ENDS 2023
Brian did not respond to our requests for comment. Brian is the School Board President.
Email BrianEmail BrianTERM ENDS 2023
TERM ENDS 2023
Jeffrey did not respond to our requests for comment.
Contact Jeffrey via FacebookContact Jeffrey via Facebook
“I do believe the School Board should address this issue by unequivocally condemning the language and the conduct, reaffirming that Boyertown is No Place for Hate, and also stating unequivocally that there will be no tolerance for any such behavior from members of the School Board. The one thing this Board should do to start making things better is recognize and condemn the outside agitation that is looking to make Critical Race Theory a flashpoint in the district when it isn't an issue. They must state firmly that they will tolerate no more outside influencers trying to inject a false controversy into our district in order to score political points. They should concentrate on upholding Boyertown's vision of a place where all students regardless of race, gender or creed can succeed in a changing world. My focus has always been that we will equip our students with the critical thinking skills they need so they can make their own decisions and have their own debates, and stop using them as political pawns.”
Email JonEmail JonThe 99 Bash Coordinating Committee was founded by members of the Boyertown Class of 1999 as a nonpartisan movement dedicated to informing and educating voters about the local school board election process.
“We want our town to be a beacon of hope, a place where love wins, and a place where everyone belongs...especially in our schools and on our school board. No place for hate? Prove it.”
“We live in a country that prides itself on freedom. Freedom from tyranny, oppression, and racism. The last was hard fought and has been often abused and/or neglected by those who seek to oppress and control others. It is only through our diligence and active citizenship that we can turn the tide against those closed and bitter minds.
Stand with us to make the district a better place to live, open to all, without restriction based on the color of your skin or where you came from.”
“As an alumna of the Boyertown Area School District, I am proud that the district was the first in Pennsylvania to achieve the designation of “No Place for Hate.” For the good of the community, it is morally imperative that school be a place of safety and inclusion for all children. This cannot be accomplished when school leaders are not willing to speak out against blatant racism in the community. The School Board determines the direction of the school but it is the voters that determine the members of the board. Get out and vote to let the School Board know that our schools and the board are indeed no place for hate.”
“Coming of age in Boyertown as a minority was difficult and sculpted my views about race relations and my own identity. Racial slurs were displayed about me in the cafeteria, and my four-year-old Black niece was called the N-word by another child in a fast food Playland. These experiences, among the countless microaggressions that occur in the Boyertown School District, can be mitigated for current and future youth if the systems that they exist in are actively working toward that goal. I hope your community will make the right choices in this election. This board WILL influence social change. The question is, in what direction?”
“This is Boyertown’s chance to end years of hate and racism for good. Who sits on this school board sends a message. If we want to better this district, our leaders can’t be using racial slurs online and think it’s okay. Remember, the main purpose of this board is to ensure our children have a SAFE and HEALTHY place to learn.
Think before voting about who you’re putting into positions of power.”
“As upsetting as it is to come to terms with racism within the context of a school board, it should be encouraging and inspiring to know there are more forces for good at work behind the scenes.
An entire network of community elders has been actively involved in these conversations for decades by showing up and speaking out at school board meetings, forming coalitions, and connecting in person. Alumni in their early 20s who have moved away are actively engaged on social media, holding one another accountable, starting petitions, garnering media attention. Now some of us 40-year-olds have organized ourselves virtually and thought a digital tool to assist with navigating the voting process could help.
Only 25 votes made the difference between who made it on the ballot and who did not. If all of these forces for good mobilize and result in a significant voter turnout in November and again in 2023, meaningful change is possible.”
Adam
Adam
Adam
“Two common phrases I hear are ‘you get what you tolerate’ and ‘your friends say a lot about you.’
Our community worked very hard for years to bring a peaceful end to the parades of intolerance that would happen. Now, 18 years after the last KKK march in Boyertown and over 20 years since there was an open white supremacist on the school board, the community is showing signs of returning to those times. Is the community going to once again be seen as friendly to intolerance? I hope not.”