Scott Overland believes school board members should stay away from partisan politics.

But a first-grade member of the Phoenixville school board believes that if you see someone believing something is wrong, you should not stay silent.

These two ideas have recently come into conflict. And Overland chose to stay true to the latter.

The issue that has driven Overland into a partisan battle is the race to become Pennsylvania’s next governor, a feud between State Senator Doug Mastriano and State Attorney General Josh Shapiro. Especially the education plan Republican candidate Mastriano has.

As governor, Mastriano has said he will cut state funding for public school districts and eliminate the school property tax, the primary source of local funding for schools.

Mastriano has not disclosed a detailed plan, but although his campaign website and his public comments contain generalized ideas, he announced in March that the state’s per student He said he wanted to cut spending by almost half.

Regardless of the amount, Mastriano wants the money to follow students rather than go directly to public schools. proposed the program.

Overland, who serves as vice chairman of the Phoenixville board, said Mastriano’s rhetoric poses a serious threat to education in Pennsylvania.

“Suddenly, I was very worried about what would happen to our community if he was elected and actually implemented these plans,” he said. As a caretaker, I couldn’t stand by and do nothing.”

So just about two weeks ago Overland sat down and put together some of his thoughts on the matter. He prepared letters and distributed them to other school board members in the southeastern part of the state.

REG-L-SchoolBoardLetterMastriano

“It really grew from there in an organic, grassroots way,” he said.

As of Monday, a total of 89 school board members from 36 school districts across the state, including parts of Berks County, have signed an open letter opposing Mastriano’s possible election. And that number continues to grow every day.

Mastriano’s campaign did not respond to requests for comment on the open letter.

letter

The letter is addressed to families and voters in Pennsylvania and says those who signed are supporters of fair education funding. According to it, Democrats and Republicans signed it, prioritizing their responsibilities as school leaders over party politics.

And that responsibility forced them to take sides in the gubernatorial race, it says.

“Unfortunately, one of the candidates seeking the office of governor of Pennsylvania has not only opposed our goal of a strong public education system, but publicly promised to destroy it. “Doug Mastriano’s statement on historic cuts to public education — pledging to cut state funding by more than 50 percent — means that the majority of Pennsylvania families is dangerously estranged from

“In addition, his cut threatens the well-being of our children, our financial well-being, and the well-being of entire communities across the Commonwealth.”

The letter says Mastriano’s cuts will cause mass layoffs of school staff and force districts to impose staggering property tax increases, hurting local businesses.

“There is no justification for such extreme measures. We are shocked that candidates from major parties would even consider them, much less make them a central tenet of his campaign.” Read the letter.

The letter states that all Pennsylvanians should be able to agree that the public education system should not be used as a political tool. He concludes by calling on voters statewide to endorse Shapiro in the November general election.

Overland said in an interview: leading eagle This week, he said he felt Mastriano was keen to dismantle Pennsylvania’s public education system and said his proposed funding cuts were historically extreme.

They will lead to teachers, bus drivers, janitors, support staff and other members of the community losing their jobs, he said. services will disappear, and programs such as arts, music, and sports will be curtailed.

“So students are missing out on really important opportunities that are often inaccessible outside of school,” he said.

Overland believes Mastriano’s plans to cut education funding came after a bipartisan state budget passed just months earlier included a historic increase in education funding. said it was strange.

“There’s been a lot of optimism that we’re really at a turning point when it comes to state funding,” he said. .

“Plans don’t make sense to have plans. They don’t add up.”

local voices rise

Eight school board members from three Burks school districts signed Overland’s open letter.

Dave Hemberger, a member of the Exeter School Board, agreed with all that was said in the letter and said the perception of looming threats to education cannot be ignored.

“I think it’s important for public education officials and board members to speak up if they’re uncomfortable with what a candidate is saying about public education,” he said. “And I think it’s devastating to have someone like Mastriano in the governor’s office. He doesn’t believe in public education.”

Henveger said that if Mastriano’s budget cuts were implemented, schools battling a devastating teacher shortage crisis would collapse.

“If you’re interested in public education, Josh Shapiro is a much better candidate,” he said. “This is a topic that resonates with voters. Public education is important to people. Everyone is on board with this — public education is very important.”

Other local board members who signed the letter shared similar thoughts.

Mark Detterlein, a member of the Reading Board of Education, said, “As a Board member of the Board of Education, it is my duty and that of my colleagues to advocate for our students, staff and faculty.” and will only widen the gap between urban and rural educational opportunities within the state.”

Reading School District, the state’s largest school district, is already seeing the negative effects of the sale to public education, including deteriorating infrastructure, outdated teaching materials and other serious financial constraints, Detterlein said.

“So if you do not oppose this inappropriate, fundamentally flawed and willfully harmful Mastriano scheme, you will not be taking your oath as a school board director seriously,” he said. rice field.

Jonathan Tinoko, a member of the Reading Board of Education, also believes Mastriano’s plan will have a devastating effect.

“My statement on my decision is that I cannot support anything that destroys or discounts funding and opportunity from the public school system, whether it be across Erie or here in Reading,” he wrote. “I believe every public school system deserves to be well funded.”

Wilson School Board President Stephanie Kocher believes that if Mastriano is elected governor, irreparable damage will be done to public education.

“I have a lot of concerns about Doug Mastriano’s potential to become the next governor of Pennsylvania,” she said. I am most concerned about what he is trying to do, his plans will result in massive unemployment, programmatic cuts, and a decline in the level of education students receive in the classroom.”

local signatories

School board members from Berks County and other school districts in the area have signed an open letter against Republican gubernatorial candidate Senator Doug Mastriano.

Berks County

Exeter School District

• Dave Hemberger

Reading School District

• Mark Detterline

• Patricia Wright

• Nick Phillips

• Patricia Law

• Jonathan Tinoko

Wilson School District

• Stephanie Kocher

• Guadalupe Casper

Chester County

Avon Grove School District

• Bill Wood

Downingtown School District

• Karin Graiev

• Madhu Gerty

• Leanne Wisdom

• Lisa Strobridge

• Mindy Ross

Oktorara School District

• Brian P. Fox

Owen J. Roberts School District

• Paul Friel

• Rita Pederson

• Jennifer Manson

• David Hermanos

• April Savoy

Phoenixville School District

• Scott Overland

• Jerry Weiss

• Caitlin Carmineto

• Victoria Walker

• Michel Shamis

West Chester School District

• Darryl Darnell

• Laura Detre

• Karen Fleming

• Darryl Darnell

• Laura Detre

• Karen Fleming

Delaware County

Rose Tree Media School District

• Robert Kelly

• Hillary Fletcher

• Ken Dinitz

• Susan Henderson Utis

Upper Darby School District

• Meredith Hegg

• Damien Christopher Walvage

• Rachel Mitchell

• Donald Fields

• Neil Desnoyers

Montgomery County

Abington School District

• Shameeka Brown

colonial school district

• Dr. Jamina Clay

Norristown School District

• Christopher Jaramillo

• Monica D’Antonio

• Marissa Dell

• Cynthia Worth

• Sharon Morph

• Phil Daniels

North Penn School District

• Al Rosh

• Julian Lamick

Perkiomen Valley School District

• Sarah Evans Brockett

• Laura White

Pottstown School District

• Deborah Ann Spence

• Katina Bearden

• Laura Johnson

• John J. Armert

• Susan Lawrence

springford school district

• Erica L. Hermans

• Abbie Deerdorf

Upper Dublin School District

• Jennifer Iianitti

Wissahickon School District

• Dean Moyer Morris

• Rosetta Chiavatsch