On the campaign trail, the Democratic candidates’ platform has centered on board transparency and accountability as well as academic achievement amid sizable tax increases
With a little over a month before the November general election, the Republican president of the Souderton Area School Board is turning up the heat against his Democratic opponents.
Board president Stephen Nelson, who is running for re-election on the Republican “Keep Souderton Strong” team, took the opportunity at the Thursday, September 25 board action meeting to challenge many of the concerns raised by the slate of Democratic school board candidates.
“Historically, the administration and board has chosen not to respond to misleading or false claims in the community as doing so distracts from our mission,” said Nelson. “However, some recent statements have distorted reality to a degree that warrants clarification.”
On the campaign trail, the Democratic candidates’ platform has centered on board transparency and accountability as well as academic achievement amid sizable tax increases. The board has adopted maximum and near-maximum tax increases for the past three years, which members have attributed to inflation, soaring special education costs and a lack of cyber charter reform at the state level.
In recent weeks, the Democrats have additionally expressed concern about the learning impact of three addition and renovation projects at West Broad Street Elementary, Indian Crest Middle School and Salford Hills Elementary, with construction ongoing during the school day. Some have also criticized a lack of policy updates despite the district approving a paid partnership with the Pennsylvania School Boards Association for a review of the board policy manual on top of the district’s annual PSBA membership fee for policy guidance.
At Thursday’s meeting, Nelson responded to the Democrats’ “claims” with “facts.” Regarding the construction projects, he argued that a concurrent multi-year phased approach to construction is the most “effective strategy” in minimizing disruptions, maintaining safety and limiting costs. He added that construction intensifies during nights and summer vacations.
“These projects were publicly shared well in advance,” said Nelson. “Tackling each project one at a time would cost the taxpayers significant more money.”
Switching to policy updates, Nelson stated that board policies are “regularly reviewed” and updated when necessary but that “age alone does not necessitate change.” He also said that the board’s PSBA partnership is aimed at streamlining the policy review process and reducing administrative burden.
“We’ve partnered with the Association to save time and taxpayers’ dollars while maintaining a strong policy foundation and freeing up our team to focus on our mission,” said Nelson.
Concluding with academic performance amid tax increases, Nelson pointed to a recent USA Today report listing Souderton in the top 11% of Pennsylvania school districts. He also stated that Souderton’s tax increases have averaged 2% over the last decade, 10% below the county average.
“Our decisions always prioritize students, academically, socially and emotionally. Nearly 75% of our budget comes from local taxpayers and we remain committed to responsible stewardship,” said Nelson. “Let us come together as a community, put aside politics, focus on facts… let’s return to asking about educational outcomes and supporting our students, the future leaders of our community.”
Following Nelson’s speech, several Democratic candidates took to the podium during public comment to respond to some of his statements.
Corinne DeGeiso pointed to “numerous articles” outlining a negative impact of construction on a learning environment. She said that the noise and disruption can lower students’ academic performance, while the dust can trigger respiratory issues.
“These are real things and being concerned about them is not misleading the community,” said DeGeiso, adding, “What is misleading is sharing an average tax increase that spans more than a decade to lower the average.”
Alex Wisser questioned how the district’s PSBA partnership will save taxpayer money, saying it amounts to a double payment.
“[We are paying] PSBA twice,” said Wisser. “We’re paying the regular subscription, and now we’re going to be paying them again to review the same model policies that we already pay for.”
Wisser also criticized Nelson for giving a “clear campaign speech” during his report, noting that a portion of it appeared on the “Keep Souderton Strong” campaign website.
“The Pennsylvania School Boards Association is clear. School directors must avoid even the appearance of a conflict of interest,” said Wisser. “Mixing official duties with campaign activities is unprofessional, unethical and undermines public trust.”
Nelson did not respond to Wisser’s comments.
The next SASD school board meeting is on October 23 at 7 p.m. For more information, visit soudertonsd.org
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