In East Penn, dueling slates seek 5 school board seats
In the East Penn School District, 10 candidates are competing for five seats on the nine-member school board on Nov. 7.
Only two incumbents – board President Joshua Levinson, a Democrat, and board Vice President Jeffrey Jankowski, a Republican – are on the ballot – leaving open the door for at least three new school directors.
Levinson and Jankowski are running as a slate with Democrats Shonta Ford and Gabrielle Klotz and Republican Tim Kelly. All won Democratic nominations in the May 16 primary. (School board candidates are allowed to cross-file in primary elections.)
The May 16 Republican ballot winners were Republicans Paul Barbehenn, Kristofer DePaolo, Lawrence Huyssen, Matt Mull and Angelic Schneider.
Barbehenn, DePaolo, Huyssen and Schneider are running on a slate called Your Voice on the Board.
Mull had been part of the slate but said he recently amicably parted ways, explaining “it’s hard to run as a slate” when it comes to adhering to schedules and making decisions. Among those difficulties, Mull said his job prevented him from getting together with the group after work to campaign. “I just wanted to run for myself,” he said.
All references to Mull being part of the slate were gone from the slate’s website on Sept. 26 but were back up again by Sept. 28. Mull called the removal a misunderstanding. He was included in a mailer that went out the week of Oct. 1. He is no longer listed in the school board candidate section on the Lehigh County Republican Committee’s website.
Ford, Kelly, Klotz, Jankowski and Levinson are running under the slogan “Great Schools = Strong Communities,” asking people to vote for directors “who value education & fiscal responsibility.”
The group says it stands for keeping taxes low, maintaining safe and welcoming environments, offering mental health support, having engaging curriculum, closing learning and opportunity gaps and providing resources for students and teachers.
Ford, Jankowski, Kelly, Klotz and Levinson have been endorsed by Defend East Penn, a local group that says it is proud of East Penn’s accomplishments and aims to stop what it calls the nationwide movement of extremism.
All were endorsed by the Pennsylvania State Education Association in the spring but Levinson was not endorsed for the Nov. 7 election, according to Aiden Levinson, the slate’s campaign manager and a son of Joshua Levinson.
The East Penn Education Association, which makes recommendations for the statewide teachers union, would not comment on the reason.
Last December, Levinson was among a 6-3 majority that voted in favor of phasing out general education studies for high school English and social studies classes, a decision that drew criticism from parents and teachers.
“My father has a clear record of supporting teachers and pro-education causes through fair and competitive compensation in employee contracts, provision of tools and resources for success, and intentionality of building a positive work environment,” Aiden Levinson wrote in an email about the lack of an endorsement.
Noting his father’s spring PSEA-PACE, Aiden Levinson said his father contiues to enjoy support from the “vast swath” of East Penn’s faculty.
The Your Voice on the Board candidates – Barbehenn, DePaolo, Huyssen and Schneider – said they are concerned parents who volunteer in the community and want what is best for the district. They said they stand for leadership, accountability and transparency.
“Our mission is to continue to build on the foundation of the East Penn School District community. The collaboration among staff, administration, and the Board of Directors are essential elements for success. By partnering with us, we will provide transparent leadership so that all areas of our district thrive. Providing a safe, welcoming, tolerant environment in which all students can achieve excellence is a hallmark of our school community,” the slate’s website says.
They have been endorsed by the Lehigh County Republican Committee, which has endorsed some but not all Republicans running for school board in the county.
The Your Voice on the Board slate has accused the Democratic slate of using other individuals and groups as proxies to lodge false accusations while remaining above the fray.
While it’s a strategy the Democratic ballot candidates deny, allegations from groups and individuals have led the Your Voice on the Board candidates to post responses on Facebook, including in video form.
In one such example, Defend East Penn has alleged that the Your Voice on the Board candidates are part of the nationwide movement that seeks to “ban books, victimize vulnerable student populations, and harm public education under the guise of ‘rooting out CRT.’” Defend East Penn also said the group mischaracterizes student performance.
Defend East Penn also has alleged that the Your Voice on the Board candidates are being powered by Moms for Liberty - Lehigh County and Restoring Excellence in East Penn Education (REEPE). Nationally, Moms for Liberty members have challenged books in various school libraries. REEPE held a June 2022 gathering in Macungie on critical race theory.
In addition, the East Penn Democrats sent out a mailer in the spring calling the five Republicans “extremists.”
The Your Voice on the Board candidates have emphatically denied a connection to Moms for Liberty and REEPE, saying, in part, in an April 28 Facebook post, “For the record, we are NOT part of either group. We have NOT sought an endorsement or funding from either group. Their agenda is NOT our agenda.”
As a slate, the candidates have mostly avoided posting positions on the cultural war issues raised by Defend East Penn.
One topical issue the slate did address on its Facebook page was book bans, saying, “Adults should be able to discuss the age appropriateness of specific books in specific libraries. Doing so is not radical; it is prudent and responsible.”
The slate also said that they prefer to “collectively spend our time and energy talking about issues that really matter to the majority of voters in the East Penn School District.”
At the same time, some of the candidates have given individual interviews where they have discussed their opinions of cultural issues.
In the primary, the race was mostly funded through two political action committees – one supported by a Bucks County venture capitalist and the other by elected state Democrats and unions.
The Your Voice on the Board committee, named after the slate, raised $22,850 from Jan. 1 to May 1, according to a campaign finance report filed for that period.
Paul Martino of Doylestown, who began what is now a conservative PAC called Back to School USA, gave $5,000 to the Your Voice on the Board committee.
The Valley Values PAC, which backed the Democratic ballot winners, raised $10,202 in the reporting period, including $1,000 each from the fundraising committees of Democratic state Rep. Peter Schweyer and state Sen. Nick Miller, whose districts include Emmaus.
The next campaign finance report deadline is Oct. 27.
East Penn covers the boroughs of Emmaus, Macungie, Alburtis, and Upper Milford and Lower Macungie townships. It has about 8,100 students in 10 schools.
In June, the school board in an 8-0 vote approved a $188 million budget for 2023-24 that raised property taxes by 2.5% to 20.17 mills.
Here is a look at the candidates. Information on the candidates was found on their campaign websites, Facebook pages, Linkedin sites, news articles, board meeting minutes and videos and other sources.
Paul Barbehenn - R
Your Voice on the Board candidate
Barbehenn is a married father of two students in the district. He is senior wealth adviser at Mercer Global Advisors. He graduated from Freedom High School and earned a bachelor’s degree in economics and political science from Penn State. Barbehenn sought to be appointed to the school board in January 2022 to fill a vacancy but was not selected. He serves on the board of the Boys & Girls Club of Allentown and is treasurer of the organization’s foundation. He is a board member of the Priority One Foundation, a relational Christian outreach ministry. In an April 10 interview on the Bobby Gunther Walsh radio show on WAEB, Barbehenn says he is running because he sees “a lack of leadership” on the board and believes with his business and nonprofit background he could help in a constructive way.
He said his biggest concern is violence and behavioral issues in the classroom. Barbehenn was asked by Walsh about whether he would support teaching CRT in schools. Generally speaking, he said, he does not favor curriculum that could be seen as “widespread and divisive on (the) race front, on (the) gender front, on any front along those lines.” He said such topics need to be addressed on a case-by-case basis. He also said the district needs to “focus the curriculum on things that are going to be effective.” On gender issues, he said “having a discussion with any student about changing their gender should be happening at home, not in schools.” If a complaint is made about a book, he told Walsh that reasonable discussions should be able to happen over whether it is appropriate for a school library.
Kristofer DePaolo - R
Your Voice on the Board candidate
DePaolo is a married father of two students in the school district. He is the CEO of Werner & Company CPAs, PC, located in Wescosville. DePaolo went to Freedom High School and earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration in 2001 from Bloomsburg University. He is a licensed CPA. He is vice president of the Camelot for Children board of directors and is treasurer of the Hillside School. He says he is running for school board to support teachers and parents, improve the quality of education and encourage an open dialogue with parents. “I believe that both my professional experience as a fiscally responsible leader will help to continue to help the district get back its reputation as the ‘District of Choice.’ ”
In a May 12 interview with WAEB radio host Bobby Gunther Walsh, DePaolo said he is concerned about school safety, saying a high school senior told him there are three to four fights a day in the school. “We want to try to fix it. We want to make things better.” On transgender bathroom policies, DePaolo told Walsh, “I don't think girls should be using boys bathrooms, and boys should be using girls bathrooms, right? I mean, there's a reason there is a sign on those doors.” When asked about critical race theory, he said, “Anything that I think is going to divide us as a community, whether it's race, whether it is sex, whether it is (sic) education, I don't think there's a place for any of that in the classroom.” DePaolo said the district should be focusing on real issues facing the district such as its aging infrastructure.
Shonta Ford - D
Endorsed by Defend East Penn
Ford, a mother of two grown children, is the owner of Indigo Blooms, an event planning and floral design company. Ford grew up in New Jersey, has a degree in speech language and hearing from Rutgers University and previously worked in health care. Ford said she is a licensed minister and volunteers as an outreach coordinator, working with nonprofits supporting food pantries, displaced families and school benevolent programs. Ford sought to be appointed to the school board in January 2022 to fill a vacancy but was not selected. She says she values public education, crediting her guidance counselor with helping her get into college and secure a four-year scholarship. She says she believes in fiscal responsibility and is a problem solver, saying she is “ready to harness all my education, business acumen and people skills to take part in this move forward into a bright future for the East Penn School District.” Ford, who is Black, spoke at a December 2020 school board meeting in support of East Penn School District Equality Coalition, a group of students and former students who spoke on behalf of Black students who felt invisible, called on the district to recognize that racism exists in the high school and asked for ongoing and yearly anti-racist training for all staff. She has been endorsed by the progressive group Lehigh Valley Stands Up.
Lawrence Huyssen - R
Your Voice on the Board candidate
Huyssen was born in the Philippines, where his parents were missionaries. He graduated from Emmaus High School in 2015. Huyssen, who then went to Penn State, works at First Commonwealth Federal Credit Union. Huyssen says he is running for school board because now is the time to act. “If I sit by and wait to have my own children in school, it will be too late to impact their education. I believe that the actions of the board today create the district of tomorrow.” Eight years out of high school, he said, he has seen firsthand how the actions of the board impact students. He believes it’s imperative that parents be involved in their children’s education. He said he will work to build trust and transparency between administration, teachers and parents.
Jeffrey Jankowski - R - Incumbent
Endorsed by Defend East Penn
Jankowski, an Emmaus High School graduate, is a married father of three who serves as board vice president. He is a vice president and deputy general counsel-corporate at PPL Utilities. Jankowski earned undergraduate and law degrees from Pittsburgh University. He was first elected to the board in 2019. Jankowski voted yes in the 8-0 vote to pass the 2023-24 budget. He was a no vote on the 6-3 vote on Dec. 12 to start with ninth grade to phase out English and social studies general preparatory track classes. The issue drew criticism from teachers, students, parents and taxpayers. Jankowski supported the decision but wanted to wait a year, saying the district needed more time to prepare and to get buy-in for the idea. He joined the unanimous vote to make masks optional in March 2022. Jankowski says he has brought a unique perspective to the board as an attorney and “a middle-of-the-road thinker.” He said, “It has certainly been a trying five years, and I have not always agreed with the majority of the board or the administration.” He said he has immense respect for colleagues on the board and the administration, their perspectives and the hard work and dedication they put in for the district. “That is what makes our board and administration unique and makes this a great school district for my kids to grow, learn and develop as students and individuals.”
Tim Kelly - R
Endorsed by Defend East Penn
Kelly is a father of six children. He has been a math teacher the last 18 years. He sought to be appointed to the school board in January 2022 to fill a vacancy but was not selected. As a teacher and parent, he says he is familiar with curriculum writing, evolving educational methods and technology. He says he is also aware of the difficulties parents face with technology, communication and the struggles of supporting students’ learning at home. His priorities include ensuring the district provides engaging curriculums and extracurricular activities. “I see an opportunity to have a positive impact by helping our current board ensure that everyone involved in our school community is welcomed in a safe and professional environment,” he said. “I want to ensure that the open seats on the board are filled by people that promote those same ideals.” Kelly said the biggest issue the district faces is fear mongering and hostility towards the school community. “I think there needs to be less blame and more collaboration for effective solutions.”
Gabrielle Klotz - D
Endorsed by Defend East Penn
Klotz is a single parent of a student in the district. She says the pandemic led her to become a remote worker and move to Emmaus. She is a personal lines excess/surplus lines insurance underwriter. She has a bachelor’s degree in creative writing from St. Andrews Presbyterian College. She has served as vice president of the Lower Macungie Middle School PTO. Klotz says her insurance background has prepared her to work with multiple stakeholders. She says she wants to ensure all students are future-ready. “In order for our children to be successful and happy in our world, we have to exemplify civility, tolerance and acceptance. We cannot expect our children to grow intellectually when they feel isolated and unwanted,” she said. She said she is running “because I know we can do great things, we can help our children have even better lives than we do.” She said: “I want to be a part of making that happen while focusing on keeping our budget manageable. I’m a single parent – I am very aware of every dollar I spend, and the rising costs of existing today.” On her Facebook page, Klotz has discussed topics such as book banning, saying “I think censorship belongs at home… Don’t tell somebody what their student or their family can’t read.” She says she can get along with people of different opinions. “I firmly believe that people are inherently good, and can achieve great things when we work together. I also believe that sometimes the loudest voices are not the majority.”
Joshua A. Levinson - D - Incumbent
Endorsed by Defend East Penn
Levinson is a married father of two who serves as school board president. He is a product engineer at EMD Electronics and has bachelor's and master’s degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a master’s degree and doctorate from Stanford University. Levinson was appointed to the board in 2018 to fill a vacancy and ran for a full term in 2019. He serves on the East Penn School District Education Foundation both as a board representative and as a community member. Levinson voted yes in the 8-0 vote to adopt the 2023-24 budget. He was a yes vote on the 6-3 vote on Dec. 12 to start with ninth grade to detrack English and social studies general preparatory track classes, a decision that drew criticism from parents and teachers. He joined the unanimous vote to make masks optional in March 2022. Levinson says his engineering background allows him to look for ways to maximize outcomes while minimizing costs and resources to reach quality outcomes. Levinson said he championed the expansion of tax relief for low-income residents. Under his leadership, he said, the board, among other successes, used pandemic-related relief funds to effectively address student learning needs, began live-streaming and archiving board meetings and streamlined the school calendar, including eliminating “disruptive” half days.
Matt Mull - R
Mull is a father of three graduates of Emmaus High School. A graduate of Penn State with a degree in industrial and manufacturing engineering, he is the senior commercial operations manager at Solesis. Mull was a board member of Bear Creek Camp from 2012-2019, including serving as president. He is a member of the Emmaus High School Facilities Committee. Mull sought to be appointed to the board in January 2022 to fill a vacancy but was not selected. Mull says having two parents who were teachers has given him a unique perspective on the need to support educators and students while keeping aligned with the community’s priorities. Mull said he decided to run for school board after the school board’s Dec. 12 vote to end English and social studies general preparatory track classes.
He said he doesn’t have an opinion on whether it was a good idea or not, but noted that the move was opposed by teachers and parents. When it comes to transgender bathroom policies, Mull said he understands the feelings of such students and recognizes that cisgender students might feel uncomfortable as well. Rather than the district waging legal battles it might lose, Mull feels it’s best to follow the law on student rights while awaiting any future court rulings. Mull said he supports the district’s new resource policy, which was adopted on Sept. 11 and allows the administration to set up a process for upholding the policy that calls for “placing principle above personal opinion and reason above prejudice” in choosing materials.
Angelic Schneider - R
Your Voice on the Board candidate
Schneider is a married mother of two students in the district. She has been a teacher in the Parkland School District for 25 years, teaching middle school. She has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Cedar Crest College and a master’s degree in elementary education from Kutztown University. Schneider says she is running to support, attract and retain good teachers. She thinks there is low morale among the staff. She also wants all stakeholders to have a voice in the success of the district. “My children are my greatest achievement. Having the opportunity to be a part of our school board will allow me to add insight, ideas, and suggestions that will improve and enhance our district, not only for my children but all the children. Being part of the important decision-making process and bridging the gaps between our schools, community, and teachers provides the greatest benefits for our school district.” In an article in Broad + Liberty, Schneider said she thinks parents aren’t aware of what is going on in the schools. As an example, she said one of her children was given a writing assignment with a list of subjects that included white privilege, sanctuary cities, police brutality and Black Lives Matter. She also mentioned the board’s August 2022 adoption of a code of conduct, which included a section on transgender rights, including the right to access to the restroom or locker room that corresponds to their gender identity. “I was shocked and knew parents needed to understand what was happening in our schools. Our district and school board lack transparency,” she was quoted as saying.