Two races for seats on the Park City Board of Education were upended this week when all three candidates, including two incumbents, withdrew from the race.
The departures began Monday, with a decision by current board president Andrew Caplan, who has served on the board since January 2017, to replace pediatrician Dr. Eileen Gallagher and former Park City Historic Preservation Commission member Dave McFone. Two districts will be contested.
Caplan said he did not make the decision lightly and ultimately decided to withdraw because he believed Gallagher and McFawn were qualified candidates.
“I believe the time is right to bring new ideas and new enthusiasm to this role,” he said.
“Now that the race has changed, voters, and more importantly, the students of District 2, have a chance to bring fresh new leadership and a bright future to the Park City School District,” Gallagher said. he said.
Within days of Caplan's decision, current board vice president Wendy Crosland withdrew her bid to represent District 3, and former National Ability Center CEO Danny Glasser and Utah State Board of Education Kathleen Britton, director of child nutrition programs, has resigned.
“I respect Wendy's decision to withdraw and would like to thank her for her hard work,” Glasser said. “I look forward to working with Kathleen Britton on a robust and respectful campaign.”
Britton did not respond to requests for comment.
“This is a completely personal decision based on some changes and new initiatives in both my personal and professional life,” Crosland said. “I do not believe that another term will give me the appropriate focus and time that I believe I will need to serve on the board.”
McFone also decided to withdraw from the District 2 race, leaving Gallagher as the only remaining candidate in the district.
McFawn did not respond to requests for comment on his decision.
This week's mass dropout comes about a month and a half after the release of a lengthy report from the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights regarding 180 incidents of student-on-student harassment at Ecker Hill and Treasure Mountain middle schools. and Park City High School. The report said school authorities took steps to curb widespread targeted harassment, but not enough to stop it. Since the report came out, board members and others in district leadership have weathered public criticism.
Ms Crosland insisted this had nothing to do with her decision. She offered the following advice to future board members: “During these contentious and complex times, please do not lose sight of the students in this community and the staff we employ and ensure that we make decisions that are in their best interests.” We recommend that you emphasize civility, thoroughness, and thoughtfulness in your work. ”
Caplan noted the report and said the board is working to curb harassment and address the needs of affected students.
“One of the things that happens, whether it's a fight or bullying or an issue of racism or anti-Semitism, is that the victim often feels like nothing was done about the perpetrator,” he says. . “That's not true.”
One of the problems the district faces is that it cannot tell harassed students or their parents about the punishment for the offending student because of privacy restrictions enacted in the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. That's the case, he said. The committee will provide harassed students and their families with more information about the penalties the harasser may face, even if it cannot provide specific information on individual cases. The company explained that it is working to make its discipline policies clearer.
Beyond the criticism that followed the civil rights investigation and other controversial board decisions, the district has progressed in other ways under Caplan, Crosland and other current leaders.
This year, U.S. News & World Report ranked the district fifth in the state and 717th in the nation, putting it in the top 5% nationally.
Caplan said he is proud that the district has kept schools open for most of the COVID-19 pandemic, and has seen teacher pay increases in recent years and the district's large number of paraprofessionals. He said he expected to see significant pay increases. The district has also successfully funded his $150 million expansion project across the district and its facilities, with many of the renovations and additions expected to be operational within the next few years. .
“Serving on the PCSD Board of Education is an incredible privilege and responsibility,” Crosland said. “The PCSD team is an amazing group of people who are dedicated and dedicated to all of our students. I am so grateful to be a part of this community and district and am committed to completing my term through December 2024.” We are working on it.”
Now unopposed, Gallagher is looking forward to potentially taking over as District 2 representative.
“I am excited to work with the school board members, the district’s administrative team, teachers, staff, and students,” she said. “Obviously, there's a lot to work on. But I think there's a really talented team on the board and in the school right now.”
She listed her two biggest goals. One is to make teachers and staff feel valued, and the other is to provide a safe and academically rewarding environment for students to learn.
She said she will decide how to focus on these goals once she has had the opportunity to begin working with district administration and other officials.
The only incumbent board member running for election is Anne Peters in Ward 1, who is running against former nurse Susan Goldberg.
Board members Nicholas Hill and Meredith Reed both began their terms last year.
Peters said he plans to continue, rather than follow the example of his colleagues.