Holy Smokes! Christina's Got a Race!

By Elizabeth Scheinberg

"Holy Smokes" was a colloquialism of my Grandfather's day. Given the news that serial board member David Resler will field opponent retired educator and principal Meg Mason for his seat, it felt appropriate. You see, I spoke my last words to my grandfather "Dad" Phelps while at Back-To-School Night at Meg's last school, Maclary Elementary. His decline was sudden and he had slipped into a coma by the time I got the call. I was standing in front of the school when I said Goodbye (via cell phone) to one of the most marvelous men to have ever lived. I wasn't a board member then. I was a new hybrid parent with a daughter about to enter Maclary for kindergarten under the umbrella of the Delaware Autism Program. In the midst of grief, I did what every special needs parent does - I went into overdrive. Though I was falling apart on the insides, I was steely and hyper-viligint on the out. Until, of course, I felt the love that Maclary would have for my child. In the two years that we were Maclary, (not b/c we left Maclary, but b/c Christina historical shifted DAP and other SPED classrooms around the district to adjust for increases in feeder pattern students) I would find myself in Meg's office often - seeking guidance in how to navigate and advocate for both my daughter and my district.)

I have come to miss Maclary for the Christina gem that it was - inclusive, demanding, dedicated - characteristics I attribute to a good, strong, dedicated principal. Meg would teach me so much of what I needed to know to be a knowledgeable board member. And she would confirm to me what the research showed when it came to the roll of principals in schools and reform and meaningful change.

Meg is no spring chicken to education. She's traveled Christina and it's clearly her family. Though we haven't spoken in years - my life post-school board has taken me away from Christina, though never far from education - I hear she's shared her children with the district, another generation of educators developing our children into bright minds and helping them navigate an increasingly demanding and complicated academic and social world.

Sitting board member, Dave Resler, should not sit pretty during this election cycle. He's being called on the carpet by CSD's educators and parents. And our tax payers, they've already spoken, twice, the district's leadership and financial affairs.

Dave's been a part of board leadership for 10 years when's he's supported zero tolerance, Race to the Top, and Common Core. While he has a sharp financial mind, he's decidedly not an educator, though he is a CSD dad (proud father of 5 Newark High grads) and husband to a school nurse. I had the pleasure of serving Christina with Dave during my term. Though we frequently butted heads, he was always remarkably calm and an excellent orator. On most occasions. The exceptions were those meetings when I feared he and board member Saffer where going down fighting. And I would discreetly push my chair away from the dais and ease back from between the two.

Dave tows a line in his education governance - he will not get down "in the weeds" - a concept brought to CSD by former superintendent and financial disaster Joseph Wise. I never had the pleasure of meeting the lunatic that duped and poisoned Christina. Wise was the Broad Academy's first Delaware Superintendent, installed in the district in 2003. In three short years, he crippled the district. Dave was on-boarded as Wise exited and audits discovered a huge financial deficit. He was a member of the board who brought in education darling Lillian Lowery who is credited with governing with a tight financial fist that led the district to repay a state loan years early. He later played a roll in hiring CSD's third Broadie, Marcia Lyles, reknown for her divisive leadership strategies.

I came into CSD after my election win in the same month that Dr. Lyles took the helm. I was never impressed with the hand-ringing, gum-chewing, New Yorker and she clearly would not have been my choice. But, you can't please all the people all the time. And in CSD, there are days you clearly can't please anyone. or even yourself.

So, CSD needs another educator to help steer the ship. For too long, it has gone the way of the national deform movements and marginalized the teacher's voice, the parent's voice, and the student's voice. The two voices we have heard belong to the tax payers - who punished CSD for the work of the other voice - Gov. Jack Markell's.

We need another fighter, Meg, we need you!

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