The Maryland Democratic Party will spend 鈥渢ens of thousands of dollars鈥� targeting at least 18 school board candidates that it says are looking to bring a 鈥渉ateful鈥� and 鈥渞ight-wing agenda鈥� to schools.
It is a first for the party, which has never before involved itself in the nonpartisan races for local board of education seats. But party leaders said the move is needed to fight the 鈥渆xtremist鈥� agendas espoused by candidates in 11 counties, eight of which it鈥檚 putting resources into 鈥� Anne Arundel, Calvert, Carroll, Frederick, Howard, Montgomery, St. Mary鈥檚 and Talbot. It is also聽聽against eight other candidates in Allegany, Cecil and Washington counties.
鈥淚 think this is something new for Maryland. We haven鈥檛 had extremist school board candidates like this in the past,鈥� Charlene Dukes, first vice chair of the Maryland Democratic Party, said Wednesday.
鈥淪o when individuals now who are really articulating far right rhetoric and wanting to control the curriculum in schools, they promote dangerous policies like book bans and targeting marginalized students,鈥� Dukes said.
Party funds will be used to hire workers to canvas and knock on doors, urging voters to not elect 26 candidates who Democrats say support 鈥渞ewriting history, discriminating against your kids and book bans.鈥� The party will also provide resources to local central committees to help candidates who support 鈥淒emocratic and inclusive values.鈥�
But Democrats are not the only ones backing candidates in the normally local races. 罢丑别听聽is endorsing three school board candidates: Melissa Goshorn, Paul Harrison and Joseph Marchio, who are among the candidates opposed by the Democratic Party.
And Democrats say some of the candidates are affiliated with local chapters of Moms for Liberty, an organization with GOP ties that was formed in 2021 to focus on local school board races. In several states where Moms for Liberty have been active, such as Florida, Utah and West Virginia, they have helped pass state laws to either ban books or created local pressure to have books removed during the 2022-23 school year.
Suzie Scott, the chair of the Moms for Liberty Maryland Legislative Committee, welcomed the party鈥檚 involvement, which she calls a sign of 鈥渄esperation.鈥�
鈥淭hat makes me smile because we are having an impact. That鈥檚 great to see,鈥� Scott said Tuesday.
罢丑别听聽has called Moms for Liberty an 鈥渁nti-government organization鈥� that advances 鈥渁 conspiracy propaganda, and spread hateful imagery and rhetoric against the LGBTQ community.鈥�
But school board candidates targeted by the Democrats are more likely to describe their agenda as one of returning to school basics and increasing parents鈥� control of their kids鈥� education.
Former state Del. Trent Kittleman (R), 79, was part of the Howard County Moms for Liberty chapter but said she stepped aside after 鈥渓eft wingers鈥� smeared the group鈥檚 reputation, especially on the issue of books. After losing reelection to the House in 2022, she decided to trade on her name recognition in the western part of the county and run for school board because of her five grandchildren in the school system.
Kittleman said some of her top issues are school safety, special education and repairing old school buildings. As a delegate, she voted against the Blueprint for Maryland鈥檚 Future, the state鈥檚 sweeping education reform plan, because she thought it does not provide enough flexibility for local school systems.
鈥淚t鈥檚 an unfunded mandate that puts a fiscal burden on the locals,鈥� she said.
Jaime Brennan stepped down as chair of the Frederick County chapter of Moms for Liberty so she could run for school board there.
鈥淭est scores continue to decline. Algebra proficiency continues to decline. That鈥檚 where the focus should be,鈥� said Brennan, a certified public accountant and a mother of two children, ages 17 and 15.
The party describes Brennan as someone who supports using public money for students to attend parochial schools, based on her 鈥溾�� policy proposal.
Brennan served on the board of the Frederick Classical Charter School. She said she believes parents should have the choice to send their children to any school, and Maryland has a limited program 鈥� $9 million this year 鈥� to pay private school tuition for some low-income students. But Brennan thinks that using public money for a broad-based school voucher program in a state like Maryland 鈥渋s unrealistic.鈥�
Still, Brennan defends charters, arguing they are still public schools that 鈥渄o not take away a single dime from public education.鈥� Claiming otherwise is merely 鈥渄esigned to inflame and misinform people.鈥�
Sign of 鈥榙esperation鈥�
Scott, the Moms for Liberty legislative chair, said there鈥檚 been a 鈥渞adicalization鈥� in the schools that began three years ago with COVID-19 vaccine requirements, mask mandates and school closures.
She said聽聽that requires topics like 鈥済ender identity and expression鈥� to be part of the family life and human sexuality unit is 鈥渟exualizing our kids.鈥�
鈥淭hey are forgetting about reading and writing. We want to get back to the basics,鈥� said Scott, whose five children graduated from Harford County public schools.
The school board race most heavily targeted by Democrats may be in Anne Arundel. The party says LaToya Nkongolo, Dawn Pulliam and Chuck Yocum are 鈥渆xtreme鈥� candidates who not only support book bans but are also against those in the LGBTQ community.
In a聽, the party referred to Nkongolo, Pulliam and Yocum as the 鈥淎nne Arundel County Hate Slate.鈥� It has repeatedly attacked Yocum over allegations from the early 1990s that he sexually abused a minor while he was a teacher in the county鈥檚 schools.
Neither Yocum nor Pulliam responded to phone calls or emails this week seeking comment. Nkongolo, a mental health therapist, declined to comment when reached by telephone Tuesday evening, but sent an email Wednesday morning in response to the Democratic Party鈥檚 plan targeting her and other candidates.
鈥淪ince the [Democratic Party] email went out, I鈥檝e received an overwhelming number of texts, emails, and calls from Democrats expressing their support, so I know this false narrative is coming from a small minority,鈥� Nkongolo wrote. 鈥淭he only thing I鈥檓 extreme about is improving reading and math scores, especially for Black students, as only 12% are proficient in math. Our students are in an academic crisis, and that鈥檚 what my 鈥榚xtreme鈥� agenda is all about.鈥�
The Moms for Liberty organizers say the local and state teachers鈥� unions are little more than an arm of the Democratic Party, noting that union-endorsed candidates often sport an apple logo on their campaign paraphernalia.
鈥淭he teacher鈥檚 union here in Maryland has had a stranglehold on the school boards for so long,鈥� Scott said. 鈥淲e need to have some balance on the school board with those who support parental rights.鈥�
Samantha Zwerling, director of political and legislative affairs for the Maryland State Education Association, said the state and local union are nonpartisan, pointing to a handful of registered Republicans who have been endorsed by union locals. The Washington County union this year endorsed Melissa Williams, 74, and Stan Stouffer, 77, while the Cecil County local endorsed Adam Streight for county executive in the May primary and next month鈥檚 general election.
鈥淲e are obviously independent of the Democratic Party. We are independent of all political parties. Our members are trying to do what they can to elect pro-public education candidates,鈥� Zwerling said.
鈥淲e have been engaged in school board races for a long time, at least in modern history,鈥� she said. 鈥淪chool board races are always going to be exciting for our members. It鈥檚 what affects them the most and their communities and their own kids who are in the school systems. We鈥檙e going to continue to do that work on behalf of our members.鈥�
