On March 9, 2022

School board candidates against critical race theory flounder at the polls

Covid-19 safety rules and equity initiatives remained broadly popular statewide

By Peter D’Auria/VTDigger

In the weeks before Town Meeting Day, a surge of anti-mask mandate, anti-“critical race theory” candidates from across Vermont made bids for seats on school boards.

But according to results, many of those candidates failed to beat their opponents at the polls — suggesting that schools’ Covid-19 safety rules and equity initiatives remained broadly popular.

Mask mandates and critical race theory, an academic framework used to understand systemic racism, have become wedge issues across the country, including in Vermont.

In the Mill River Unified Union School District, however, the race was narrowly won. Ingrid Lepley, a candidate for the Mill River School District board, fell about 20 votes short of a seat, according to results released by the town of Tinmouth.

Lepley has been linked to a now-shuttered Etsy site whose merchandise included jewelry designed to feature themes of the conspiracy theory QAnon.

Another Mill River candidate, Kristine Billings, who had expressed fear that critical race theory was being “matriculated into the classroom,” fell about 30 votes short of unseating board Chair Adrienne Raymond.

In Springfield, voters turned away two board candidates — Katie Parent and Michael Jasinski — who previously voiced concerns about the instruction of critical race theory in schools.

The two were among five candidates for two board seats. But in results posted on the Springfield town website Tuesday evening, Jasinski and Parent finished last and second-to-last, respectively.

In Arlington, candidate Luke Hall, a former Vermont state trooper who sought to make masks optional in schools and expressed concern about the divisiveness of critical race theory, lost to incumbent Nicole Whalen by roughly 300 votes, according to results sent by the town clerk.

Hall did not immediately respond to a Facebook message seeking comment.

In Milton, voters rejected a trio of school board challengers that had circulated a document criticizing mask mandates and critical race theory, according to unofficial results.

Those candidates — Nichole Delong, Scott O’Brien and Brock Rouse — each garnered approximately 200 fewer votes than their opponents, the results showed. Officials were still tallying “hand counts and write-ins,” they said.

Chair Rick Dooley and newcomers Kumulia Long and Karen Stout were poised to earn seats.

Prior to the election, Delong, O’Brien and Rouse had issued a document affirming their belief in “Americanism not Marxism” and “One Nation Under God.” The candidates also opposed Milton schools’ mask mandate.

In St. Albans, Keith Longmore, a candidate for the Maple Run Unified Union School Board who appeared to have posted right-wing conspiracy theories and offensive memes online, garnered only about half the votes won by his opponent, Reier Erickson.

In the Kingdom East School District, Mathew Johnson, a candidate who had denounced the board’s “socialist agendas” and compared mask mandates to child abuse, lost by roughly 120 votes to two opponents for the board seat, results showed. Johnson did not reply to a Facebook message Tuesday night.

But controversial topics could feature in at least one more election before the end of the month: the Lake Region Union School District board races. Another two anti-critical race theory candidates are running in those elections, which are scheduled for March 22.

Do you want to submit feedback to the editor?

Send Us An Email!

Related Posts

VTrans announces new plow names and winner of long-wing contest

November 13, 2024
The Vermont Agency of Transportation (AOT) received 118 new names for its big orange plow trucks through this year’s Name a Plow program for Vermont schools. The agency also received 77 entries in the contest for schools to name the new plow truck that has a second plow spanning 21 feet and will be used…

Vermont’s regular deer season starts Nov. 16

November 6, 2024
Hunters are gearing up for the start of Vermont’s traditionally popular 16-day regular deer season that begins Saturday, Nov. 16 and ends Sunday, Dec. 1.  A hunter may take one legal buck during this season if they did not already take one during the archery deer season. “The greatest numbers of deer continue to be…

Hospitals report runs into furor over ‘major restructuring’ recommendations 

November 6, 2024
Analysis plunged state’s healthcare system into anxiety, uncertainty By Peter D’Auria/VTDigger Last month, a consultant released a sweeping report recommending significant changes for Vermont’s healthcare system, including “major restructuring” at four community hospitals. The 144-page state-commissioned document details a series of steps that Vermont’s hospitals should take to stay afloat, including repurposing inpatient units and downgrading emergency departments…

Amazon to pay $400,000 to Vermont for violating online sales ban on vaping products

October 30, 2024
Attorney General Charity Clark announced that Amazon has agreed to pay $400,000 to the State of Vermont to settle a dispute regarding violations of the state’s delivery sales ban, which prohibits the direct shipping of tobacco products, including e-cigarettes and vaping products, to Vermont consumers. The settlement resolves allegations that third-party sellers on Amazon’s platform…