Letter: Misleading Signs
To the editor:
I am writing to clear-up any confusion about the current signage being displayed for school district candidates in the Delaware Valley School District. As part of the upcoming primary election on May 16th, candidates for the school board will be chosen to run. Several of the candidates running, Agron, Fells, Fisher and Bukaj, have placed signs throughout the area which are, without authorization, using the Delaware Valley School District logo on their signs implying and suggesting that these candidates are endorsed by the school district and hence the taxpayers in this district. This is in sharp contrast to other candidates who cannot or do not use the logo, making the comparison between the candidates even more striking because it again implies that some candidates are endorsed while others aren't. The school district, funded by taxpayers, is not allowed to let candidates use the logo for precisely these reasons.
During the last primary election for school board, candidates running were told that, according to district policy they were not allowed to use the DV logo. However, Agron, Fisher and Bukaj, current board members who have access to the DV logo, chose to ignore this once again. I contacted the school superintendent, Brian Blaum asking that these signs either be removed or that the logo be covered up to avoid any confusion that might lead voters to chose one candidate over another simply based on who they perceive the district to be supporting or endorsing. Dr. Blaum's response was totally unsatisfactory and didn't even address the issue.
I have also asked the PA Department of Education to intervene in this situation as I believe that those voters who are unfamiliar with candidates will choose those that "appear" to be endorsed by the school district, leading to a biased election based on the district's refusal to act and implication that they are endorsing only certain candidates.
Jerry Weinstock
Milford
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