Christine Alonso must resign from Interboro School Board
Serving on a school board is often described as a no-win situation. But I know that all who serve do so because they want to create the best possible educational opportunities for our children. In my time as a state senator, I have developed a real appreciation for the Interboro School District and all the fine work done by the administration and the school board. They have always fostered a deep sense of community and put students first.
That is why I find Christine
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Alonso’s recent actions and response so disturbing. I was proud to participate in the Black Lives Matter protest in Ridley, where people of all races and ages came together to take a stand against systemic racism. But when I arrived at Frederick L. Mann Memorial Park, the first thing I saw was an oversized Confederate flag mounted on a truck across the street. The flag was hard to miss, both in prominence and intent. During the rally, my remarks were twice interrupted by motorcycles revving their engines and pickup trucks spewing black
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All submissions are subject to editing. smoke. As we marched, counterprotesters used racial slurs and ripped signs out of the hands of peaceful protesters. There was no question as to who the provocateurs and instigators were. I am deeply troubled that Ms. Alonso chose to stand on the frontlines with these individuals and engage in vulgar behavior of her own.
I am also distressed by some people’s misunderstanding of the Black Lives Matter movement. Deflections and misdirection have long been tactics used to fight against inconvenient truths. Black Lives Matter does
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610.622.8887 not mean “only” black lives matter, but rather it means we must address how police brutality and other issues disproportionately hurt Black people. Being against police brutality does not mean being against police. “Defunding” the police does not mean abolish the police, but rather being smarter about how we approach public safety and redirecting more funding to things that make us safer, like mental health and addiction treatment.
I want to thank Ms. Alonso for her service to our country and her service to the Interboro School District.
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But as public servants, we must hold ourselves to a higher standard. While we are all entitled to our own opinions, freedom of speech comes with a responsibility to uphold public trust and to serve everyone in the community. Given her actions, I do not believe Ms. Alonso is able to make responsible decisions about the education and safety of all students and staff. I call on her to resign from the Interboro School Board and allow the community to move forward.
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