Board member’s tweets come under fire

150 tune in to board meeting, discuss racism

With more than 150 people checking in for the June 15 school board meeting held by teleconference because of the coronavirus pandemic, Pennridge residents raised their voices in response to a board member’s social media postings, with many of the speakers calling for changes in district curriculum and actions.

Several called for board VicePresident and Curriculum Committee Chair Joan Cullen’s resignation.

The comments came from Cullen’s having retweeted a July 2019 posting by Allen Sutton that included, “There is no systemic racism in America.”

“I’ll add to this. There’s also no systemic sexism, homophobia, etc. Those who try to convince you you’re being held back by someone else DO NOT have your best interests in mind. They NEED you to be a victim so they can control you. Break free! The only one holding you back is u,” Cullen tweeted.

“As a person that is sitting on the board, a person that is supposedly looking over the curriculum of our students, a person that’s supposedly saying that she cares about our students, and to write such appalling, appalling things about racism, sexism, homophobia, how are we supposed to trust?” one woman said during the public comment time at the meeting.

“How are we supposed to trust that the curriculum’s going to be changed? How are we supposed to trust that the curriculum’s going to be diverse? How are we

“I would never and have never suggested that discrimination based on race, sex, gender, orientation and religion doesn’t exist in this world, although it would be wonderful if it didn’t.”

supposed to trust our kids in your hands?” she asked. “So if you do not get this woman Joan Cullen off the board, we will not trust the school district and we will continue to fight and be on this call every time until you make this change. Get her off the board.”

A Pennridge graduate who now has children in the district said Cullen’s tweet was “extremely upsetting” and “embarrassing.”

“There are wonderful things about Pennridge and there are some things that are great,” she said. “Unfortunately, this is completely unacceptable and embarrassing. There is systematic racism, sexism, homophobia in the district. It is there. Maybe it doesn’t affect her so that’s why she’s putting something like that out there, but it is here and it does affect others.”

“Her comments have done irreparable damage to our community. I don’t think we can move past it until she is no longer on the board,” another speaker said of Cullen. “Racism is certainly not a fad. This is something that’s been happening forever and we need to address it. We need to address it head on.”

Other speakers voiced their support for Cullen.

“She’s an empathetic leader. She’s a person of conviction,” one said. “She truly values all voices and I know that anyone who imparts anything other than the best intentions on her has not made an honest attempt to know her.”

“I know her to be an upstanding member of the community,” another said.

Another woman said she supports free speech for all sides and was dismayed by the response of some to Cullen’s tweets.

“It’s all been twisted and turned around and it’s a little unsettling to feel that that kind of bullying response is supported on a widespread level,” the woman said, “and if people want her out, they need to vote her out and not bully her out.”

Another speaker said there was “orchestrated bullying.”

“I have to tell you, this sounds like a very political meeting, and the lines are evident to me,” he said.

During the new business portion of the meeting, Cullen responded to the comments that had been made.

“I believe that injustices of any kind should be confronted and dealt with appropriately. In my role as a school board director, I am committed to help make sure that every Pennridge student is loved, valued, respected, empowered, protected and heard. I would never and have never suggested that discrimination based on race, sex, gender, orientation and religion doesn’t exist in this world, although it would be wonderful if it didn’t,” she said.

“However, speaking specifically to the topic of systemic discrimination, there are vastly different views held by people from all walks of life which don’t fit neatly into pre-conceived notions people might hold. It’s one thing to say that discrimination exists, but to say that an entire country or community is systemically racist is a different thing altogether and there are many people, even in minority communities, who are speaking to that right now and providing research to support it, including the gentleman whose tweet I shared and many others in under-represented communities of all kinds who have different views,” Cullen said. “What they’re expressing isn’t hateful. It’s their own beliefs and experiences as members of those communities and their perspectives are valid as are mine and everyone else’s in this community because no group of people is a monolith that must speak, think and feel in a uniform way.”

Cullen said she developed her viewpoints through her relationships and experiences along with researching, reading and listening to a diverse group of people and that she would share her sources with those interested.

“It has been enlightening for me and I think every one of those voices deserves to be heard in any discussion that is to be had. I hope you would agree,” she said.

Some of the people making public comments later said they would be interested in having Cullen’s list of sources and giving a response.

A Change.org petition calling for Cullen’s resignation had about 1,500 signatures as of the afternoon of June 19.

Confederate flags

Another person making public comment said when her son was in middle school, he saw a Confederate flag in the high school parking lot and was upset by it.

The woman said she talked to school officials about it.

“Pennridge’s response to me was it was the student’s first amendment right to keep that Confederate flag,” she said.

She said she would like to see Confederate flags banned from school property.

Other people making public comment agreed.

“There is zero question in my mind that Pennridge should take a strong stance against display of the Confederate flag. That should be banned across the board,” one man said.

“This is not a matter of history,” he said. “This is hate outright.”

The presence of racism also needs to be acknowledged, he said.

“We need to do better. We owe it to our children. We owe it to our community. We owe it to ourselves,” he said. “This community just absolutely deserves better and direct action needs to be taken.”

Diversity and Equity Workgroup

In his president’s report, board President William Krause said the deaths of George Floyd and Rayshard Brooks were “tragic” and “senseless.”

“It is clear there’s much work to be done on a local and national level to implement meaningful change such that all people are valued and viewed as equal in all aspects,” he said. “Pennridge community is a loving, caring community who welcomes all people of all colors, creeds and sexual orientation with open arms.”

He said the district’s Diversity and Equity Workgroup will be expanded in the fall to include parents and students and asked Superintendent David Bolton to tell about the work done by the group.

It was started Bolton said.

“This group has already delivered multiple diversity trainings to all administrators. It has planned a training in November for all professional and support staff. It has discussed educational opportunities for our students,” Bolton said. “It has investigated our discipline data for both gender and racial discrepancies. It has looked to increase the diversity of candidates that are considered for all positions.”

The group has also examined the district curriculum, he said.

While proud of what’s been done, it is also understood that there is more work to do, he said.

Some of the people making public comment, however, said the term workgroup sounded like a temporary thing and questioned the long-term effects.

“I understand you want to measure twice and cut once, I get that, but you’re in 2018, measuring 20 times and still not cutting, so I need you all to act a little bit more quicker,” one man said.

In another matter at the meeting, the board approved settlement of two lawsuits filed against the district and former Superintendent Jacqueline Rattigan and former Pennridge High School Principal Gina DeBona.

The school district and the National Women’s Law Center agreed to settle the lawsuits, Bolton said.

“These litigation matters involved allegations that the district and former administrators failed to adequately address former students reports of sexual harassment including sexual assault and dating violence and failed to train school employees on how to properly respond to sexual harassment,” he said. “While the district has denied liability in both cases, the district has worked together with the National Women’s Law Center to bring resolution to these matters and to assure that appropriate actions are being taken, including by providing regular education and training on harassment and bullying for both staff and students.”

Video of the June 15 Pennridge School Board meeting is posted on the district’s YouTube channel. About 10 minutes at the beginning was not included in the video because the person operating the Zoom meeting failed to start the recording until then, Bolton said in answer to an emailed question for this article.

“The recording is missing the roll call, pledge to the flag, explanation of Zoom protocols, and the first three public comments. We are trying to find a way to gather those 10 minutes from Zoom. We are sorry for the error,” he wrote.

Note: This article was updated June 19 to add that there is a Change.org petition.