Christina Board Passes MOU With New Castle County School Districts With No Public Input

The Christina School District Board of Education passed a controversial motion to send the same funds going to charter schools (from the infamous settlement) to all traditional New Castle County School Districts (except for NCC Vo-Tech).  The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) would bind Christina School District to sending the same funds they agreed upon in the charter school settlement to Red Clay Consolidated, Brandywine, Colonial, Appoquinimink, and Smyrna School Districts.  The price tag for this year will be $350,000 but this is a “forever” contract so those funds will go to those districts for students choicing out of Christina to those districts forever.  But another motion, that would have allowed for public comment on the issue, failed.  Board member John Young summed up the meeting in three paragraphs earlier this morning on Facebook.  Newly sworn-in board member Angela Mitchell abstained from both votes.

Last night, Christina School District BOE motioned to settle with Red Clay, Brandywine, Appoquinimink, Smryna and Colonial for $350K + this year and each year in the future forever pursuant to the charter school settlement. The meeting was at Sarah Pyle Academy at 7PM.

It was moved to approve the settlement MOU. Then it was moved to be voted on at the 6.13.17 meeting so the public could comment more fully. There was debate. Board members indicated that public opinion would have NO SWAY in their vote. The vote to vote on 6.13.17 was defeated 2 YES, 4 NO, 1 Abstention. Then the vote to approve handing over CSD monies without input from the public was approved 5 YES, 1 NO, 1 abstention. Of course all votes were public, but if you want details feel free to PM me. I am reeling from shock that board members and key employee(s) deliberately and intentionally told the taxpayers to go to hell with regards to their input. My disappointment extends beyond the board and includes CSD employees and the Supers of all NCC schools and Smyrna SD. An unreal night, I assure you.

I hope there is VOCIFEROUS public comment on 6.13.17 to protest the way the board operated tonight.

I always hated the settlement with the charters.  But, let us all hope this is the last song on this record…

Meredith Griffin Jr. and Angela Mitchell Win Christina Board Seats

Unofficial results for Christina are in.  Meredith Griffin won 828 votes in District G.  Contenders Jeff Day got 369 votes and Kimara Smith had 170.  In District B, Angela Mitchell narrowly won in a tight race between herself and candidate Justin Day.  Mitchell had 480 votes to Justin Day’s 457.  Monica Moriak had 232 votes and Karen Sobotker had 72 votes in the District B race.  Congratulations to Griffin and Mitchell!

Delaware School Board Election 2017 Surveys: Christina School District

There are two races in the Christina School District for their Board of Education this year.  In District “B”, we have Justin Day, Angela Mitchell, Monica Moriak and Karen Sobotker.  In District “G” we have Jeff Day, Meredith Griffin Jr., and Kimara Smith.  I received survey from five of the candidates, but none from Justin Day or Kimara Smith.  To clarify, there are two candidates in the Christina races with a first initial of “J” and a last name of Day.  All the Day responses below are from candidate Jeff Day in District “G”.  I asked 14 tough questions of the candidates and I am grateful to the respondents for their responses.  Don’t forget to vote on May 9th!

Three File For Christina District B Seat In A Matter Of Hours

Wow!  Meg Mason resigns from the Christina Board of Education a week ago, the New Castle County Department of Elections announces the seat will be part of the May 9th election, the deadline for candidates to file is April 20th, and three women file today!

Who are these brave souls?

Angela Mitchell

Monica Moriak

Karen Sobotker

Looks like we have a race!  The only name I am familiar with is Monica Moriak, who serves on the Christina Citizen’s Budget Oversight Committee.  At this time, Christina will have two three-way races for board seats.  All I can say is look for A LOT of campaign signs all over the place in the Greater Newark area as well as the Wilmington section of Christina in the coming weeks!