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In the Nazareth Area School District, seven candidates are seeking election to four seats in three regions.
Only one incumbent – board President Gregory C. Leh – is seeking reelection and is unopposed in the election.
Leh, a Republican, had a rare outcome in the May 17 primary for Lehigh Valley school board incumbents who cross-filed. He won on both ballots, meaning he is virtually assured of reelection on Nov. 7 in Region 3, which includes Nazareth, Stockertown and the western election district of Upper Nazareth Township (anything west of West High Street).
Two seats are open in Region 1. Republicans in the running are Elmo Frey Jr. and Melinda G. Gladstone. Both were endorsed byMoms for Liberty – Northampton County. The Democratic candidates are Jeff C. Greener and Sariann L. Knerr.
One seat is open in Region 2. The candidates are Republican Christopher G. Miller and Democrat Jason M. Swails.
The Nov. 7 election comes as Nazareth Area School Board members have faced a steady stream of public comment since the covid pandemic.
Members ofMoms for Liberty – Northampton Countyhave urged the board to adopt family and parent first policies such as those passed in theCentral Bucks School Districton restricting books with sexual content and setting up a process for book removals.
The subject of book removals – both for and against – continued to be raised at school board meetings over the summer.
The Nazareth Area School District covers the boroughs of Nazareth, Stockertown and Tatamy, and the townships of Bushkill, Lower Nazareth, and Upper Nazareth; it also includes a small portion of Palmer Township. It serves about 4,663 students in six schools.
On June 13, the school board adopted a $106.6 million budget that raised property taxes by .71 mills to 57.51 mills. School board member Kathryn Roberts was the lone no vote.
Following is a look at the candidates. Information was found on campaign websites, Facebook pages, Linkedin sites, news articles, board meeting minutes and videos and profiles in the Voters Guide prepared by the League of Women Voters of Lehigh and Northampton counties.
Region 1
Boundaries: Bushkill Township, Tatamy Borough and a portion of Palmer Township
Elmo L. Frey Jr.–Republican
Frey, who is called Jake, is a former district justice in Nazareth who took office in 1986 and served for nearly 20 years before retiring. His father held the seat before him, later becoming Nazareth mayor.Frey was endorsed by Moms for Liberty – Northampton County. Frey, who has grandchildren in the district, was quoted inLehigh Valley Newsas saying he was against teaching “woke” and critical race theory in schools, but didn’t think those ideas were being taught in the district. He also said people seem to be happy with the way the district is being run.
Melinda G. Gladstone– Republican
Gladstone is a mother of two who works as a school nurse. She said she is a staunch advocate of parental rights, a defender of vaccine choice, a supporter of earned student achievement and an advocate for athletic development and performance. Her campaign material bears the words “Family First.” Gladstone was endorsed by Moms for Liberty – Northampton County.
Jeff C. Greener– Democrat
Greeneris a software analyst and support manager at Quick Chek who graduated from East Stroudsburg University. He has four children in the district. He and Knerr are running as a slate. They want to advocate for every student; listen, question and discuss issues; fight for adequate funding; be open, honest and fair; ensure a safe, positive learning environment, and support teachers and staff. Greener said he wants to look for ways to improve transparency in the decisions that are made by the board and responses to questions asked of the board. “My mission and goal is simple, I want to be the voice of reason for all students and parents. I want to promote as much transparency as possible in all decisions made by the board, and do my best to find fair compromises to any and all issues raised in our area,” he said on his campaign’s Facebook page.
Sariann L. Knerr– Democrat
Knerr is a teacher who graduated from Nazareth Area High School. She has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Rutgers University and bachelor’s in elementary education from Bloomsburg University. She was a volunteer for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign and posted tweets about her role. She has been a PTO teacher representative and volunteer for Meals on Wheels. Knerr and Greener are running as a slate. They want to advocate for every student; listen, question and discuss issues; fight for adequate funding; be open, honest and fair; ensure a safe, positive learning environment and support teachers and staff. Knerr told The League of Women Voters that state funding is failing students with the burden falling on school boards to raise taxes or cut programs. She would push the state to use surplus funding to ensure students receive an equitable education.
Region 2
Boundaries: Lower Nazareth Township and the Eastern Election District of Upper Nazareth Township (anything east of West High Street).
Christopher G. Miller– Republican
Miller is a graduate of Nazareth High School who attended University of Pittsburgh and also received police training. He is a detective with the Easton Police Department. Miller ran an unsuccessfulwrite-in campaignfor the board in 2021, calling himself a “pro parent choice” with “conservative values” on campaign graphics. He said he is running because “I want to keep our taxes in check and, if possible, find a way to lower them for the elderly who live on fixed incomes.” Miller wants to get education “back to the way [it) used to be – reading, writing and arithmetic.” He said, “I will do my best to get their school day back to just that.” With a background in police work, he said his main priority will be the safety of students. “When it comes to our children though, I hope we would all agree, we can never be too cautious and protective,” he said.
Jason M. Swails– Democrat
Swailsis a software engineer who earned a bachelor’s degree from Binghamton University and a doctorate in chemistry from the University of Florida. He said he knows the benefit of a quality education. “With two young children coming up through the Nazareth Schools, I want to ensure each generation emerges stronger than the last, preparing them to handle modern challenges in a fast-paced and complex world.” Swails said a high school teacher hooked him on chemistry, and that Nazareth should take steps to attract and retain the best teachers. He also said, “School district tax revenue must be managed efficiently and responsibly.” Swails believes that politics and culture wars have no role to play in how the school board should advance the district’s educational mission. “In today’s polarized political environment, the Lehigh Valley is wonderfully diverse,” he said. “When our students graduate, their exposure to a rich diversity of political viewpoints will be to the benefit of both our community and our country.”
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