A second donor announced they would withdraw funding as the result of the Upper Adams School Board’s partnership with a controversial law firm.
In the past, an anonymous donor usually gave $2,000 annually through The Canner Funds to support field trips, according to school board member Susan Crouse. This news came roughly one month after the district learned another donor nixed their plan to donate a seven-figure endowment. Both donors said their decisions were linked to the school board’s decision to partner with the Independence Law Center, according to Superintendent Wesley Doll.
The board signed a contract in July with the Independence Law Center, or ILC. The Harrisburg-based firm describes itself on its website as a “public-interest civil rights law firm” that “defend[s] human life at all stages and defend the rights of the people to freely exercise their religion, as well as all the other First Amendment freedoms that depend on that first freedom.”
In the months leading up to the ILC vote, many parents, students, alumni and community members spoke out against the ILC at Upper Adams School Board meetings. Several other Pennsylvania school districts have also engaged with the law firm, which has faced public criticism for its policies related to book restrictions and transgender student bathroom use.
The loss of a second donor related to the ILC partnership sparked discussion among board members at their meeting Tuesday.
“When are we finally going to say we’re not willing to lose any more money because of the decision we made to move to the ILC?” Kay Hollabaugh said, again calling for the board to reconsider its partnership with the law firm.
Hollabaugh voted against the ILC in July.
Neil Weigle on Tuesday said the community should be alarmed if the board were to vote on the ILC again and allow itself to be swayed by this loss of donations.
“At what point do we start seeing this as manipulation or an attempt to buy votes?” he said.
At the end of the day, Weigle said students are the ones who feel the cost when a donor decides to pull funds.
“Donations are a wonderful and greatly appreciated gift, but in no way should the donations of a few wealthy individuals be used as a means of influencing school policy or functions,” Heather Young-Cover said.
Weigle and Young-Cover questioned the would-be donors’ decisions to remain anonymous. Weigle drew a parallel to the ILC and its anonymous donors, which critics of the firm said should be identified.
Hollabaugh said The Canner Funds and ILC are different, describing the ILC as a “far leaning right group.” She said she did not want the public to perceive the board as an entity that can be bought.
The Canner Funds is an independent organization that supports the district through teacher grants and student scholarships.
Tricia Plank echoed Weigle and Young-Cover’s sentiments. Regarding The Canner Funds, she said if someone wants to donate “to help the children you would expect that there would not be strings attached to it.”
Loren Lustig called for unity. He recounted his memory of the Learning Commons dedication last school year and the feeling he experienced there.
“I would like to see this board come together rather than be torn apart, this community come together,” he said.
Parents speak out
During public comment, district parent Ellie Hollabaugh Vranich spoke to her experience serving on The Canner Funds board and various committees. She said there are few large donors.
“To learn at the last board meeting that our kids just flat out lost out on an endowment that could serve our district students in perpetuity thanks to your decision to enlist the services of the ILC, felt like a literal slap in the face,” Vranich said.
The Canner Funds have supported zoo field trips, education on Ghanaian culture, an opportunity to witness live surgery at the Whitaker Center, and more, according to Vranich.
Another parent, Matthew Lustig, touched on another issue that has been a hot button topic in the Upper Adams community — board member Loren Lustig’s proposal to restrict certain library materials, including books that contain sexual content.
“The truth is that having trash in school libraries where students can check these books out, or at the very least, freely read them without their parents’ knowledge during visits to the school library is shameful,” Matthew Lustig said.
He said restricting such content would not prevent students from being college and career ready, citing his own daughter’s academic success.
District seeks full-time security guard
In other business, the board gave the administration the green light to seek a school security guard to comply with a new state mandate.
A state law requiring school districts to have at least one full-time security personnel beginning this school year went into effect in July. The district may hire a school police officer, school resource officer or school security officer.
After speaking with the chief of Biglerville Police Department and weighing costs, Doll said the most affordable option would be to hire a school security guard/officer. He said G-Force Security Solutions, which currently provides part-time security after school, has candidates to offer.
Doll noted other districts who need to meet the state mandate as soon as possible are also in talks with G-Force. He suggested the board move quickly.
Without voting, the board reached a consensus and directed Doll to continue discussions with G-Force. If an agreement for a full-time security guard is offered, Doll will bring the agreement to the board for a vote.
Student not expelled
Plank’s teenage daughter is back in school after she faced possible expulsion.
The Biglerville High School sophomore defended herself Sept. 11 in front of the school board, stating she did not write a threatening message found on her desk in February 2023.
Plank confirmed Tuesday her daughter is back in school. The district has not commented publicly on the allegations.
The next regular school board meeting is set for 7 p.m. on Oct. 15.
The curriculum and extra curricular committee will meet at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 1, followed by the business and operations committee. The policy committee will meet at 9 a.m. Oct. 3.
Mary Grace Kauffman, freelance reporter, worked six years as a full-time reporter for newspapers in Pennsylvania and Maryland. She has covered topics including business, crime, education, government and features. Mary Grace has a bachelor's degree in communication/journalism from Shippensburg University. She resides in Adams County.
A donor has every right to withdraw their donation. But the board can NOT make decisions based on that. What will be next? A donor saying they won’t donate unless Transgender studies become mandatory? Or no money unless teachers all weight over 200lbs? Of course those are ridiculous examples, but if the board makes decisions based on those people otherwise they will become prisoners to them.
Mr. Albert asks the wrong questions. A more pertinent question is “how much does the Board wish the students to be negatively impacted by the poor culture warrior decisions of a few members of the School Board?” The school district has but one product: the successful education of its students. Bringing on the ILC diminishes that mission; indeed, works against that mission by selectively targeting students who do not fit into the cis-gender view of religious nationalists. Time for the Board to get back to the business of education. Leave the culture warrior attitudes and political designs outside of the… Read more »