This past week an extremely partisan attack ad was run in the Current against the candidates we have chosen to endorse in this year’s Westfield Washington School Board elections. We have received numerous questions from people asking who ran the ad, why it was run for a school board race, and our thoughts on what this means leading up to election day. The whole ordeal is unfortunate, and unnecessary, but we’ll spend the next few days addressing these questions and concerns. First, who ran the ad. 

The ad in question states it was paid for by The Americans Against Progressive Elitist Policies PAC. The Hamilton County Election Office and Secretary of State campaign finance sites have yet to list any statements of organization for the PAC and it was clearly established after the October 14th reporting deadline to avoid disclosing any sources of funding until after the election. However, a brief internet search through the Secretary of State’s business registry turned up a newly formed non-profit under the same name. We were sad to see the two local individuals listed on the incorporation documents filed 10/17/2022.

The Chairman recorded was Birch Dalton. You may also know his name from his unsuccessful campaigns for school board himself in 2014 and again in 2018. In the October 14th 2018 issue of the Current they reported “He is partnering his campaign with two other candidates, Rebecca Ogle for District 4 and Bill Anderson for District 2. The trio has hopes all three will get elected so they can have a majority vote on the five-member board.”

In the same Current article Birch is quoted as saying “You let teachers teach, administrators lead and the school board supports them to make sure they have what they need to succeed in the classroom.” This is exactly what Patrick Fassnacht, Patrick Phillips, & Jill Woerner are trying to ensure, as opposed to the disturbing trend of vilifying teachers and administrators as indoctrinating children in public schools. It is hard to imagine how in four short years you could go from trusting teachers to if we don’t re-elect these three school board members, children will be indoctrinated instead of educated. We don’t fear the educators in Westfield Washington Schools, we have faith in them. 

The Treasurer recorded for the PAC was Jim Ake. Many in Westfield know Jim for serving on the Westfield City Council and his current bid for a spot on the Washington Township Board. It was unexpected to see Jim, who has spent so much time in various committees and organizations around town, be associated with orchestrating something so divisive. Who in his recent profile in the current for the Washington Township Board seat stated “I am dedicated to bringing people together, to work together, to share limited resources together and to join hands in building an inclusive Washington Township community for all ages.” We fail to see how this brings anyone together.

Additionally, we wonder if they knew that in looking to form an organization advertising to be “protecting public schools” they would seek guidance filing from an individual at the firm who penned an article last year in the Hamilton County Recorder touting the expansion of the Indiana Choice Scholarship Program and the benefits of private schools over public schools.    

School Board elections in the state of Indiana are supposed to be non-partisan for a reason. While we can all disagree on political issues, children aren’t votes to be won and support for this school district can’t be a zero sum game. We ALL should contribute. We ALL need to contribute.