Controversy Over Mailers Hits Final Days Of Pennsbury School Board Primary Race

The final days of the Pennsbury School Board primary election have not been without contentious issues. There has been controversy over mailers and an injunction obtained in the Region 3 primary.

The injunction request was filed in Bucks County Common Pleas Court earlier this month by candidates Jeannine Delwiche, of Falls Township; Linda Palsky, of Lower Makefield Township; and Joanna Steere, of Falls Township, all of whom are Democrats. They requested that candidates Frank Cabanas and Tim Watkins, both of Falls Township and registered Republicans, stop sending out sample ballots that they felt misrepresented the duo as endorsed Democratic candidates.

School board candidates can cross-file as both Republicans and Democrats.

The school board’s Region 3 covers portions of Falls Township and Lower Makefield Township.

In the court filing, the Democratic-endorsed candidates noted the golden-colored sample ballot is traditionally used by the Democratic party to let voters know the candidates they endorsed. The candidates called the mailing an attempt to “mislead” voters.

Last week, Bucks County Judge Jeffrey Trauger granted the three endorsed Democratic candidates an injunction that will legally stop Cabanas and Watkins from further distributing the sample ballots.

After the injunction was granted, Palsky, an incumbent who was appointed last year, called the sample ballots “deceptive campaigning.”

“I think it tells you a lot about the character of our opponents that we have to go to these lengths to get them to play by the rules. I find it truly disheartening to see lies and deception used in a local school board campaign,” she said in a statement.

Jeff Rocco, the Falls Township Democratic Party chairperson, celebrated the injunction being granted. He called the mailer “wrong and unethical.”

“I’m happy for Jeannine Delwiche, Linda Palsky, and Joanna Steere, endorsed Democratic candidates for the Pennsbury School Board that we won in court. They are working tirelessly trying to get elected and do not deserve to be cheated out of this opportunity by Frank Cabanas and Tim Watkins deceptive mail campaign. Knowing they wouldn’t get the support of Democrats, they tried to trick them into thinking they were the endorsed candidates and cheat them out of their vote,” he said.

Aside from the injunction, Cabanas and Watkins’ campaign has also stirred other controversy.

Cabanas and Watkins’ campaign sent out mailers that received backlash for having alleged racist tones.

The one mailer, which spread across social media last week, imply that a vote for Delwiche, Palsky, or Steere is a vote supporting the Pennsbury School District merging with the smaller Morrisville School District, which has become an election issue since the prospect of discussions on a merger came up again in April.

The small school district that covers Morrisville Borough is more racially diverse than Pennsbury, which covers all of Falls Township, Lower Makefield Township, and Tullytown Borough. The smaller district has sought talks to merge with Pennsbury and other school systems for decades. The talks have never led to a merger, but it has stirred up debate in the area. Recently, Facebook comments on the potential merger talks noted noted Morrisville Borough’s more diverse population and finances.

“Which bus will PALSKY & her pals put YOUR child on? As they consider merging Pennsbury with cash-strapped Morrisville District,” the mailer stated in bold text.

Below the text, there is a divided highway with a bus that says “Falls – Morrisville District” and one that says “Yardley.” The Falls – Morrisville bus shows a young Black student in normal school clothing, while the Yardley student is White and in dress clothing.

The mailer shows the logo of LevittownNow.com and the Bucks County Courier Times, including excerpts of coverage on the merger talks. Both news organizations were not involved with the mailer. While campaigns of varying stances often cite LevittownNow.com‘s reporting, this news organization does not endorse political candidates or campaigns.

Cabanas and Watkins are against any merger without a voter referendum.

The candidates opposing Cabanas and Watkins have not endorsed a merger.

Cabanas and Watkins previously have sent a mailer that stated: “What side of Rt-1 a family should not determine the quality of education their child receives.” The mailer featured the same photos of the students on the Falls and Yardley side of a divided highway.

Casey Lawrence, the campaign manager for Cabanas and Watkins, said the idea that there were racial overtones is “absurd.”

“Both students have been part of our mailing campaign through the last several months. Would Linda Palsky have preferred we used photos of only white students? Why does showing a diversity of students annoy them?” Lawrence said.

“Tim Watkins and Frank Cabanas have personally knocked on over 4,000 doors and no single person has brought the topic of our mailer up to them,” Lawrence added.

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