Schools

Stolz 'Must Go,' Parents Say

Four parents addressed the East Penn School Board on Monday regarding what they called 'inappropriate' comments Tweeted by board member Julian Stolz.

Julian Stolz was all but silent at Monday's meeting of the East Penn Board of School Directors.

The parents who came to call for his resignation, censure or removal from the board were not.

Extra chairs were set up as the room filled for the 7:30 p.m. meeting, and by the time the gavel hit the block to begin the meeting the board room was still standing-room-only.

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During the public comment segment of the meeting, several parents addressed the board regarding a report made at the March 25 meeting of statements Stolz made on Twitter.

Claire Kowalchik spoke first.

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"Mr. Stolz’s disdain for public education, his use of his elected position as a platform from which he makes racist and sexist remarks, and his clear contempt for the children of our community—or at least the roughly 9 percent of whom live below the poverty line—show flagrant disregard for the values we have a right to expect of our school board directors," she said.

Kowalchik continued by saying that she knows but called on members to take the recourse available to them.

"Members of the board, if you find Mr. Stolz’s words and actions as reprehensible as I do, I ask you to put forth and vote on a motion to censure him," Kowalchik said.

Stolz said days after the Tweets surfaced that he would apologize in a video on April 2. That didn't happen, but Stolz made his official apology on April 4 as a post on his newly created blog, "The Stolz Report."

Among other things, it says,

"I am sorry I cannot simply be a good politician, keep my head down, apologize, and make the smart PR move by just letting this blow over. I would rather speak the truth, speak my heart, and let my opponents accuse me of having a 'meltdown' than cowtow to these vapid, truculent little thugs who call themselves pretty sounding names like 'Progressive' in order to hide their repugnant, anti-liberty agenda."

Another parent, Hillary Smith, took issue with Stolz's "vile statements."

"A simple Internet search unveiled a long list of offensive statements made by Julian as a public official including the spreading of hurtful stereotypes, sexism, as well as an utter contempt for the public school system that he was elected to serve.

"The fact that he does not see anything wrong with his statements is why the board needs to take immediate disciplinary action against Mr. Stolz, just as any student or staff member of the East Penn School District would be disciplined for repeatedly making such offensive comments," she said.

Byron Crudup, who brought up two daughters in the East Penn School District, called Stolz's statements "offensive."

"A mere apology doesn't cut it," he said, "You have to go."

After the meeting, Stolz said Cruddup misunderstood his Tweets, and that he was looking forward to meeting with him to explain. He discounted the other remarks and seemed unaffected by the possibility of censure.

"It's a symbolic slap on the wrist," Stolz said.


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