DSEA president election ends in tie
It remains unclear who will lead the state's largest education union for the next three years after what appears to be an unprecedented two-way tie.
The results of the race for the union presidency were quietly announced to Delaware State Education Association members Friday. DSEA confirmed the tie Monday, issuing a short statement on the results.
Lake Forest's Karen Crouse, who had been endorsed by outgoing president Frederika Jenner for the position, and Michael Matthews, a teacher at Red Clay Consolidated School District, both received the same number of votes, DSEA said. The position of vice president will go to Stephanie Ingram, who ran on the same ticket as Crouse, who beat Jackie Hildebrand-Kook.
"While I cannot speak to every single DSEA election that's ever taken place, 2017 is the first time there's been a tie in at least the past 20 years," DSEA Director of Communications David Wright said in an email Monday afternoon.
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Exact vote counts were not released, and DSEA would not say how many total members voted, though an email sent to union members Friday said 2,180 ballots were cast. That accounts for about 20 percent of the union's membership, which consists of approximately 12,000 classroom teachers, specialists and education support professionals.
Preliminary results will be presented for certification to the DSEA Executive Board at its Feb. 16 meeting, the union said Monday.
The email to union members further states that at the meeting, the executive board will be presented with any ballots received by DSEA before then, given that they were postmarked prior to midnight Jan. 23, when voting closed.
They may subsequently be counted, and the tie may be resolved at that time, the email implies.
If the tie stands, DSEA will hold a runoff election. The winner will replace Jenner, who is coming to the end of her second three-year term.
"I don't have any issues with that process," Crouse said Monday.
She and Matthews said turnout for the election was higher than it was in 2011, the last contested race for union president. (DSEA would not confirm higher turnout, saying only that turnout was "consistent" with 2011.)
There were five candidates in that race, and four in this year's; Crouse and Matthews ran against Donato Rufo, New Castle County Vo-Tech, and Domenico Zaffora, Woodbridge.
"We actually did increase our voter turnout this time," Crouse said. Though she was glad that was the case, she felt it was lower than it should be.
"To me, that is the one sad thing, that our members don't vote," she said, adding that "The union is there when they need something, and they just don't participate in the process. I think they're too busy with all the other responsibilities in the school, no matter what position they are in."
Matthews was also disappointed with the number of ballots cast but did not speculate as to the cause.
"I'm hopeful there will be a runoff election so I may rally my voters again," he said. "And while I'm glad that turnout increased, I'm hopeful that any runoff or future elections for DSEA sees more voter participation."
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The candidates
Matthews and Crouse have different backgrounds, though both have served with their local unions.
Matthews is a 2005 graduate of Temple University and has a degree in communications as well as a master’s in elementary education from Wilmington University. He has been employed as a teacher at Red Clay Consolidated School District since 2009, working in Richardson Park, Warner and Cooke elementary schools.
From 2013-16 he led the Red Clay Education Association, and as its president, in 2015, voted “no confidence” in the Department of Education after it proposed a plan to turn around three of the district’s Wilmington city schools.
The Red Clay Education Association at the time argued state leaders have "continued to label and slander Delaware's traditional public schools" based on standardized test scores, dropped mandates on teachers without their input and spent millions of dollars on internal department positions and external consultant firms they say should have gone to classrooms.
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Crouse, on the other hand, is financial secretary for Lake Forest Schools, which she says uniquely qualifies her for the position because "we are not just a teachers union."
"I'm a voice for all educators," she said.
She is currently DSEA's vice president. She is also a 25-year member of the Lake Forest Education Association and has served as its president, vice president, contract negotiator and grievance chair.
In her election profile, Crouse wrote: “The following quote really sums up my feelings about education: ‘A child is like a butterfly in the wind. Some can fly higher than others; but each one flies the best it can. Why compare one against the other? Each one is different! Each one is special! Each one is beautiful!’ As DSEA President, I will find ways to help our members work towards recognizing and achieving the highest heights for all families and students.”
Contact Jessica Bies at (302) 324-2881 or jbies@delawareonline.com. Follow her on Twitter @jessicajbies.