Why Should Delaware Care?
The Christina School District is among the largest in Delaware and its school board has been the most acrimonious. Last year, the board experienced a power shift with the addition of new members. And that may now continue with the addition of still another new board member.
The president of Delaware’s union of teachers and other educators is likely to become the next member of the Christina Board of Education after the only other candidate for the appointment dropped out.
On Tuesday, the Christina Board of Education will appoint a new member to fill the seat previously held by Naveed Baqir, who was ousted from the position two months ago on the claim he does not live in his district – or in Delaware.
Two candidates had previously announced they would seek the nomination for the open seat, including Nakishia Bailey, a human resources manager at DOT Foods; and Stephanie Ingram, president of the Delaware State Education Association.
On Friday, the district announced that one of the candidates had dropped out and Spotlight Delaware later learned that it was Bailey. That left Ingram as the only one who could be appointed to serve until school board elections occur next year.
Ingram was elected president of the Delaware State Education Association in 2020 and again in 2023. The union is in the process of electing new leadership.
Scott Goss, communications director for the Delaware State Education Association, confirmed to Spotlight Delaware that Ingram was not the applicant who withdrew their application.
Bailey also confirmed that she had withdrawn her application.
“After careful consideration and prayer I have decided to respectfully decline the opportunity for the board seat for the Christina School District,” she said in a statement to Spotlight Delaware.
Bailey also said she was “unsettled by a recent board resignation and comments,” a reference to Shannon Troncoso’s resignation earlier this month. In a press release sent to Spotlight Delaware at the time, Troncoso cited transparency concerns and what she called discriminatory conduct as reasons for her resignation.
The Christina School District has not yet announced when it will name a replacement for Troncoso’s seat.
But, for Baqir’s former seat, the Christina School District website says the remaining candidate “will be declared appointed and officially announced at the regularly scheduled Christina Board of Education meeting,” which will occur Tuesday.
The district also announced that it has cancelled a candidate forum that had previously been scheduled for Monday evening.
