Buck: State College residents deserve to know truth about school board candidates

Justice Louis Brandeis wrote, “Sunshine is the best disinfectant.”

On April 10, then United for SCASD school board candidate Megan Layng and her husband, Ken, entered the State College High School after hours. They had no appointment and no apparent legitimate district business. The door they entered lacked a “No Trespassing” sign. A permanent sign was waiting to be placed there. Their entrance was caught on video. The administration asked the board, in a non-executive email, if we knew who the individuals were. Two board members identified them as the Layngs.

The Layngs proceeded to the library where they were observed taking pictures of books. Staff in the library notified security. The Layngs were escorted out of the building without further incident. The administration immediately updated security protocols. Ms. Layng was removed from the United for SCASD slate and all mention of her was removed from their website within a few days.

It is highly unlikely that a candidate will just naively wander into a school, unannounced after a prayer walk, and start looking at books. Perhaps a couple, new to the district and quaintly interested in how many Shakespeare collections we have, might do that. But given Mr. Layng’s associations, we should be careful. He was involved with Uncensored America, which brought Proud Boys founder Gavin McInness to Penn State. Proud Boys leaders have been convicted of seditious conspiracy in the January 6 insurrection. The Canadian government labels them a “neo-fascist organization that engages in political violence.” Why were the Layngs in the library again?

Citizens deserve to know these facts. So shortly after viewing the footage and reading the emails, I shared them with a Centre Daily Times reporter. My actions respect the rule of law, the voter as the source of our decision-making, and our institutions as the means for our democratic republic to function. They increase sunshine for citizens.

Our libraries, public schools, free and fair press, and our systems of elections do not magically protect themselves. History proves nations fall into authoritarianism because people acquiesce to those who would steal their freedoms. People who underestimate the tenacity, seriousness, brazenness and creativity of would-be tyrants regret their decisions later. So unelected people sneaking into libraries because their “constituents” are concerned about some books — likely books by queer or Black authors — are probably just getting started. Take them seriously now.

Ask them questions. It’s true that this might be difficult. Some candidates, including Mrs. Layng, have not participated in candidates’ night and refused or revoked their candidate interviews on C-NET. This makes it even more important that we understand a candidates’ actions.

Last week, the United for SCASD political action committee and a handful of extremists called for me to resign from the SCASD board because I provided these facts to the CDT. They also called on the board to censure me. The board has released a statement on this matter.

I will not resign.

I will not be cow-towed by bullies seeking to overturn the 2021 election. I will act with conscience. I will fight for our public school and the freedom to learn, our libraries and our freedom of thought, our fair press and the freedom of speech. I will serve the remainder of my term.