Outside Influence in Local School Board Elections
Recent developments in Southern York County have raised concerns about the growing role of outside political groups, national donors, and partisan influences in shaping our local school district. Decisions about our schools should be made by and for the community — yet increasingly, outside organizations are seeking to influence who serves on our board and what policies are adopted.
National Influencers Enter Local Politics
At the September SYCSD School Board meeting, social media personality Scott Presler attended and spoke during public comment. Presler, who leased a Shrewsbury property that day to qualify to speak, used his time to discuss his work with national conservative organizations and his ties to high-profile political figures.
Presler is the founder of Early Vote Action, a nonprofit focused on boosting Republican voter turnout. His group typically operates in conservative regions, and he has recently been active in Southern York County — canvassing for SYC Conservatives for School Board candidates and even joining the local Fourth of July parade.
According to OpenSecrets, a nonpartisan campaign-finance watchdog, Elon Musk donated $1 million to Presler’s Early Vote Action PAC in August 2024. This demonstrates how national funding helps fuel political activity in small communities like ours.
Outside Legal and Advocacy Groups
Beyond campaign activity, outside organizations have also been influencing district policy. Several conservative board members have ties to the PA Family Institute (PAFI) and its legal affiliate, the Independence Law Center (ILC), a Harrisburg-based Christian law firm.
Earlier this year, the board contracted with Jeremy Samek, Senior Counsel for the ILC, to draft two policies — 216.2 and 123.3 — addressing pronoun use, bathroom access, and athletic eligibility for transgender students, despite the fact that the district already pays for a solicitor. Similar ILC-drafted policies have appeared in other Pennsylvania districts, particularly in York County.
Critics of this collaboration raise several concerns:
“Pro bono” legal services may expose districts to costly discrimination lawsuits.
Such policies may undermine the professional judgment of educators and librarians.
Contracting with politically affiliated legal groups risks putting marginalized students at greater risk, invites potential conflicts of interest, and exposes districts to financial and legal liability.
Money and Coordination Among Political Committees
Campaign finance reports also show that the SYC PAC, which supports the SYC Conservatives for School Board, receives significant outside funding. As of May 5, 37% of its contributions came from other political committees, and more than 56% when including individuals tied to those committees.
Many donors are associated with the PA Economic Growth PAC, which has organized meetings to coordinate school-board agendas across several south-central Pennsylvania counties. The SYC PAC’s filings also list loans from current board members and candidates — a practice that can make it difficult to determine the original source of funds.
Why Local Control Matters
Together, these connections demonstrate how outside partisan agendas are dictating local school-board policy.
When decisions about our schools are driven by outside organizations and national agendas, local priorities such as student safety, educational quality, and inclusion risk being overshadowed by political messaging.
Southern York County deserves school-board leaders who:
Prioritize education, respect, and transparency.
Represent the families and students who live here.
Base decisions on local needs, not national partisan agendas.
Our schools belong to our community. Maintaining local control ensures that policies reflect the values of all Southern York County families — not those of national political movements or outside interest groups.
To restore balance and community-based leadership, vote November 4 for Sarah, Bernie, Jalen, and Lou — candidates committed to keeping politics out of our classrooms and decision-making in local hands.