Board of Education candidate Jaime Brennan has written and signed an Ethical Endorsement Pledge, promising “to neither seek nor accept political or financial support for my campaign from any company or union who contracts with the Frederick County Public Schools.”

You can watch her video announcement by clicking here.

“If a Board of Education member accepted a donation from a textbook company and then later chose that company’s textbook, everyone would agree that’s unethical,” Brennan said. “But for years, many Board of Education candidates have actively sought out the union endorsements so they could reap the benefits of union spending on their campaigns. Even though Board members vote on their contracts, it’s hardly ever questioned.”

“Elected officials should avoid even the appearance of impropriety,” Brennan said. “Accepting financial and political support from any organization you contract with is well over the line.”

The idea for the pledge started after the Frederick County Teachers Association, the union that represents teachers, sent Brennan a questionnaire. National data shows that union-endorsed candidates win about 70% of the time. “I want to work side by side with parents to put children’s priorities first, not be beholden to the business or political priorities of adults.”

Brennan has posted her signed pledge below and asked candidates to return their responses to her by February 26, which she will post. “Voters deserve to know where candidates stand. With our academic results continuing to decline, parents want schools to get back to basics and produce real, measurable results. The last thing they want is Board members playing politics.”

Mrs. Brennan served on the Board of the Frederick Classical Charter School, currently ranked the #1 charter elementary school in Maryland. She is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) with 22 years of experience and is a Frederick County Public School parent.

(Note: The Frederick County Teachers Association is a union. It is a common misconception that the word “association” means that it is not. But FCTA is a union. The Frederick Association of School Support Employees (FASSE) for supporting services staff and the Frederick County Administrative and Supervisory Association (FCASA) are also unions.)