Mary-Eileen Russell
The 2024 election season will see voters from several school districts in Talbot County choose their
representatives for the Talbot County School Board. There are six candidates and, while neither political
party is formally endorsing them, they do have varying views concerning the education of our children.
Three are conservative and three are progressive. The conservative candidates are: Ann O’Connor
(District 2), Karla Wieland-Cherry (District 5), and Kerry Gunshenan (District 6). The progressive
candidates are: Cynthia Jurrius ( District 6), Anna Howie (District 5) and Candace Henry (District 2).
As a public service, the local chapter of a parent support group called Moms for Liberty hosted a debate
for the school board candidates on September 23 at the Easton fire house. All six candidates were invited;
four appeared, including Cynthia Jurrius and the three conservatives Ann O’Connor, Karla Wieland-
Cherry and Kerry Gunshenan. The event was a success and helpful for parents and grandparents in
deciding for whom they will vote to sit on the local school board. Another School Board Candidates’
Debate was held on Wednesday, October 2nd, at 6 p.m. at the Avalon Theater and all six candidates were
invited to speak.
While Moms for Liberty, according to several public statements made by the chapter chair Jan
Greenhawk, does not endorse any of the candidates, the Moms have been accused in a local periodical of
“inserting their partisan candidates into a non-partisan position.” Such an accusation is surprising in light
of the fact that another School Board Candidates’ Debate was held at the Academy Art Museum and
sponsored by the Talbot County Democratic Forum. Sadly, only three of the candidates were invited to
speak. And guess which three. Yes, the three more progressive candidates, who happen to be Democrats.
The other three candidates, the three conservative candidates, were not invited at all. And yet Moms for
Liberty, which has not endorsed a single candidate, is accused of partisanship? Why are liberals so afraid
to hear the opinions of conservatives, especially as regards our children’s education? Is it that
conservatives put children’s well-being ahead of the latest fads of social-engineering and psychological
manipulation? Is it because conservatives want to truly educate the children rather than indoctrinating
them with left-wing philosophies?
Mary-Eileen Russell grew up in Frederick, Maryland. She graduated in1984 from Hood College in Frederick with a BA in Psychology, and in 1985 from the State University of New York at Albany with an MA in Modern European History.She has taught elementary and middle school as well as children’s etiquette classes. She has also been a private tutor and a homeschooling mother. Mary-Eileen is the author of six books, five historical fiction and one biography under the pen name of Elena Maria Vidal. She has also written for periodicals such as The American Conservative and The Easton Gazette. She currently lives in Maryland with her family and has a history and politics blog called Tea at Trianon.
