The latest installment of our series of interviews with school director candidates across Pennsylvania brings us to the Tredyffrin/Easttown School District.

Regina Mauro is running for school director in Region 1 of the Tredyffrin/Easttown School District, located in Chester County. She is a registered Republican and a small business owner and importer.

Why are you running for the school board?

“One of the most valuable life lessons from my parents came from the recognition of how difficult it was for them as recent immigrants to place my siblings’ and my education at the center of every decision they made. Guided by the conviction that our futures depended on it, they would move to the best district, take an extra job, have our clothes made at home, and share a car because their top priorities were securing the absolute best education for the four of us, and scarce financial resources would not get in their way.

“I, as they did for me, and my husband, as his immigrant dad emphasized for him, believed and made it so for our own sons. We moved to Tredyffrin/Easttown School District because of its schools’ academic reputation sixteen years ago.

“People ask me why I run for school board director when I still reside in one of the most academically recognized school districts. My answer is because over 40 percent of our eighth graders are entering high school with below-par proficiency in math. Worse yet, that number has grown by seventeen percent since 2019. That’s the year the current board took control. I believe significant school policies and investments not focused on preparing our children for an increasingly competitive job market, socially well-intended as they may have been, have had an undeniable role in this and other outcomes. The current board has the wrong philosophy, the wrong focus, and the wrong direction. I am both eager and equipped to help turn it around.”

What are the most important issues facing your district?

“The most important issue facing the district is the lack of diversity of thought within the school board and the lack of representation for the thousands of more conservative and moderate parents and taxpayers who strongly oppose certain decisions, policies, and investments made by the current school board. Despite the fact that the majority of voters in the district are not aligned with the same political party, our school board is composed of nine directors who are all aligned with the same political party.

“Our community cannot afford such a monolithic governing body, especially where our children and our tax dollars are concerned. Inclusion and diversity of thought will lead to our growth, evolution, and superior outcomes.”

What is your professional background/experience? What skills would you bring to the board?

“I have been blessed throughout my professional career with leadership opportunities in domestic and foreign markets. Please visit my website to learn more about my skills, experience, accomplishments, and highlights spanning more than 30 years.”

Have you run for political office previously? Have you been politically active?

“Yes. I was approached and ran for Chester County Controller in 2021, then stepped in to run for my party’s congressional nomination in 2022. As with most Cuban Americans, I have a deep love for our country and remain most informed and passionately engaged not only on matters that impact it today, but those that could in the future.”

Are you running with other candidates?

“Yes! I have the honor to be in the company of other balance-minded members of my community. In Regions 1 and 2 (Tredyffrin Township), I am joined by Yan Liu, Bogdan Rosca and Deana Wang; parents, advanced-degree professionals, and fellow first-generation Americans focused on their children’s future. In Region 3 (Easttown Township), we have Tina Laczko, a successful businesswoman intent on making sure her daughter has everything she needs to become a healthy, well-rounded, and empowered woman. To learn more about our platform, visit our website.”

What is the most important role of the school board, in your opinion?

“The most important role of the school board is to understand that there are different roles, participation, and authority over different aspects of a child’s upbringing. The school’s role is to provide the type of skills and knowledge that parents are less equipped to provide for their children. From math to science, specialized instruction, and advanced technologies, it is the school’s responsibility to provide resources that set the children up for success in careers that will sustain them for the rest of their lives.

“The parent’s or guardian’s role is to care for the child in every other aspect. From the spiritual to the social and emotional, as the full-time, lifelong presence in the child’s life, they are best equipped to provide the support children need to become healthy, balanced, and well adjusted adults.

“The Board needs to create an environment based on mutual respect and recognition that there are boundaries that must never be crossed. A big component is the understanding that these are not the school’s children, but minors entrusted to their care for a few hours a day by their full-time parents and guardians who know, love, and care for them most.”

We contacted the Democratic and Republican committees in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Lancaster, Lehigh, and Montgomery counties and asked them to share the questions with their school director candidates. Broad + Liberty will post the responses throughout the summer to assist voters in learning about the candidates running in their district. The series is open to any school director on the ballot in November. Please contact barosica@broadandliberty.com for more information.

Broad + Liberty is a nonprofit media endeavor dedicated to sharing voices and stories that are shut out of other media outlets. @BroadAndLiberty