The latest installment of our series of interviews with school director candidates across Pennsylvania brings us to the Downingtown Area School District.
Christopher Bressi is running for school director in the Downingtown Area School District in Region 1, located in Chester County. He is a registered Republican and currently works in higher education as an executive and adjunct professor.
Why are you running for the school board?
“As a school board candidate, the primary reason I am running is to ensure that our children receive the best possible education and can reach their full potential. Education is the foundation of a strong and prosperous nation, and it is essential that we invest in our schools to equip our future leaders with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed.”
What are the most important issues facing your district?
“Regarding the most important issues facing our district, there are several key areas that require attention. First and foremost, we must focus on improving the quality of education in our schools. This includes supporting our teachers, providing them with the resources they need, and implementing innovative teaching methods that cater to the diverse needs of our students.
“Secondly, we need to address the issue of school funding. It’s vital to ensure that our schools receive adequate financial support to maintain and improve their facilities, technology, and extracurricular programs. A strong and stable funding system is crucial to creating an environment where students can thrive.
“Thirdly, we should promote parental involvement in the education process. Engaging parents in their children’s education fosters a supportive learning environment and helps students succeed academically and emotionally.
“Finally, we need to pay attention to safety and discipline in our schools. Creating a safe and secure learning environment is essential for both students and teachers to excel in their respective roles. By addressing these critical issues, we can work together to build a brighter future for our community and provide our children with the best possible education to prepare them for success in the world.”
What is your professional background/experience? What skills would you bring to the board?
“I started in the higher education sector back in 1998 as a research assistant and then later as a graduate assistant. Since those humbler beginnings, I have held various senior-level positions, including Academic Dean, Department Chair, Site Director, Director of Education, and National Director. I have had the privilege of teaching Education, Technology, Instructional Design, and Law and Justice classes as an Adjunct Professor around the greater Philadelphia area for over two decades. As an adjunct professor, I have taught both college students and dual-enrollment high school students.
“I hold multiple undergraduate degrees, including a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science with a public administration concentration. I received a Master of Science degree in Instructional Design Technology with a certification in K–12 Technology Planning and hold a Postgraduate Diploma in Advanced Forensic Science. Likewise, I am a current doctoral candidate, All But Dissertation (ABD), with an anticipated early graduation date in 2024, while maintaining a 3.9 GPA and majoring in Instructional Design Technology with a concentration in Educational Leadership. I also recently finished an enrichment program through Yale University and plan to be working towards another doctorate program starting next year if my workload permits.
“Outside of that, I coach many different local sports teams around the area and serve on a local athletic board. Furthermore, I contribute my time and energy to a host of nonprofits. My life and career have been completely devoted to service and helping young people succeed. It is nothing for me to continue to mentor past students years or even decades after I had them in class.
“My academic and technology passions include distance learning, MOOCs (massive open online courses), virtual reality, and augmented reality, and I can bring all of this expertise to the Downingtown Area School District.”
Have you run for political office previously? Have you been politically active?
“No. I actually dislike politics and would never consider myself a politician. I am running at the behest of concerned parents who approached me five separate times. I said no the first four times. Upon the fifth request, I finally relented, and only if they truly thought I could be of legitimate service.”
Are you running with other candidates?
“I am loosely running with fellow Republican candidates who are like-minded and want the best for our children. Those candidates are Duanne Scavicchio and Rebecca Podhiny. You can learn more about my campaign at my website.”
What is the most important role of the school board, in your opinion?
“In my opinion, the most important role of the school board is to act as a bridge between the community and the school district. The school board serves as the voice of the people, representing the interests and values of the community while making decisions that directly impact the education and well-being of students. The school board’s primary responsibility is to set policies and priorities that guide the school district’s operations. This involves making crucial decisions about curriculum development, budget allocation, hiring and evaluating school personnel, and adopting policies that promote a safe and nurturing learning environment.
“Furthermore, the school board plays a critical oversight role. They must monitor the district’s progress, academic performance, and financial health, ensuring that resources are used effectively and efficiently. Transparency and accountability are essential aspects of this oversight function to maintain the public’s trust in the education system. The board must also actively engage with parents, educators, and community members to understand their concerns and aspirations for the schools. This open communication allows the board to better serve the needs of the community and make informed decisions that reflect the desires of those they represent.
“Ultimately, the school board’s most vital role is to ensure that all students receive a high-quality education, regardless of their background or circumstances. By being responsive to the community’s needs and focusing on student success, the school board can make a positive and lasting impact on the future of education in the district.”
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
Mr. Bressi spent five paragraphs trying to wow voters with his credentials (notice how he only mentions one school: Yale) without providing even one actionable idea. I am a DASD parent and he does not seem to share even one of my priorities: student mental health, the arts, full day K, shortening bus rides, the need for a new building . . . . Bressi uses a lot of words but he didn’t mention even one of these things. He seems out of touch with his constituents, and for all his talk about communication and partnership, I question if he’s willing to make an effort with anyone outside of his circle.
Sorry but Mr. Bressi will never get my vote. I joined his campaign FB page when he first announced he was running. Whenever I would comment or ask a question, my posts were always “pending” approval but never approved or answered. Then when I pointed out a possible error on the page description (he referenced Uwchlan and instead of Upper Uwchlan) I was promptly booted and blocked from his campaign page. If this is how he treats potential constituents while campaigning, then I definitely don’t want his representing me on the School Board.
I had the same experience with my comments landing in the pending category or not being able to comment back to him for an actual dialog. Just this week, he posted a quote from Mike Tyson about lifting up other men, having strong role models. While that idea is very nice, I commented that Tyson is a convicted rapist and admitted woman abuser and perhaps we should not use his words as guidance. I was booted from his page for that comment. I am voter in Region 1 and was disgusted to be censored but also removed for a comment that was completely factual. Bressi repeatedly calls for greater fiscal responsibility, I have asked numerous times for what this actually means, where are we cutting the budget and have never been given an answer. In addition, I am very leary of the use of what appears to be AI generated posts on his page, especially from someone who has spent time in academia — the use of AI is a hotly disputed topic in academia, mostly concerning plagarism.
“Thirdly, we should promote parental involvement in the education process. Engaging parents in their children’s education fosters a supportive learning environment and helps students succeed academically and emotionally.”
Though an affiliation not mentioned here, Mr. Bressi’s endorsement by Moms for Liberty would seemingly imply that there is one cohort of parents whose involvement would be prioritized should Mr. Bressi (or his fellow M4L endorsed DASD candidate, Mr. Scavicchio) be elected. One could say this is merely speculation, but Mr. Bressi’s long-standing habit of blocking non-M4L acolytes from his campaign Facebook page indicates that he is not open to parental viewpoints not cast through a M4L style lens. That is very concerning to all constituents residing outside of his echo chamber.
It’s not hard to read through the smoke screen- he uses lots of words, to distract from his lack of actual plans and ideas, and he’s voiced and supported many plans that would harm public education. Being endorsed by Moms for Liberty indicates supporting anti LGBTQ views, book bans, and other ideas that create a hostile school atmosphere.
Mr. Bressi sounds like a kid running for class president who promises to ban homework and have a Dairy Queen installed in the cafeteria. Plenty of “warm and fuzzy” promises but no actual plan or ability to get anything accomplished.
Chris Bressi is Chester County’s own George Santos. He likes to boast about his credentials, but is intentionally vague to imply that they are more impressive than they actually are. For example, he’ll tell anyone who will listen about the Yale classes he took to sound impressive, but he’ll leave out the fact that it’s a free online class that’s open to everyone. You can take it yourself here: https://www.coursera.org/learn/the-science-of-well-being-for-teens. He gladly brags about his job titles, but conveniently omits what organizations they were with (and how many were with “companies” he made up). He’ll insist that you call him “Professor Chris Bressi”, but doesn’t actually talk about where or what he teaches.
Mr. Bressi also likes to talk about how “transparency and accountability” are the top issues, but he silences anyone who asks a question he doesn’t like. On his facebook page, whenever there’s a question he can’t answer, he deletes it and bans the person. Usually he claims that they were booted because he couldn’t verify that they lived in his region, but he’ll gladly welcome anyone else from outside the region – or even from out of state – as long as they agree with him. He’s all about communication an unity, but only if you’re telling him how great he is.
Chris Bressi will promise you the world, but never actually get into any specifics on how he’ll get any of the things he promises accomplished. Read the article yourself. He certainly loves using lots of words, but doesn’t actually say anything meaningful. “Improve the quality of education”, “support our teachers”, “foster a supportive learning environment” – ok, how? What specifically are you going to do? Go back and read every paragraph and find one single thing that he talks about that actually addresses any actions that will be taken. Instead, every sentence is just a “feel-good” buzzword jumble.
He also seems to not really know what a school board member does. In his grandiose promises about how he’ll make everything great, he seems to think that the school board has the duty and power to control everything. Even things that are completely outside of the board’s control, he’ll promise that he’ll fix it. The things he’s mentioned often fall under the powers of the principals, teachers, or even the township or state, but he’ll promise that only he can fix it, as long as he has your vote.
Chris Bressi should have some familiarity with the school board, because in the past he’s stood up to speak at them. However, when he did, he used a fake name! Why would somebody use a fake name when speaking at a school board meeting? I’d ask him myself on his facebook page, but the question would be deleted and I’d be blocked faster than he could say, “well, actually…”
Anyone thinking of voting for Mr. Santos….sorry, I mean Mr. Bressi, please ask what he actually intends to do, other than promise the world.
I am interested in more details from. Chris Bressi and other candidates so I can vote consciously. I would like clarity on:
– The specifics of how you would increase school funding. Especially so that the needs of all children are addressed equally.
– Your position on public taxes being used by private schools including religious schools.
– Your opinion, with details, as to whether or not religion should be taught in public schools. If you do, then what religion?
– I know numerous teachers, here and across the country, who have been excellent, compassionate, and thoughtful educators, who are leaving the field, appalled at the politicizing of teachers and teaching and the rudeness and aggression manifested in some cases at meetings. I believe in deep listening on all sides and also modeling civil and respectful behavior. What specific models would you suggest that parents, teachers, and administration model for our students?
– What do you mean by discipline?
– I am hearing a lot about book-banning. Who specifically, should be choosing what books are available?
– I am meeting numerous families who are home-schooling. Some of the children seem to be doing amazingly well academically and socially and others, quite shockingly poorly. It seems not all parents are equipped to teach and cultivate critical thinking, so that even basic knowledge us absorbed and others are cultivating curious, open-minded, whole persons with time for enriching trips and activities which make learning a lifelong quest. Some of the children I encounter have learning and/or behavior challenges that need professional evsluation and early intervention and are not receiving it. What kind of oversight and evaluation do you think is appropriate for home schooling? I support the idea as a choice, but on cases where children are not having needs addressed, who advocates for their educational welfare? If the answer is that resources are available, I am aware of that, but what about parents who won’t access resources and their children suffer as a result? How do we address the rights of a child to a good education? I am looking for specifics.
– How would you (concretely) cultivate a universal love of learning?
Reading others’ comments, I am interested in names and places since you mentioned you educational and employment background. It may, or may not, be a factor in who I vote for since I have known outstanding school board members who were largely self-educated and amazing and creative advocates for a well-rounded education for the students, but I am curious.
Lastly- I have been hearing a lot about bullying from kids and parents as well as suicides. What specific plans and programs would you back to alleviate this very real suffering?
– Who should people contact with concerns and what process should they follow if there is no response?
Thanks
If he’d have answered all that, how would he have in Yale?
His opponent (the incumbent) is a former DASD teacher. I recommend you contact her with these questions as well. Comparing answers world be very interesting. Good questions!
I agree, while it would be valuable to have a professor on the board to help better prepare students for higher education. We must remember not every student wants/needs to go to college.
The Biden Administration beat the Trump Administration by less than 1 percent of the vote in Georgia, Arizona and Wisconsin in 2020 and less than 3 percent in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Nevada.
Last week a Connecticut judge overturned the results of Connecticut’s largest city’s Democratic mayoral primary, ordering a new election. Superior Court Judge William Clark determined the allegations of possible malfeasance (which seemed caught on tape) warranted throwing out the results of the Sept. 12 primary, which was won by 251 votes (3%) out of the 8,173 cast. Another election where absentee ballots secured the margin of victory.
Despite the judge’s order, it’s not clear yet whether it will be necessary for Bridgeport to hold another primary. Lawyers for the parties told Connecticut Public that it depends on the outcome of tomorrow (11/7) general election. Link here: https://turnto10.com/news/nation-world/ballot-stuffing-concerns-forces-ct-judge-to-overturn-democratic-mayoral-election-results-john-gomes-bridgeport-new-england-trump-joe-ganim-john-gomes-connecticut
How many votes do you think are going to be cast in this specific election? Will the so-called absentee ballots – which the CT case shows are suspect – help swing things by 1-3%? Who can say?