During my years of service in the U.S. Navy, a supervisor once told me if you’re going to complain about a problem, ensure you are willing to offer a solution. After years of watching the Brunswick School Department irresponsibly spend tax payer dollars and foolishly embrace the misguided diversity, equity and inclusion framework, I’ve stepped forward to offer an alternate perspective. While I’m under no illusion that the voice of a single conservative on an overwhelmingly liberal school board will turn the outcome of a vote, at a minimum, I can call attention to the viewpoint of a large minority of citizens whose voice has gone unheard and positions unrepresented.

I made Brunswick my home after being stationed aboard the Navy base in 2006. I have a diverse background: over 25 years of experience as an educator, 15 years in law enforcement/security, and significant exposure in the fields of business administration and cybersecurity. For volunteer service, I’m a board member of Maine Paws for Veterans and serve on Brunswick’s Personnel Board and Nathaniel Davis Fund Committee.

My overarching platform objective is to be a voice for ALL of Brunswick. While the community is majority liberal, we do have a significant portion of the citizenry who have a more middle-of-the-road and conservative perspective. Unfortunately, those minority voices have largely been absent from our school board for years. Furthermore, for a school board that claims to cherish diversity, it lacks it entirely. This body of nine elected positions has been held by seven to eight women for over six years. During this same period, all the members have been Caucasian and had children attending Brunswick public schools. There has been absolutely nobody on the board representing the perspective of senior citizens, parents who send their child to private school, parents who homeschool their child, citizens who belong to a minority race or citizens who are not parents. All these people pay taxes, roughly 60% of which go directly to the School Department but none of whom are represented on our school board. I would venture to say their inherent bias and voting decisions have directly benefitted their children at the expense of everyone else in this community, particularly when it comes to spending decisions.

Since adopting a DEI framework upon which all decisions are based, BSD spending has skyrocketed. The FY20 school budget was $40.1 million. The FY26 proposed budget is $57.7 million, a whopping 44% increase over seven years despite a less than 4% increase in the student population over this same period. How many of us have seen our income increase 44% over seven years? Most of us haven’t, which means we’ve had to find ways to live within our means. Yet, the BSD has no concept of tightening the belt and going without nice little extras. While 80% of the student body is in regular education at a cost of $23 million, $11.3 million goes to the 20% of the student body that is in special education. For a school board that embraces equity, I fail to see how spending one-third of the education budget on one-fifth of the student body is equitable. For years, I’ve noted BSD has a bloated and overpaid administration. Priorities are placed on buying bleachers, paving gravel parking lots off school property, replacing lights that are not broken, employing nine social workers, too many administrative assistants, a pre-kindergarten strategist, a math coach, etc. The only ridiculous proposal the board said no to in six years was an attempt to replace a facilities tractor that was old but otherwise serviceable.

It’s my position that the BSD should replace DEI with a merit-based framework where students, faculty and staff receive consideration based on the content of their character and their demonstrated ability. A framework where fairness and commonsense are valued. On a BSD board on which I serve:

• I’ll never vote to approve any measure that affirms DEI.
• I’ll not vote to increase wages or benefits for administrators for at least five years.
• I’ll not vote for any measure that increases the size of the administration for at least five years.
• I’ll not vote to extend or renew the contract of the current superintendent.

Finally, it’s my position that biological males do not belong in girls’ sports, girls’ locker rooms or girls’ bathrooms. This is not an anti-trans position but rather a pro-female and pro-fairness position. Trans students, as all students, should be treated with respect, dignity and afforded the same opportunity to participate in athletics as any other student. However, that participation must be fair and should be in a league that matches the students’ biological sex or setup as coed/open for students of either biological sex.

Shaun M. Hogan is a Brunswick resident and school board candidate for the special election to be held on June 10.