By Mary Niederberger
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

New school board officers were elected throughout the area last week, with many of the votes taking just a few minutes and involving little discussion.

But in the Steel Valley and Mt. Lebanon school districts, some unusual discussion and comments preceeded the votes.

In Steel Valley, school Director Edward McCallister said he felt compelled to disclose to the public that board members received e-mails that discussed whether or not the district’s benefactor William Campbell, chairman of Intuit Inc., was trying to influence the election by supporting a particular candidate.

In Mt. Lebanon, school Director Sue Rose read a statement in support of Alan Silhol, who was elected the new board president. But the statement was also highly critical of outgoing president Mark Hart.

In Steel Valley, school Director Pamela Terrick responded to Mr. McCallister’s disclosure by saying that she had heard that school directors Vince Natale and Thomas Olson were lobbied by Mr. Campbell to vote for school Director Joseph Ducar for president. She said if that were true, she thought Mr. Campbell’s involvement to be inappropriate.

[ Full story available at: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08346/934223-55.stm ]