{"id":22243,"date":"2025-11-02T04:11:13","date_gmt":"2025-11-02T04:11:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/22243\/"},"modified":"2025-11-02T04:11:13","modified_gmt":"2025-11-02T04:11:13","slug":"3-candidates-vying-for-2-easton-area-school-board-seats-in-nov-4-election-armchair-lehigh-valley","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/22243\/","title":{"rendered":"3 candidates vying for 2 Easton Area School Board seats in Nov. 4 election | Armchair Lehigh Valley"},"content":{"rendered":"

Armchair Lehigh Valley content is published on lehighvalleylive.com<\/a>as part of a partnership with the website, which aims to give voters nonpartisan factual information. Armchair Lehigh Valley is run by publisher Katherine Reinhard and editor Robert H. Orenstein. For more information, or to subscribe at armchairlehighvalley.substack.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In the Easton Area School District<\/a>, five regional seats with four-year terms are up for election on Nov. 4, but only one region has a contested race.<\/p>\n

In Region 3, incumbent Democrat Meg Sayago, Democrat Edward Keegan, a former school board member, and Republican Shaun Jensen are vying for two seats. School board member Nekisha Robertson, whose term ends this year, did not seek reelection. Region 3 comprises Easton\u2019s Third Ward, all of Forks Township and the independent district in Lower Mount Bethel Township.<\/p>\n

In Region 1, which mostly covers Palmer Township, incumbent Brian Snyder is the only candidate for one seat after running unopposed in the May primary.<\/p>\n

Similarly, in Region 2, which includes most of Easton, Democrats Shandeka M. Greenfield and Joshua Davis are unopposed for two available seats after facing no challengers in May. Region 2 board members Susan Hartranft-Bittinger and Dionne Wellington, whose terms end this year, did not seek reelection. Hartranft-Bittinger, who ran for Easton City Council instead, is unopposed in November to represent District 3.<\/p>\n

Here is a look at the contested race in Region 3.<\/p>\n

Edward Keegan \u2013 Democrat<\/p>\n

Edward Keegan won the Democratic and Republican nominations in the May primary. He served four years on the Easton school board until he lost to Michael Simonetta in 2023. Simonetta will remain on the board until 2027.<\/p>\n

According to the Vote411 online voters\u2019 guide, Keegan believes in \u201cimproving student achievement for all students by evaluating programs at all levels.\u201d<\/p>\n

He said that this can be done using data already available with no additional cost to the district.<\/p>\n

\u201cA great school district will benefit all and keep our property values high,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Keegan has a doctorate from Rutgers University. He worked for 43 years in public education before retiring, several of those years as a school superintendent in New Jersey. He still teaches as an adjunct instructor.<\/p>\n

He is married to Northampton County council member Kelly Keegan, a nurse in the district whose alleged social media comments about Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist who was assassinated in September, have sparked calls for her removal from council and her job.<\/p>\n

Keegan could not be reached for comment.<\/p>\n

Shaun Jensen \u2013 Republican<\/p>\n

Shaun Jensen is a New York City high school science teacher who lives in Palmer and has two sons in district schools. On his Facebook campaign page<\/a>, Jensen outlined his vision for Easton schools, saying he wants to focus on academic excellence, fiscal responsibility, safety and discipline in the classroom, merit-based advancement for staff and parental rights.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am deeply invested in the future of our community and believe it is everyone\u2019s civic duty to make sure it becomes a reality,\u201d he said. \u201cMy commitment is to ensure our schools provide a superior education while respecting the values and financial well-being of every family we serve while making it safe for students and staff.\u201d<\/p>\n

While graduation rates have seen a slight increase, Jensen said, proficiency in math and literacy has declined alarmingly. A diploma should represent genuine achievement, he said, not just attendance. \u201cI support programs like RAD (Rovers Achieving Diplomas),\u201d he said, \u201cwhich help students get back on track, but we must re-focus our efforts on rigorous academics and measurable student outcomes \u2014 ensuring our children are truly prepared for life beyond high school.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jensen believes the school district must stop \u201cspending beyond our means.\u201d He would like to see improvement in educational outcomes without raising taxes, which he says \u201cthreaten the stability of our community\u201d and \u201cplac[e] an unfair burden on families, seniors, and local businesses.\u201d He believes tax increases will \u201cdrive families away due to a high cost of living.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI will advocate for responsible budgeting that prioritizes classroom resources and teacher support over administrative bloat and wasteful initiatives,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Another concern for Jensen is providing a safe, orderly environment for students where teachers are safe and \u201clearning can thrive.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDisruptive and violent behavior has no place in our schools and we should look at protocols that allow revictimization to occur,\u201d he said. \u201cSchool safety is non-negotiable.\u201d<\/p>\n

Students should be held accountable, while the district should actively engage parents as partners in maintaining discipline, Jensen said.<\/p>\n

Parents\u2019 values should also take precedence when it comes to \u201chealth and moral decisions.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI firmly believe that parents have the right to direct their children\u2019s upbringing, education, and well-being,\u201d he said in a Facebook post. \u201cThe district should support families, not override their values and choices.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jensen could not be reached for comment.<\/p>\n

Meg Sayago \u2013 Democrat, incumbent<\/p>\n

Meg Sayago, a two-term incumbent who has served as board president, talks about her lifetime of experience with the district. Her father came from Easton. Her mother taught in the district for her entire career. She has lived in Easton\u2019s College Hill neighborhood for more than 20 years and her children have attended Easton schools.<\/p>\n

\u201c I am laser-focused on ensuring academic excellence and prioritizing student safety, health and wellness,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

She lists adequate staffing and facilities as the most important priorities for the district, according to Vote411. To make sure the district meets students\u2019 needs, she advocates \u201ccareful budgeting and responsible use of revenue from local, state and federal funding sources\u201d with district representatives ready to fight for \u201cfair\u201d funding.<\/p>\n

Sayago, who works as a school librarian, has a master\u2019s degree in library and information science and a bachelor\u2019s degree in secondary education\/social studies.<\/p>\n

Sayago did not respond to email requests for an interview.<\/p>\n

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