A slew of new candidates are running for School Committee this year, prompted by widespread concern about fiscal problems in Brookline schools.
In early February, eight Brookline residents had indicated they were considering running for three seats.
As of March 10, five candidates are still in the race: incumbents Helen Charlupski and Valerie Frias, former Brookline High School head of school Bob Weintraub, Brookline parent Danna Perry, and Brookline parent Uri Mariash.
According to the Town Clerk’s office, a sixth person, Akiva Leibowitz, also recently pulled papers to run for School Committee. Leibowitz did not respond to an interview request from Brookline.News.
The School Committee is currently working to close an $8 million budget gap for fiscal year 2026, which starts July 1.
When asked what brought them into the race, all three new candidates cited concerns about the current fiscal crisis and cyclical budget gaps.
Weintraub, a Town Meeting Member and longtime Brookline resident who served 23 years as the head of school at BHS, said he feels an “urgency to run” for School Committee given the current financial state of Brookline schools. He wants to address the district’s fiscal problems while protecting schools and educators, he said.
“I have a very, very, very strong belief that when you have budget problems you take care of the schoolhouse,” said Weintraub, who has publicly advocated for broad administrative cuts, including the removal of the district’s Office of Educational Equity.
Perry, a Brookline parent, described the schools’ budget crisis as “the light tap on the shoulder” she needed to join the race for School Committee. Perry called for a change in the dynamic between the School Committee and Brookline school administrators, especially in the face of fiscal concerns, she said.
“I believe it’s important to work collaboratively, but I also believe firmly in accountability,” Perry said.
Both Perry and Weintraub said stabilizing the district’s leadership is important to them and expressed concern about the departure of Pierce School principal Jamie Yadoff, who announced in February she will be leaving Brookline for a principal position in Newton this fall.
Weintraub described Yadoff’s departure as “a really bad symptom of what’s going on in our school system.”
The third new candidate — Brookline parent and former Town Meeting member Uri Mariash — said the budget gap also drew him into the race, especially as district administrators floated sweeping cuts to performing arts programming and other student-facing services.
“We’re falling behind academically,” Mariash said. “Even though we’re not considered a top district anymore, we’re spending a significant amount of money … Even if we have to go back to Town Meeting and ask for more, let’s ask for stuff that puts education front and center.”
Mariash, who was born in Ukraine and lived in Israel, also cited concerns about antisemitism in Brookline schools as a reason for entering the race.
Boris Palchik, Amir Grinstein and Lisa Butters-Scher took initial steps toward running for the position, but told Brookline.News they are no longer in the race for School Committee. Palchik and Butters-Scher endorsed Perry.
“Although I firmly believe that a fearless change of direction and decisive leadership are necessary at the school committee level, I will instead be supporting candidates like Danna Perry, who embody the qualities required for effective leadership,” Butters-Scher wrote in an email statement.
Charlupski, one of two incumbents in the race, said the School Committee is responsible for finding student-focused solutions to problems like the fiscal crisis, but doing so takes hard work.
“The budget and all sorts of issues bring more people into the mix, but in my experience to date it’s usually when an incumbent doesn’t run that there’s a contested election,” she said.
Frias, the other incumbent, said the district’s fiscal problems are alarming.
“I am deeply concerned at the lack of clarity and leadership we have so far gotten from the administration,” Frias wrote in a statement to Brookline.News. “These are difficult times for many districts, but the level of chaos we are currently experiencing in Brookline is unnecessary and intolerable.
Stay tuned: Brookline.News will publish in-depth interviews with every candidate for town-wide office, including School Committee, in the coming months.