We reported a couple of weeks ago that school board candidate in District 4, Mike Butler, was not allowed to substitute teach in the Talbot County Public Schools because he had been accused of campaigning while on school property. We wrote about that situation and how TCPS seems to be overtly supporting two incumbent board members, Emily Jackson and Amy Dodson, for re-election:
Last Monday, September 21, 2026, after five months, Mr. Butler was notified that he was once again allowed to sub in the school system. Here is a picture of that email:
As you can see, this email from Assistant Superintendent Dr. Horsey, who once endorsed Butler's opponent, Emily Jackson, tells Butler his name was "removed from the list" because of allegations of campaigning while on duty. Butler says he only answered "yes" when school staff asked if he was running. Strangely, one of the people who asked him was the President of the Talbot County Education Association Andy Burke. He asked Butler while Butler was subbing at Easton High School. Did he report Butler? After all, Burke and his union cohorts, don't have Butler on their "apple ballot."
In this email, Butler is instructed "not to discuss politics" while he is subbing. Horsey also writes, "TCPS embraces an official posture of neutrality on political candidates."
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Strange since TCPS seems to be partisan when it comes to candidates Emily Jackson and Amy Dodson, even allowing them to campaign on school property with school children in their ads. We showed many examples in the linked article above.
One would think that given the situation by Dr. Horsey to Mr. Butler, the other school board candidates would also be expected to respect the "official posture of neutrality on political candidates." Apparently not:
This is District 3 candidate Amy Dodson campaigning on what appears to be the school grounds of Easton Elementary. Here is the link to her video: https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1Emc3xrrMj/?mibextid=wwXIfr
Or this picture on social media which includes TCPS students:
Even though we posted an official state and local policy regarding campaigning with TCPS students, classrooms, materials, etc. in campaigns in our previous article, the school system seems confused as to whether they have a policy or not.
In response to an email regarding such policies that we sent almost two weeks ago to Superintendent Sharon Pepukayi regarding such policies, we got this answer over a week later:
This email indicates that there is NO POLICY REGARDING POLITICAL NEUTRALITY. We wonder why.
This brings up two questions. First, if there is no policy regarding political neutrality, why was Mr. Butler prevented from substituting last Spring? By the Superintendent's own words, there was no policy regarding political neutrality. Was political neutrality an excuse they used to remove Butler from subbing because they didn't want him to interact with TCPS staff, parents, etc.?
Second, if the system is "embracing neutrality" why doesn't that also apply to Ms. Jackson and Ms. Dobson? Are they actually using Mr. Butler's position as a substitute AGAINST HIM?
Also, who made the complaints and why weren't their names revealed to Mr. Butler? Isn't someone accused of breaking policy allowed to know who made the complaints so they can counter them?
To be accurate, substitute teachers have First Amendment rights like any other citizens while they are not on the job. In the schools, their speech IS limited. Do those limits extend to answering the questions of other staff? Was it planned for someone to ask Butler that question so he would get in trouble? It's unclear.
But, then again, we have seen the dirty tricks of some of the Dems in this election. Remember the attempted boycott of a local business for alleged sign violations? That backfired on Democrats in a huge way.
This situation with Butler brings up SO MANY QUESTIONS regarding the ETHICS of the Talbot County Public Schools chain of command and influence. Was a senior staff member hiding this situation from the Superintendent? Was the Superintendent purposely kept out of the loop for plausible deniability? After all, the Superintendent's contract terms and continuation (and that of senior staff) depends on a decision from the school board.
We don't know the answers to those questions which means we have to infer that something may not ethical.
There is a rumor that an ethics complaint has been filed regarding the campaign ethics of one incumbent. We have no confirmation of that. If there was a complaint, it would go to this commission:
Ethics Commission - Talbot County, Maryland
Based on some of the people on that commission we wonder if this complaint will get any traction.
At the very least, it's clear that the Talbot County Public Schools fumbled this situation. At the worst, this situation indicates a public-school administration that is nowhere near "politically neutral."
