UPDATE – April 29, 2025 – CRANBERRY TOWNSHIP, PA
All glory to God. I have completed a report regarding underreporting of racial/ethnic intimidation incidents at Seneca Valley School District.
I have reviewed and provided all of Seneca Valley School District’s Safer School Reports from 2017-2024 here: SVSD Safer School Reports 2017-2024
I encourage any interested person to review the data and form your own opinion.
As stated in the below report, I provided a copy of the report to the district, received feedback, and incorporated their perspective. I do believe the report is fair. I do believe the school district is on a satisfactory path moving forward given the current state of its data. I’m hopeful this is the first step to using the data to implement appropriate programming and hold the district accountable for creating Safer Schools. Blessings, Nashid
Seneca Valley School District Racial/Ethnic Intimidation Questions and Data
Candidate Statement
MARCH 26, 2025 – CRANBERRY TOWNSHIP, PA
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All glory to God. My name is Nashid Ibn Ali. I’m running for School Board Director of Seneca Valley School District Region 1. I live in Cranberry Township, my daughter attends Ehrman Crest Elementary. I’m originally from Midlothian, Virginia. I graduated from the University of Pittsburgh and Pitt Law. I founded my company Gainvest in 2019 and moved to Cranberry Township in 2020. I like Cranberry Township because it reminds me of my hometown. Midlothian is to Richmond as Cranberry Township is to Pittsburgh. I explain this to express how much Cranberry Township feels like home. I love living here.
On February 28, 2025, I became aware of the CBS News article detailing allegations of racial abuse at Ehrman Crest. I met with the school’s administration the following Monday. In respect to the Ehrman Crest tribe, my personal experience has been only positive. The admin, the teachers, the support staff, even the lunch staff have always been very kind and very responsive to me and my family. That said, my experience is only mine. The next day, I spoke with the family featured in the CBS News article. Heartbreaking. Absolutely heartbreaking. No parent should feel like they can’t protect their child. That is a miserable feeling and no matter how we arrive at such a feeling, I hope every parent can empathize with never wanting to feel like we can’t keep those dear to us safe. We certainly never want to feel like we can’t keep them safe in the institution they need to become the adults they desire to be. Imagine needing education but fearing the environment in which the education occurs. Like needing to go to a water well in the desert but the well has rattlesnakes around it. Would you drink? Would you allow your children to drink?
I have no political training. I have very little to no interest in Butler County politics. I just want students in Seneca Valley School District to stop calling other students racial slurs. Period. Full stop.
This is my why: To address the problem of students in Seneca Valley calling other students racial slurs. After speaking with multiple families and my own experiences within the district, I see this as a district-wide problem. I do not believe the leadership deserves more time to figure it out. I can’t wait for more students to be called racial slurs. I believe I am overqualified to help a school district filled with students, teachers, staff, and administrators who feel similarly about racial abuse in its schools. We all feel the same regret, shame, and empathy. I care about protecting every student from being called racial slurs within Seneca Valley School District. And if you believe it’s an isolated issue, here’s my challenge:
Ask any Seneca Valley School District student in 4th grade or above if they have ever experienced a student calling another student a racial slur. I say 4th grade because 3rd graders using racial slurs in SVSD is a real problem, which is ridiculous to even type.
I am not running for School Board Director because I have political ambitions. This issue of racial abuse within SVSD has been on my radar for years, but the recent CBS article regarding my daughter’s school was too much to ignore. I responded by asking questions and learning more. And what I’ve learned has disturbed me enough that I felt compelled to submit nomination petitions. For me, my child’s safety is at stake. I’m willing to embarrass myself, expose myself, and humble myself to try to create a better environment for her, her brother, and all the other students in Seneca. I grieve for the pain within the school district and I’m hopeful for real healing, academic success, and future joy.
We are at a critical moment in our school district. There are articles and litigation labeling Seneca Valley School District as Alabama Jim Crow 2.0. My solution is to address the problem directly and use the attention as an opportunity to bring awareness and forge a safer environment for everyone. I’d like to start with surveys and data collection to understand the scope of students calling other students racial slurs within the district. I would then like to develop a multiyear, comprehensive plan to stop students from communicating with racial slurs. I do not plan to do press. I do not plan to do announcements. I have provided this statement out of respect to the process so that anyone voting for me can know exactly what and who they are voting for. I am not perfect. I have my own problems. After prayer and consideration, I feel deeply compelled and uniquely positioned to help Seneca Valley School District address this district-wide problem. If you would like for me to address this issue as the School Director of Region 1, please vote for me in the Republican primary May 20, 2025.
Regardless of how these words land, I wish you and your family well. Thank you. God bless.
Sincerely,
Nashid Ibn Ali
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