Election 2023: Bill Daly For Hatboro-Horsham School Board

Candidates running in the Nov. 7 general election are providing background about themselves and their positions on the issues to voters in these profiles, which will run in Patch individually for each candidate.

HATBORO / HORSHAM TOWNSHIP, PA —Bill Daly is running as a Republican for the Hatboro-Horsham School Board in the Nov. 7 general election.

Daly is one of eight candidates vying for four school board seats along with Denise "DJ" Schultz, Vince Varallo, Theresa E. Brown, Susan Hunsinger-Hoff, Janine Solley, David Brown, and Kellie Hall.

Biographical Information

Name: Bill Daly

Age: 61

Town of residence: Horsham Township

Position sought: Hatboro-Horsham School District, School Director

Are you an incumbent? No

What Towns Does Your Position Cover? Horsham Township, Borough of Hatboro

Party affiliation: Republican

Family: My wife Amy is a public-school teacher in a neighboring district and my son Colin is a
sophomore at Hatboro-Horsham High School

Education: B.S. in Criminal Justice from Delaware Valley College & M.S. in Criminal Justice
from West Chester University

Occupation: I am retired. I served four years of active duty in the U.S. Air Force, 35 years in the
Horsham Police Department, eight years as the Chief of Police, and 14 years combined as an
adjunct professor/instructor at Delaware Valley College and Penn State University.

1. What are the top issues currently facing your position and how do you plan to address
them?

I feel the top two issues facing our district are poor academic achievement compared to other districts and our history, along with a lack of discipline causing safety and security issues inside our schools. High academic proficiency is more reachable in the proper teaching and learning environment. We have so many great teachers, but even they cannot be successful when there are safety and security concerns in our schools.

When students and staff do not feel safe and rules are not enforced, it greatly hinders the ability to teach and learn. No matter how much we spend or how much we concentrate on academics, if bathrooms can’t be used, fights are the norm, disruption occurs, and vandalism continues, we will never achieve academic excellence. So, supporting our teachers, getting discipline restored, and holding individuals accountable is the first step to academic success in the classroom.

2. Identify specific goals or ideas you have to enhance life in your position.

First, we need to bring back discipline and accountability. There are too many infractions in which there is no accountability. When a teacher sends someone to the office and the teacher is not backed by the administration by not punishing poor behavior, it empowers the student over the teacher. Behavior in many cases will become worse and this continues the cycle of breaking down our learning environment. This is similar to the broken windows theory.

The district currently uses restorative discipline. Philadelphia has been using restorative justice for many years now and we have seen the deterioration of safety and an increase in violence. Once we move to more balanced discipline practices and we back our teachers, the schools will be safer and more orderly. Then academic achievement will follow. This must include parental involvement at all levels.

3. What in your experience or background prepares you for election to office?

I feel my military background and many years with the police department give me an extreme advantage when dealing with issues such as discipline, accountability, and both personal and facility security. Fourteen years of teaching at the college level provided me with the experience necessary to address many of my academic concerns. But most possibly being a Hatter, a 1979 graduate from HH, and living in the district for 62 years may be what prepares me the most.