Liberal and moderate candidates take control of school boards in contentious races across US

By BROOKE SCHULTZ and GEOFF MULVIHILL
Associated Press

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Liberal and moderate candidates have won seats in high-profile polarizing elections against social conservatives across the U.S. Candidates backed by Moms for Liberty and the 1776 Project, groups that question open discussions on race and sexuality in schools, lost Tuesday in closely watched races in Iowa, Pennsylvania, Virginia and elsewhere, though both groups claimed successes overall. While school boards deal with nitty-gritty local issues, they have increasingly been at the center of battles over what to teach about race, gender and sexuality — and how to treat transgender students. Conservatives fared well in school board races in Pennsylvania’s York County and Minnesota’s largest school district and suburban Houston.