Delaware school board member living in Pakistan ousted from seat under new residency law

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A Delaware school board removed one of its members who has been living in Pakistan for nearly two years.

The Christina School Board declared controversial board member Naveed Baqir’s seat vacant Wednesday night after his extended absence from his district and the United States.

A new law created earlier this year requires Delaware school members to be physically present in their district at least 75% of the year.

Baqir has lived outside the country since January 2024. He said during an August meeting last year he is living outside of the U.S. to care for elderly relatives, attend school and help his daughter with her study abroad program.

Board members YF Lou, Monica Moriak, Amy Trauth and Doug Manley voted to remove Baqir. Two board members, Donald Patton and Shannon Troncoso, voted no, and Baqir abstained. Manley, who filed a lawsuit challenging Baqir’s Delaware residency earlier this year, said it’s vital those on the board are responsible and accessible to their constituents.

“I think that [vote] was a win for the district, and I look forward to having somebody on the board who actually lives in the district that we all represent,” he said.

Several lawmakers who represent Wilmington and Newark, which includes the school district, took legislative action after months of dysfunctional Christina School Board meetings over the past year drew statewide attention. They sponsored a slate of bills earlier this year aimed at strengthening school board governance.

The bill establishing residency requirements for school board members was sponsored by state Rep. Madinah Wilson-Anton, D-Newark. Gov. Matt Meyer signed the measure in June, but Manley said the district waited three months out of an abundance of caution before moving forward with a vacancy vote.

In an Oct. 8 email obtained by WHYY News, school district attorney Michael Stafford told board members he was requesting Baqir provide evidence he had been physically in his district at any point since July 1, otherwise the board may move forward with Wednesday’s vote declaring the seat vacant.

The history of Baqir’s controversial participation

Baqir has attended meetings virtually since moving overseas. Manley has objected to his participation in board decisions as far back as July 2024, when Baqir was a key vote in placing then-Superintendent Dan Shelton on indefinite leave.

Baqir, Patton, Lou and former board member Alethea Smith-Tucker voted as a bloc to remove agenda items related to Baqir’s residency and the use of shell companies to invoice the school district for services by Tarbiyah School, a private school he co-founded. WHYY News exclusively reported last August that Tarbiyah was the subject of a grand jury probe into its pandemic food program.

Accusations leveled at bill sponsor and board members

Baqir and his supporters on the board took aim at Wilson-Anton, Manley and other board members before the vote.

Baqir says his ouster was part of a political campaign against him.

“It is about silencing a voice that threatens a status quo that has too often been ignored, and the needs and the voices of the marginalized communities who otherwise do not have a voice on this forum,” he said.

Baqir and Patton both accused Wilson-Anton of having ulterior motives in sponsoring the residency bill. Baqir said he believed the legislator was worried about an electoral challenge in her re-election campaign. Delaware has residency requirements to run for public office.

Patton said Wilson-Anton had personal reasons for drafting the legislation.

“We know that anything she’s done has nothing to do with the public or helping the public, or making sure the public is taken care of,” he said.

In a statement, Wilson-Anton said her only focus was “giving the people of this district a real voice in local education decisions.”

“After years of concern and frustration from residents, I’m relieved to see some accountability has finally been achieved,” she said. “I’m hopeful that the Christina school board can now move forward and refocus on what truly matters, which is serving students and families.”

Those who voted to declare a vacancy said the decision had nothing to do with character, only the law.

“One of our primary duties is to uphold the higher standards of governance and accountability for the entire community that voted us in and we represented,” Lou said. “That trust is built on the principle that our rules and procedures apply to every person equally, regardless of their position or background.”

The board will appoint a new member in the coming days to serve until next May’s elections. Delaware school board members oversee the running of the district and the performance of its superintendent. Members must be Delaware citizens, residents of the school district they’re elected to serve and at least 18 years old.