Madison school board member ananda mirilli will not seek a second term, she announced in a letter and Facebook video Monday.
She said the decision is informed at least in part on the physical and emotional toll of the ongoing pandemic.
“My daughter lost her father last year and I lost my mother six months ago. This relentless virus has challenged my ability to be the mother I want to be for my daughter, and the board member I dreamed I would be 10 years ago,” she said. “Madison is a place of contradictions for me. This city has witnessed my growth and failures; it has rooted my passions and delusions; it has instigated and held my tears; and ultimately gave wings to my daughter’s dreams. The opportunity to serve this community and a school board that made history in the state of Wisconsin for its diversity has been a great honor. My heart aches with the decision to not seek re-election to the Madison School Board. At this time I must focus on balancing my wellness and continue to focus on restoration for my daughter, Breana, and for myself.”
mirilli first ran for school board in 2012, and was characterized by opponents as being in favor of school vouchers — a position she has always denied holding. Sarah Manski and TJ Mertz joined the race after mirilli did, with Manski expressly positioning herself as an alternative to mirilli. Mertz and Manski were the top two vote-getters in the primary, after which Manski abruptly withdrew from the race, effectively handing the seat to Mertz. At the time, mirilli was urged to run a write-in campaign, but decided not to do so.
She ran again in 2019, mounting what amounted to a rare joint campaign with Ali Muldrow. Both won, joining a historic board made up entirely of women. In the spring of 2021, additional turnover made mirilli one of four people of color on the seven-member board, signaling the first time white members were the minority of the board.
mirilli was one of the four votes to cancel the school district’s contract with the Madison Police Department, removing police officers from Madison schools at the end of 2020-21 school year.
“No second thoughts,” she said of that decision in an interview Monday. “I think that was an important, policy and budgetary decision, but it’s one piece. I think that decision was an alignment to the way in which we wanted to have conversations around safety in our school district … My hope is that we continue to, to find creative, innovative, and more responsive and humane ways to address culture and climate and safety in our buildings. I think we’ve done the foundational work.”
No candidates have publicly announced bids for mirilli’s seat. If there are more than two candidates, a primary election will take place in February. The general election is April 5. Member Chris Carussi has also announced that she will not run again.
