Barrington School Committee Chairwoman Gina Bae announced Monday night, April 25, that she will not be running for re-election.

Bae made the announcement during a Barrington Town Democratic Committee meeting. 

Bae shared a statement with the Barrington Times on Tuesday morning:

“For nearly 4 years, I have had the honor and privilege to serve on the Barrington School Committee, and the past 3 as chair. These past 4 years have proven to be the most challenging and rewarding times of my life. The journey from being a quiet, shy, reserved student who was afraid to raise her hand in class, to campaigning and holding the esteemed position of chair on a school board has been extraordinary, and I am grateful to this community for its support along the way.

“I ran for office because I cared. I cared about the children of this community and the teachers, administrators and staff that all make this the amazing school district it is. I was energized by the creation of a DEI Committee, excited to collaborate on turnaround efforts within the Special Ed. Department, and worked hard to create connections and collaborative relationships with teachers and staff. I am proud to have been a part of achieving so much in my short time on the committee: change in start time, work on the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity Committee and creation of a robust DEI Policy, work on the Culturally Relevant Learning Community, adoption of a resolution recognizing June as Pride Month, adoption of a resolution on secure and safe gun storage, work on the District Special Education Task force, and reopening schools during a pandemic, keeping them safe and open to this day.”

Bae wrote that she has struggled for the last few months with the decision about whether to run for office again.

“While many have said, ‘We need good people like you to stay in office,’ I have decided to take a different path and not run for School Committee this fall,” she wrote.

“Lately I have realized that my reserves are empty, and I no longer find joy in the work at hand. My role as chair keeps me distracted from truly engaging in the work I care about, and work that matters. I also realized how restricted I feel in this role, as I operate better being more hands-on and being able to connect and work directly with the people who are impacted by the issues I want to tackle. 

“The role of the School Committee is more global and does not get involved in the nitty-gritty, and I struggle with wanting to be more involved on task forces or working groups, translating policy and vision into best practices and actionable steps. The divisiveness and negative rhetoric in our community in recent months have only depleted my energy further and have left me disheartened.”

Bae wrote that she fully intends to finish out her term.

“And even though I am leaving public office, I will continue to stay engaged and active in the community, just in a different way, because I continue to care about our children, our schools, and the community as a whole. But I will take some time to regroup, reenergize, and find my joy again – for without it, I won’t remember what it is I’m fighting for, and what I hope our community can become.”