Policy 011: Principles for Governance and Leadership is a list of guiding principles that Pine-Richland school directors sign to show they agree to try to act in good faith. Board member Christina Brussalis has refused to sign at the start of multiple years. Brussalis was on the board when they last reviewed this policy, paragraph by paragraph, and she voted to approve it in July 2023.

Policy 011 and Brussalis' refusal were discussed at the Jan. 22, 2025 school board meeting. [Watch the discussion]. At this meeting, she explained her refusal to sign by claiming that it violates her first amendment rights. But when another board member asked Brussalis' hand-picked board solicitor if the policy violated first amendment rights, he said it does not. 

Trib reporter James Engel summed up the meeting well in his Jan. 23 article "Pine-Richland School Board rejects proposal that sought to punish members for not signing document". 

The section Brussalis seems to have the biggest problem with is "Advocate Earnestly," which mentions supporting and promoting public education. Brussalis is a vocal supporter of school choice, but that should not prevent her from also supporting public education. She is, after all, serving on the board of a public school district. The community should expect her to act in the best interest of Pine-Richland and want the district and our students to be successful.

Terchick proposed an amendment that would make failure to sign 011 within 60 days of being sworn in cause for removal from leadership or committee positions. The amendment failed, and no changes were made. Neither Brussalis nor her board member allies — several of whom called the policy "unnecessary" — proposed eliminating or amending it.