The Grayslake School Board Incumbents’ Campaign (Email) Trail – Part 2

I became interested in a series of emails from and to incumbent candidates running for re-election on the Grayslake Unit School District 46 Board.

They are of interest, first, because they were sent on two school district email accounts and, secondly, they give a pretty good indication of what happened when during a teacher union-backed election campaign.

2011 election returns for Grayslake Unit School District 46. Challengers Kip Evans and Shannon Smigielski ran second and first. Incumbent emailer Sue Facklam placed third. Her running mate Mary Garcia came in fourth.

I have noted previously that in low turnout elections, relatively small, but well-organized groups like teachers unions can have disproportionate influence on outcomes. In McHenry County, it would surprise me if any school district’s board did not have a majority whose members were not supported (officially or unofficially) by its local teachers’ union.

Yesterday, we looked at emails for the first week of March, a month before the April 5th election. (Part 3–the end of the campaign–can be found here.)

This week there was an action-packed meeting that you can read about here and here.

But let’s look at some more emails. As usual, you can enlarge any image by clicking on it.

First, let me post one from March 3rd that should have been in the first article.

Both the Illinois Federation of Teachers and the Illinois Education have a common interest in the re-election of the incumbents. Instructions are given to form a Political Action Committee "once you have raised $1,000."

Republican State Senator Suzi Schmidt shows up in this email.

As of March 7th Republican State Senator Suzi Schmidt is still in the loop.

The incumbents running for re-election sought help from Lake County Democrats. They wanted access to Votebuilder. Campaign consultant Alex Finke is identified as having worked on Democratic Party campaigns in McHenry County. An email sent to 8th Congressional District Committeewoman Nancy Shepherdson is included. 8th Congressional District Democratic Party Committeewoman writes Sue Facklam, "I fear the Tea Party in your race, as well." Of course, Tea Party activists have been blamed (credited) with Congresswoman Melissa Bean's 2010 defeat.

There is reference to a letter to Illinois Education Association (IEA) members in this email. the school district seems not have supplied an attachment.

Literature for Mary Garcia and Sue Facklam is discussed here. One signer of the piece is fellow Board member Ray Millington, who was elected President of the new board.

An exchange about yard signs and flyers from Grayslake School District employee Ellen Correll to North Chicago Unit School District Ph.D. Douglas Parks is in this email.

The teacher-supported candidates reveal why liberals only want written questions. It's so their liberal friends can screen out embarrassing questions. " I definitely want written questions," emails Sue Facklam, the incumbent who won re-election. "I do not want questions from the audience," writes losing Board member Mary Garcia.

School board member Ray Millington (now District 46 Board President) sends the opposition's post card via the Grayslake School District email server.

Sign placement was the topic of this email to Grayslake Village Trustee Ron Jarvis, who won re-election.

More tomorrow.


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