From Barrington resident and parent Jenna Shields:
I have been watching the Barrington School Board race especially closely this year. (April 6 is election day).
I am shocked and saddened at the apparent lack of consideration for facts and expert opinions when it comes to decision making in District 220.
I hold the current board accountable for the many missteps committed over the years, and most particularly since the pandemic began.
Most of the members of the current school board are out of touch and many seem beholden to the teacher’s union, the Barrington Education Association (BEA).
As such, I find it highly inappropriate for the BEA to not only openly endorse, but even fund the campaigns of board candidates.
After all, this is the board who will negotiate the salary of the teachers this union represents!
I have watched many board meetings and am saddened that meeting after meeting, parents
voice their concerns,
point out facts and
urge action,
only to have this board fail miserably on the very reason they were elected: to serve the students and parents of the district.
The singular choice to support the closure of schools when so many nearby districts were open is disappointing.
The inability to reduce costs while schools were closed is confusing because other districts issued refunds to residents due to closed schools.
I implore everyone to go out and vote, just NOT for the candidates endorsed by the teacher’s union and funded by the Illinois state teacher’s union PAC, iPACE.
Our beloved teachers are already represented by the teachers’ union at the negotiating table.
Don’t let the school board also be their representatives. If we do, our children – and our tax dollars – will be lost.
Shields adds:
Erin Chan Ding, Sandra Ficke-Bradford, Lauren Klauer and Thomas Mitoraj are all endorsed by the union.
I will vote for Katie Karam, Steve Wang, Maggie McGonigal and Mike Shakleton for our District 220 school board
I know that they will stand up for the best interests of our students, parents and the community.
I also believe they will bring fiscal responsibility and they will advocate for keeping the schools open, without being influenced by the union.
Oh to be able to find a site, location or free paper that does a similar overview of which School Board Candidates to vote for in the upcoming election..that vote based on NOT wanting to side with the Teachers Union, but hopefully interested first time runners who are fed up parents.
Cary, Crystal Lake listings anywhere?
I look online and every candidate background is with the daily herald, nw herald or chicago tribune–all pay sites.
Guess I’ll take a guess based on Yard signs when I get to the polls.