Found on the Kane County Republican Party web site:
Unmasking Election Interference in D300: The Vice Chair’s Power Play
Nestled in Northern Kane County sits an often-overlooked yet significant school district. With over 20,000 students and 27 schools covering four townships and four counties, Community Unit School District 300 (D300) is the sixth-largest school district in Illinois and the second-largest in Kane County. Unfortunately, every two years, D300’s school board elections bring unnecessary drama, typically centered around protecting incumbents. The 2025 election is no exception.
Those familiar with D300 are aware of Nancy Zettler, the current Vice Chairperson of the school board. Reportedly hand-picked by Governor J.B. Pritzker, Zettler has a history of shutting down parental voices and silencing dissent. Her tenure during the COVID crisis was marked by blatant disregard for community concerns, and now she is deploying unethical tactics to manipulate the upcoming school board election.
A Power Grab Disguised as Advocacy
Nancy Zettler is not up for re-election this year, but she has her sights set on becoming the next President of the D300 School Board. To ensure this outcome, she has created a slate of hand-selected candidates who align with her ideology while spreading premeditated falsehoods about opponents who do not. This manipulation is not just unethical—it is a direct attack on the integrity of the election process.
In her attempt to control the board, Zettler even pushed out an African-American Democratic incumbent, Emmanuel Thomas, for not being left-leaning enough for her preferences. This blatant partisanship reveals her ultimate goal: to stack the board with members who will support her bid for the presidency rather than serve the best interests of D300 students and families.
Spreading Falsehoods to Manipulate Voters
Zettler took to a private Facebook group, “D300 Discussions,” where dissenting parents are swiftly removed, to spread misleading and inflammatory accusations. She falsely claimed that two school board candidates, Gia Winkler and Aaron Kelly, were affiliated with Moms for Liberty — a group she inaccurately labeled as extremist organizations.
March 20, 2025 Post by Nancy Zettler:
Should we trust candidates running for our school board who claim not to know what the group “Moms for Liberty” is, what they stand for or what they’ve done to public schools all across the country for years, including ours? Absolutely not!
People who are supporting these candidates include members of hate groups who threatened, harassed, and intimidated school officials and staff. Before you throw in with these people, you need to educate yourself on who they really are.
The problem? Neither candidate had any association with Moms for Liberty. In fact, they had never even heard of these groups until Zettler’s misleading post.
Candidates Fight Back Against Misinformation
Both Aaron Kelly and Gia Winkler swiftly responded to these baseless attacks:
Aaron Kelly, D300 Board Candidate:
Nancy Zettler, you don’t even know me. I stand by my statements—I had never heard of Moms for Liberty until I was accused of being a member. You are engaging in unethical election interference to secure your bid for power. The people of D300 deserve elected officials who unite our community, not divide it for personal gain.
Gia Winkler, D300 Board Candidate:
I welcome all individuals to engage in the democratic process. The constant division in our community is disheartening, and I am focused on making decisions that prioritize student success, support teachers, and foster an inclusive school environment.
Community Leaders Condemn Zettler’s Behavior
Zettler’s divisive tactics did not go unnoticed. Village Presidents from both Hampshire and Gilberts publicly criticized her actions, calling them unethical and detrimental to the school district.
Mike Reid, Village President of Hampshire, IL:
A sitting board member should not be spreading misinformation or manipulating elections. The school board is supposed to represent the entire community, not just those who align with a specific political agenda. Partisan politics have no place in our schools.
Guy Zambetti, Village President of Gilberts, IL:
Nancy is always running with political gas cans, wondering why the community is divided. This election interference is disgraceful, and our students deserve better leadership.
D300 Board President Reprimands Zettler
Even D300 School Board President Dr. Scarpino weighed in on Zettler’s unethical conduct. At a recent board meeting, he emphasized the importance of ethics in public office:
Elected officials must be truthful and transparent. Misleading information should never be used to sway public opinion. Such actions erode trust and undermine democracy.
Rather than taking accountability, Zettler denied that Dr. Scarpino’s comments were directed at her, further highlighting her unwillingness to own up to her unethical behavior.
The Importance of Integrity in Leadership
D300 families deserve a school board that prioritizes student success over political games. The unethical election interference by Nancy Zettler demonstrates a clear disregard for fair representation and a desperate attempt to consolidate power.
On April 1, 2025, voters have the opportunity to restore integrity to the D300 School Board by electing candidates who will put the community first.
Support Aaron Kelly, Emmanuel Thomas, and Gianena Winkler for the D300 School Board to eliminate dysfunction, end divisiveness, and focus on student achievement.
Vote on or before April 1st to take back our schools from unethical political influence.
