On April 6 there is a vitally important election for the District 86 Board of Education and it is crucial that our community elects Jeff Waters and Peggy James.
This upcoming BOE ballot features 10 candidates, which is a testament to the passion and concern of our community for the direction of D86. The seven member BOE has four open seats and it’s composition has never been more important. Three major issues in our district are: (1) the demand from parents to return students to full-time in-person learning, (2) the recent, drastic changes to STEM curriculum, and (3) the current BOE’s lack of engagement with parents and the community via surveys and/or responses.
These issues cannot be ignored nor addressed in a manner that does not treat their immediate resolution as essential to the development of our children. Jeff and Peggy understand the criticality of the actions of the next BOE. Our community must take the time to fully understand these issues, and then act by voting to protect our children’s education and property values. Twenty percent voter turnout, which is typical of April elections, is a troubling statistic that has the potential in this election to leave our children, our schools and ultimately our community behind. We need strong leadership on the BOE that will address the needs of our children and advance the desires of the parents and the community. This is why, neighbors and friends, we must all vote for Jeff Waters and Peggy James. — Amy Cannan, Hinsdale
