Opinion: Think Before You Vote!

Dear Editor,

My children went to school in District 65.  They graduated from ETHS.  I served on the District 65 School Board when they were little, and I have been an attentive supporter of our schools for all of the 40+ years I have lived In Evanston.  I took all of those experiences with me when I voted early in the District 202 School Board election last week.

Reasonable and honorable intelligent men and women can and do disagree.  When those disagreements take place around issues affecting our schools, they should give rise to vigorous and thorough public debate.  As a School Board Member, I learned that vigorous, transparent discussions are important components of sound and responsible decision making, and therefore support the best interests of our children and our community.

Some School Board candidates have already expressed their support for expanding the current "earned honors" restructuring model beyond Freshman Humanities and Biology as soon as the Superintendent proposes doing that.  The same candidates have expressed their full support for the controversial methods on addressing racism coming from the Pacific Education Group (PEG).  Some have even said these issues are not for the School Board to decide.  These candidates seem to believe it is the job of the School Board to defer to the Superintendent on all matters having to do with our children's education.

I believe it is the job of the School Board to question, discuss, and evaluate all of the Superintendent's proposals and recommendations, in public, as required by the Sunshine Laws.  I believe carrying out those critical obligations is the reason we elect a lay board to hire and oversee the Superintendent, and to hold him/her accountable for his/her judgement and accomplishment of the Board's goals.

I voted early for candidates who have declared their commitment to honest, transparent, public deliberations, and who will require real and factual information on in place programs before those programs are expanded on the basis of a hypothetically projected success.

I voted for Andy Bezaitis, Doug Holt, and Deborah Graham.  I hope you will support them with your vote on (or before) Tuesday.

Sincerely,

Mary Anne Wexler