Andrew Catton, Hinsdale D86 Board Candidate

HINSDALE, IL — Andrew Catton is one of five candidates for three seats on the Hinsdale High School District 86 board. Here are his responses to the Patch questionnaire:

Name:

Andrew Catton

Town of residence:

Hinsdale

Attendance zone (Central or South):

Hinsdale Central

Age:

43

Campaign contact email:

catton4D86@gmail.com

Campaign website:

catton486.com

Family:

3 children in D181 feeder school

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Education:

Bradley University ‘01

Occupation:

Manufacturing Operations Executive

Previous or current elected or appointed office:

(No answer.)

The single most pressing issue facing the school board is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

The single most pressing issue facing the school board is the lack of common sense decision-making coming from district leadership (BOE and its Superintendent). What I intend to do is put the district back on track, delivering best-in-class proficiency performance while wisely allocating resources available to maximize educational opportunities for all 4000+ students.
After several years of poor leadership, it’s no surprise the district finds itself in a precarious position. Leadership sets the tone for all actionable and measurable goals that continue to define D86 as a destination district. This mentality which served D86 well for decades, has been set aside to serve the ideology and ambition of individuals. Strategic Plan activity has been substituted for accomplishment, leaving student academic outcomes in an increasingly regressive state.
I look forward to collaborating with the new BOE to employ a superintendent that truly understands our community’s values. Who can lead the district in an operational turnaround that will champion the community’s expectations of excellence in education. Further consideration and review of curriculum changes will be necessary in order to define a recovery plan reversing academic declines in both schools. This will be done in partnership with the administration and our committed teachers. An in-depth review of finances will also be necessary to promote appropriate fiscal stewardship all while improving transparency to taxpayers. As board members are fiduciaries, I will hold myself to the highest standard to ensure the proper allocation of resources maximizes opportunity for all.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

Distinctions that separate me from other candidates are clear and concise. A keen interest and elevated concern with policy considerations and board-approved measures is not a fleeting interest. My involvement in district matters began 2+ years ago. I have sustained engagement and stayed informed because of what I have seen as the district failing to meet its obligations. First and most importantly for the students, but truly to all stakeholders. It’s my nature as a father, trusted parent, and neighbor to enable a safe and engaging environment for all children to learn and grow. Seeing that this is in question at D86, it has driven me to be proactive. There is a clear need to liberate students from the underperforming outcomes proliferated by this BOE and its superintendent. I also have uniquely been questioning the administration’s lack of planning to address Covid learning loss as this has proven detrimental for both current students and those in the future. This is clearly on display when observing precipitously falling proficiency scores for both reading and math. Data points that are easily reviewed in the ISBE report cards. As addressing this issue will be a variable for a generation, this should warrant immediate consideration for policy changes and necessitate more collaboration with feeder districts, yet this seems to be of little importance to those currently in charge. So far the topic has gone unacknowledged and unaddressed as they follow their own personal agendas. This crucial work needs a champion and the district’s deep pool of talented and driven teachers could fill the gap if given the opportunity. My interest in running has only been galvanized as I look forward to collaborating with the new BOE to foster the most appropriate pathway to recovery for all students at each location.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

As an experienced manufacturing executive who has had to meet strict budgets, build focused teams, deliver on aggressive timelines, navigate challenging labor markets and demanding customers, I am well suited to immediately take action on the complexities of the district and deliver results that will improve student opportunity and performance. Working collaboratively with other BOE members, administration and teachers will be key to this success.

What can the school do to counteract dropping standardized test scores?

The district can begin counteracting dropping scores by returning value added time in the classroom between the two most involved stakeholders: the students and teachers. Early Release Wednesdays ( ERWs) are keeping students out of the classroom and away from the developmental environments. Students currently have less hours of in-person instruction than their previous cohorts enjoyed pre-pandemic. When viewed over the 180 calendar year and taking into account other classroom interruptions, students are only actually spending 160 days ( or less) in the classroom learning, growing, and mastering subject matter. This equates to 80 days over 4 years of lost opportunity for students that should be taken advantage of.

In addition, the district does not have a robust plan to better utilize summer school programs to best and most appropriately meet student needs. Instead, the District is stagnating and continues to only offer the same limited opportunities during the summer school session. I would work with the future BOE, administration, and teachers to significantly expand offerings across the learning spectrum in a more targeted fashion in order to maximize student opportunities for learning.

Do you support Superintendent Tammy Prentiss? Why or why not?

I do not support Tammy Prentiss as superintendent as she has routinely shown her inability to function ethically or with integrity in her charge to connect with the community. Originally put in place as a temporary solution this BOE had an opportunity to replace her but chose not to act. Instead, they have unjustifiably supported Prentiss despite significant outcry from the community whom she has worked to divide and slander. This has been on display again most recently with the 31 day contract extension approved by the BOE majority allowing Prentiss to take advantage of a golden parachute pension. This and other news that she and Board member Walker accepted a Caribbean Vacation paid for by a district vendor stinks of corruption common in Illinois. I along with the greater D86 community expect our district leadership to be held to higher standards. I plan to work diligently with my fellow Board members to demand and receive accountability from the Superintendent.

What is your view of Superintendent Tammy Prentiss' handling last year of the anti-racist consultant who called Hinsdale "dangerous"? Do you believe the school board should release the report from the investigation into that matter? Why or why not?

This just illustrates another reason why Prentiss is not appropriate for D86. Her involvement should have resulted in resignation or termination. Instead, the BOE rewarded her with a raise and contract extension as noted above. The board should release the full investigation so we as a community can understand why the BOE majority chose to leave Prentiss in place and because they have a duty to be transparent to the public. The lack of transparency around this issue and others has fostered significant mistrust between the board and the community they serve. As a future board member, I will work to restore faith in this relationship and always provide the community with truthful and honest answers.

Do you believe there is equity between Central and South high schools? Why or why not?

There is not equity between Central and South high schools. Striving to achieve equal outcomes for distinctly different populations just showcases the ignorance, lack of understanding, lack of empathy, and quality decision-making by current district leadership. The attempt to redefine what student success is through the “Defined Excellence” of the Strategic Plan and its equity actions affecting grading practices, curriculum changes, and loss of classroom rigor have had destructive results and regressed outcomes for students. I will look to change course and explore more appropriate and effective options. In partnership with administration and teachers a more traditional yet individualized approach to student success can be built. Personalized pathways along with targeted intervention plans will more effectively maximize opportunity for all students across the learning spectrum in each school.

Do you support a boundary change between Central and South to equalize enrollments? Why or why not?

No, I do not support boundary changes between high schools. There is no compelling evidence that meets a common sense threshold logistically or fiscally in a way that improves student outcomes.

What is your view of critical race theory? Is it being taught in the local schools? If so, what evidence do you have of that?

Critical race theory (CRT) is as defined by Britannica: intellectual and social movement and loosely organized framework of legal analysis based on the premise that race is not a natural, biologically grounded feature of physically distinct subgroups of human beings but a socially constructed (culturally invented) category that is used to oppress and exploit people of color. Critical race theorists hold that racism is inherent in the law and legal institutions of the United States insofar as they function to create and maintain social, economic, and political inequalities between whites and nonwhites, especially African Americans.

There are no CRT courses in D86.

I am advocating for the public and district leadership to be informed and aware of this movement and to guard against its migration into D86 classrooms. No one is claiming that CRT texts are being taught now, rather that there is an inherent risk to the quality of curriculum and source documents because of those who have influence over each. It’s widely known that proponents of CRT have openly encouraged infusing these divisive political ideas and concepts into the classroom. Any approach that includes blaming and shaming students works directly against our community values and education excellence expectations. It is imperative that we keep integrity, logic, empathy and ethics in the classroom as robust foundations for a scholarship.
As the district is faced with 39 teacher openings in the near future, it is also imperative that leadership diligently protect this quality of education and educator used to teach our children. Will D86 prohibit divisive and un-American political ideologies from being promoted in the classroom? This should be deliberated with the full board in public. There is also legislation pending in Illinois for the 2023-2024 school year under HB1011 that will require K-12 students to read books about race like “ Why I’m no longer Talking to White People about Race” , “White Fragility” and “The Hate U Give”. Would this represent the new “Defined Excellence” at D86? I do not think this fits with the model of success that has led to historical educational excellence here in our community. I would work to protect the quality of scholarship in the classroom that provides a best-in-class experience for all students.

NEA to Promote Critical Race Theory in Schools | City Journal (city-journal.org)
HB1011 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY (ilga.gov)

What is your view of sex education in local schools? Should an LGBT component be included? Why or why not?

Sex education is taught as a part of health curriculum at D86 as required by the state. As I am opposed to the unnecessary increase of sexualized curriculum in education today, I believe that if parents want an LGBT component to be included in their child’s education, they can choose to opt in or provide that on their own. Families should have the choice. This is not the case at D86 though. Here students must opt out, and by doing so relegates them to another location during this instruction. Not exactly inclusive as this can make a student feel different and even subject to social ridicule. And since this does not need to be required for all from a health perspective, why increase the unnecessary stress burden on students. Its important to note that just this past year Illinois was the first and only state to adopt the new National Sex Ed Standards. A vast majority of districts across Illinois opted out. D86 did not, choosing rather to adopt another pilot program.

Will you take questions from the media if you are elected?

Yes

Is there any reason you would not serve your full term of office, other than those of health or family?

No

The best advice ever shared with me was:

“It’s easier to build strong children than to repair broken men”- Frederick Douglass

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

(No answer.)