D-86 Hopeful Backs Changing School Boundaries

HINSDALE, IL — Justin Baron, a candidate for the Hinsdale High School District 86 board, found himself alone on one issue at a forum Sunday — changing the boundaries for Central and South high schools.

When the meeting moderator Meeta Patel asked the candidates whether they supported revisiting the attendance zones, just one hand went up — Baron's.

Later in the forum, Baron, a 2017 South graduate, expressed the concern of others in the South zone.

"There is a reason there is declining enrollment at South. That's because the attendance zone hasn't changed," Baron said. "The attendance zones are set up for Central to be overcrowded and South to be underutilized."

Attendance zones are a touchy issue in many places, but likely more so in Hinsdale High School District 86, with the yawning wealth divide between its two schools.

It's hard to get around the differences between Central's Hinsdale and South's Darien. In a 2019 study, Hinsdale was ranked the 26th richest place in the United States. While Darien is by no means poor, it is nowhere near the top of any list dealing with wealth.

In the mid-1990s, nearly half of District 86's students attended South, while only a little more than a third do now. Over that time, Central gained 1,000 students, while South lost more than 200.

In the early 1990s, the district formed a buffer zone between the Central and South areas where residents could choose either school to attend. The vast majority picked Central. In 2018, the district decided to phase out the buffer.

Residents in the South zone argue course offerings are greater at Central than at South, which district officials deny.

The other candidates in the forum were Tamakia "TJ" Edwards, Peggy James, Debbie Levinthal, Mark Pinnow, Karen Shannon, Marty Turek, Terri Walker and Jeff Waters. Board President Kevin Camden did not take part, citing a family obligation. They are vying for four of the board's seven seats.

The election is April 6.