Steve Gevinson 'Best Choice' for School Board: Letter to the Editor

I’ve known Steve Gevinson for over 40 years, as a friend, business associate and co-author of our book, Increase the Peace, a manual for teachers who want to facilitate discussions regarding school violence. 

Based on that long-term experience, covering two-thirds of my life, I believe I speak with some authority about Steve’s character and suitability for a position on the school board. 

Steve is perhaps the most ethical person I know. I do not mean to say he follows some strict code of conduct, but rather that he aims simply to do the right thing. He’s the sort of person who seems to believe that the world would be a better place if we do our best to be honest, forthright and decent to our fellow humans, even if it’s not always in our immediate self-interest to do so.

Steve is one of the brightest, most intelligent people I know. He is a very thoughtful man, with a passion for knowledge that we shared during our years together in college and graduate school. His intelligence is both abstract and concrete, and he seems equally comfortable talking about philosophy as he does conversing about sports. He is a fine writer (and reader!) and good at math; that’s a rare combination.

Steve is a person who seems naturally inclined to commitment. When he believes in something, he gets behind it. He’s not afraid to take positions, and when he does, he’s an articulate advocate for those positions. In a dispute, you want him on your side.

I believe this combination of qualities – ethics, intelligence and commitment – along with his three decades of teaching experience at Oak Park-River Forest High School, make Steve Gevinson perhaps the best choice for school board that we’ve had in a very long time.

Am I biased? Of course! But you would be too if you knew Steve Gevinson as well as I do.

Regards,

David C. Hammond