I am most disturbed by a recent development in the campaign for Hinsdale Township High School District 86 Board of Education (Hinsdale South and Hinsdale Central). In recent campaign fliers the slate that bills themselves as “Friends for District 86” boast of being supported by the mayor of Darien and the Downers Grove Township Republican Organization.
While I am a long-time Republican and voted for the current mayor of Darien, I have always strongly felt that party politics has absolutely no place in local school elections or governance. I am fearful of the impact this group of candidates might have on two excellent high schools if they bring their extreme partisan views into the board of education.
One of the strengths of our schools has been to keep them in independent local control, without any sort of influence by local politicians or political parties. A board of education should represent the views of the entire community and strive to provide the best education possible for students. The administrators need to work with a board of logical, impartial and rational members who will provide direction and vision to the high schools without any input from outside political sources. I further doubt that the endorsement really comes from the Republican Party itself but rather from a small group of individuals who would have us believe they speak for an entire organization. My past experience has been that the DuPage Republican Party has a policy against taking sides in local school board elections.
With the above in mind I am supporting the “Building on Excellence” slate of Dennis Brennan, DeeDee Gorgol, Kay Gallo and Rosanne Rosenthal (Nos. 3, 4, 5 and 6 on the ballot) in the April 9 election.
Rich Brandeis, Darien