Vote Wisely, Vote With CARE: Letter

Submitted by Jeff Hamburg on behalf of CARE.

For the past two years CARE (Citizens Actively Renewing Education) has worked to raise awareness about the actions and attitudes of the North Shore School District 112’s board of education. A grassroots group of concerned parents and neighbors from Highland Park and Highwood, CARE strongly opposed the board’s costly and divisive campaign for an 1800-student middle school in the southwest corner of the district.

Meanwhile other individuals — including a number of current board candidates (most notably incumbent Jane Mordini), insisted that the community had no other option except the $198 million referendum.

Last year, as the referendum vote loomed, CARE helped residents resist what many saw as an unfair ultimatum from the board — either vote for an unpopular and problematic $198 million referendum or suffer the consequences of BDR3, a plan that included a series of rash and imprudent school closures, slated for the 2016-17 school year. We were joined in our opposition by a majority of residents in every precinct in the district.

Together, we persisted. And on election day, 67% of the community voted against the plan.

Why does this matter for the upcoming board election?

We’re not out of the woods. CARE believes that if voters want to promote a new vision and an open approach to resolving the school district’s financial and educational challenges, they need to elect board members more closely aligned with the values and priorities of the citizens of this community.

CARE endorsed four candidates for D112 who share this vision of community engagement and responsible change. Alexander Brunk, Brent Ross, Lisa Hirsh, and Julie Campbell have all demonstrated that while they embrace change, they seek to do so in a responsive and responsible manner. These candidates all opposed the 2016 referendum and refuse to take us down such a misguided path in the future.

Other candidates may claim that their active and vocal support of the 2016 referendum and BDR3 doesn’t matter, but past actions often predict future performance. And we cannot risk electing board members who will repeat the mistakes of the past. The CARE endorsement panel thoughtfully created a candidate slate with all of D112’s children in mind.

CARE’s slate offers a clean slate.

Vote smart. Vote with CARE.

Signed,

CARE: Citizens Actively Renewing Education