DIRTY One Word to Describe School District 15 Race

The taxpayers, parents, and shareholders in Palatine Township School District 15 have made their voices heard by overwhelmingly voting down a proposed 130 million dollar referendum that had no solid backing or plan just last November. Now as the school board election draws near, there is a solid chance to change the board membership for the greater good of all involved.

I recently received flyers that were being distributed in Palatine that contain one word on one side and endorsements on the other. I thought something big was happening; after all the word EQUALITY was huge and in bright yellow on a dark blue background. I had to think who was being discriminated against in this race that such marketing had to be utilized. I then read the other side. "Hate has NO Place in Education", oh my, now there is a hate group and and discriminators running for District 15??. After attending the forums and doing some real research, I could not discover the group that was based on hate or a group that was discriminating.

Another curious thing, the three names on the card and the wording implied that Peggy Babcock, James Ekeberg, and Gerald Chapman were dedicated to the financial health of District 15 and the personal well being of ALL its students? I must respectfully disagree, vehemently.

The financial health statement, where did that come from? After all, weren't these three on the board who made the decision to put D15 at its financial limit and burden the taxpaayers with an additional 130 million dollars just this last election? And, we also can't forget the 10 year teacher contract that was virtually unheard of.

The only financial health I can see affected by these three would be the health of the people who paid for this ad, in fine print at the bottom ESPA District #15 PAC. They happen to be a special interest group (union) whose contract is about to expire in D15...more curious developments. The other name at the top of the card says it came from Illinois Education Association-NEA another special interest group who advocates for, you guessed it, education employees. Nowhere on the card does it explain about the financial health of the tax payer.

"The well-being of all students" is more...rhetotic (?), so where did that come from? I have not heard from any group out to harm the personal well-being of any student.

So let's break this slick marketing down:

1) One big word EQUALITY, for who? Definitely not the taxpayer. And who they are wanting equality for is not mentioned on the card either.

2) "Hate" - a good word to scare people into voting for three incumbent board members. Please D15 community, don't be frightened into submission here. No one is hateful, and bringing this word into any narrative for a school board campaign should cause questions directed at those who use such polatizing words. For shame.

3) "Diversity", a word that should have been used, but they cannot, as there is no cultural diversity present in the candidates listed on the card, yet D15 is truly diverse.

So, who is this paid for and distributed by? The answer: two special interest groups that have their interests at heart, and not the stakeholders in District 15. You should watch this video here as well. The incumbents' history of taking money from special interests dates back to 2007! How's that for some politics?

DIRTY is the one word I can use accurately to describe the words and statements contained in this incumbent campaign. What's really at stake here if they have to send out scare literature? I personally will vote for change and a positive message.