D163 hopefuls discuss teacher retention

Misuse of funds also among top issues for candidates

During the election season, three vastly different candidate forums are held in Park Forest.

Those running for a six-year seat on the Park Forest Public Library Board hold one meeting in which the toughest question asked is akin to a verbal softball lob. Some years the hardest query is “what book are you reading?”

Those running for a spot on the Village Board go through three rounds of questions, and written questions submitted by the audience generally have to do with property taxes (too high), local business (too few) and crime (too frightened).

But when it comes time for candidates for the Park Forest-Chicago Heights Elementary School District 163 Board to get together, sharper questions and pointed answers are generally the rule. Such was the case Sunday where more than 30 residents heard four of the five candidates running for the board, which watches over the education of more than 1,500 students in six schools.

On hand were board member Christina Dupee who is running for a second term, Margaret McDannel, who was on the board for 26 years before being voted out two years ago, former board member Kim Elmore-Perkins and Herbert Ferguson, who is running as a write-in candidate after the Cook County Board of Elections removed him from the April ballot because of numerous errors on his election petitions.

Board member Judy Hawthorne, who is up for reelection, was a no-show. Moderator Cynthis Butler, Hawthorne had another engagement. Calls made to the Hawthorne home went unanswered.

Candidates talked about spending by board members after being asked to respond to a report from eNews Park Forest, an online news site run by former Village Trustee Gary Kopycinski, that called into question alleged misuse of taxpayer money.

Dupee said “misuse of taxpayer funds” because of the lack of receipts for the use of credit cards issued to board members to pay for expenses to conventions and meetings.

The board “governs itself,” said McDannel. “We have had misuse of these cards for several years now,” she said.

Elmore-Perkins acknowledged

the problem and Ferguson claimed board members need to be accountable through their oath of office.

Candidates also agreed on the responsibility of the school board.

Elmore-Perkins said the board is a steward for the school system and has the responsibility to ensure funds are used for correct purposes.

“Making sure money is used for correct purposes,” said Dupee.

Making policy and having responsibility for children, answered McDannel.

“Have transparency and follow the rules,” opined Ferguson.

Another question was what their first order of business would be if elected.

“Bring back and retain qualified teachers, said McDannel, noting the loss of 30 teachers who left or retired in the last year.

That was echoed by Dupee, who said teacher retention was the big problem.

Elmore-Perkins cited the need to “work as a team,” while Ferguson said it was to be “part of a team.”

Teamwork, however, is seemingly lacking during board meetings

The board, which does not have an anti-nepotism policy was twice wracked by internal conflicts in the past year when Belinda Mosby, the wife of board President Walter Mosby, was twice nominated for paid positions on the staff. In the first instance, the effort to make her the grants and budget coordinator failed after a loud and obviously contentious meeting behind closed doors. A second attempt to hire her in another job failed after the board decided to take no action.

In a time of change in education — an era where laptops often pinch-hit for a teacher in the room and once defined standards of school board management seem to be wavering in the wind of change — the real question seems to be the quality of the people who watch those who watch over our children.