Peoria Standard

Opinion Editorial - Local Control 

For release Tuesday, September 14th, 2021 

The state’s mandates regarding masks and vaccinations are merely the headlines  and excuses of the moment in an incremental dismantling of local control in  public education – and other arenas -- that began decades ago, with the pace only  picking up since. 

Indeed, the latest top-down decisions from the governor and Illinois State Board  of Education – and at times we’ve seen this at the federal level, as well – are just a  continuation of the pattern of higher officials substituting their judgments for  those of local school boards. That has included matters of curriculum, testing,  student dress codes, accommodations, discipline, athletics, school lunch offerings,  etc. “Unfunded mandates” – directives without the dollars to implement them -- have been a local rallying cry for as long as many of us can remember. 

It is fair to ask: What is the point of electing local school boards at all?  

We would grant that public safety is of the utmost importance – we want to  protect our kids, employees and ourselves, too -- and that people of good  intention may differ on the approaches to this pandemic and how best to protect  the short- and long-term health and interests of our students. What we would not  concede is that we must abandon our principles as a nation in order to preserve  and protect the nation and its citizens. Among those principles is the rule of law. 

Since March 2020, Gov. Pritzker has issued more than 80 executive orders  regarding COVID-19 that have carried the force of law. The actual lawmaking  branch of government – the Illinois General Assembly -- has been missing in  action. 

Lest anyone think our stance here is political, whether it’s a Republican governor  of Florida or a Democratic governor of Illinois making these unilateral calls, it is  clear that this has become a bipartisan affliction. The aims may be different but  the behavior is the same, and worthy of objection in either case.  

Indeed, it is impossible to believe that governing by executive order is what this  nation’s Founders had in mind when they were forming our nation. Not only have  school boards been made irrelevant, but evidently legislatures have been, too.  This is not what we teach our students in regards to how our republic is supposed  to work. We may not always agree with the legislative outcome, but at least our  time-tested processes have been respected. 

Meanwhile, federal and state law are abundantly clear as to where the authority  lies in regards to public education: “Parents have the primary responsibility for  the education of their children,” while other public and even private jurisdictions  “have the primary responsibility for supporting that parental role.”  

Gov. Pritzker himself once subscribed to that view. As recently as July, he stated  that “families should be involved in making decisions for their own families. And,  school districts and school boards will make decisions for the schools within their  districts.” 

Evidently, the Governor and ISBE really don’t believe this.  

Meanwhile, those of us who took the governor at his word are now dismissed and  derided as an extreme minority, the enemies of science and compassion.  

First, too many of our state leaders mistake compliance with agreement and  consent. More of us than they apparently wish to admit have serious misgivings  about how decisions are being made in Springfield.  

As for the science, it – or at least the communication of it from the CDC and  others – has been inconsistent, at best. Finally, who’s really being punitive here – and to schoolchildren, not adults – when the consequences of not falling in line  are to make high school diplomas worthless, or deny funding, or prevent students  from participating in athletics? It is precisely because we do care about our young  people that we are sparing them these threatened punishments.  

In short, may Springfield forgive those of us who have come to view it as less a  partner than an adversary in the education of our children. 

To say this is a challenging and unprecedented time understates it, but the zig-zag  nature of decision-making out of Springfield has made it far more difficult to  manage our classrooms, our schools, and our districts, creating unnecessary  conflict in our communities. None of that serves our students – our reason for  being – well. 

It’s not just about the pandemic. It’s about all of the decisions that have been  taken out of local hands by those who are all too distant from the resulting  fallout. Enough is enough. Absolutely, it is the principle of the thing. Please,  restore local control and accountability to our communities and those of us who  know them best. 

Respectfully,  

Morton CUSD# 709 

Dr. Jeff Hill, Superintendent and Morton District 709 Board of Education 

Central Community High School District #71  

Dr. Dustin Foutch, Superintendent and Board of Education  

El Paso Gridley CUSD #11 

Mr. Brian Kurz, Superintendent 

Odell CCSD #435 

Mr. Mark A. Hettmansberger, Superintendent and Board of Education 

Taylorville CUSD#3 

Mr. Chris Dougherty, Superintendent and Board of Education  

Meridian CUSD #101 

Mr. Jonathan D. Green, Superintendent 

Regional Office of Education #11 

Dr. Kyle Thompson, Regional Superintendent 

Midwest Central CUSD 191 

Dr. Todd Hellrigel, Superintendent and Board of Education 

Trico Community Unit District #176 

Mr. Larry D. Lovel, Superintendent  

Carlyle CUSD #1  

Ms. Annie Gray, Superintendent and Board of Education  

Central A&M 

Dr. DeAnn Heck, Superintendent and Board of Education 

Mt. Zion CUSD #3 

Dr. Travis R. Roundcount, Superintendent and Board of Education 

Damiansville ESD #62 

Mr. Dustin E. Nail, Superintendent and Board of Education 

Pana CUSD #8 

Mr. Jason Bauer, Superintendent 

Shelbyville CUSD #4 

Mr. Shane Schuricht, Superintendent and Board Members: Abbie Ballard, Jake Hankins, Gary  Hayden, Ellen Trainor and Scott West 

Red Bud CUSD #132 

Mr. Jonathan Tallman, Superintendent and Board of Education 

Gardner South Wilmington High School #73 

Mr. Josh DeLong, Superintendent and Gardner South Wilmington #73 Board of Education.  

South Central School District #401 

Mr. Kerry Herdes, Superintendent and South Central Board of Education 

Paris CUSD #4 

Ms.Danette Young, Superintendent and Paris CUSD #4 Board of Education 

Braceville Elementary School #75 

Mr. Josh DeLong, Superintendent and Braceville Elementary School District #75 Board of  Education  

Nokomis CUSD #22 

Dr. Scott E. Doerr, Superintendent and the following Board members: Mr. Chad Ruppert, Board  President, Mr. Carl Kettelkamp, Board Members, and Mr. Denny Bauman, Board Secretary.  

Clifton Central CUSD # 4 

Ms. Tonya Evans, Superintendent and Board of Education 

Havana CUSD #126 

Mr. R. Mathew Plater, Superintendent and Board of Education 

Eureka CUSD #140 

Mr. Robert Bardwel, Superintendent and Eureka CUSD 140 Board of Education 

Freeburg Community High School District #77 

Mr. Gregory Frerking, Superintendent 

Woodlawn USD #209 

Mr. Eric Helbig, Superintendent and Board of Education 

Windsor CUSD #1 

Mr. Erik Van Hoveln, Superintendent and Windsor CUSD #1 Board of Education 

Cowden-Herrick CUSD #3A 

Mr. Seth Schuler, Superintendent and Cowden-Herrick Board of Education  

Bartelso SD #57 

Mr. Tom Siegle, Superintendent

St. Libory CSD #30 

Dr. Thomas Rude, Superintendent 

Mt. Pulaski CUSD #23 

Mr. Fredrick A Lamkey, Superintendent and Mt. Pulaski Board of Education 

Ridgeview CUSD #19 Mr. Erik Young, Superintendent and Board of Education 

Flanagan-Cornell District #74 

Mr. Jerry Farris, Superintendent and Flanagan-Cornell FC 74 Board of Education 

New Berlin CUSD #16 

Ms. Jill Larson, Superintendent and Board of Education 

North Clay #25 

Mr. Travis Wyatt, Superintendent and Board of Education 

Benton Consolidated High School District #103 

Mr. Benjamin Johnson, Superintendent  

Marshall CUSD #C-2 

Mr. Kevin Ross, Superintendent 

Red Hill CUSD #10 

Mr. Jakie Walker, Superintendent and Red Hill Board of Education

 Community Unit School District #4 

Mr. Scott D. Riddle, Superintendent and CUSD#4 Board of Education

 Bourbonnais Elementary School District #53

 Dr. Adam Ehrman, Superintendent 

Vandalia C.U.S.D. #203 

Dr. Jennifer Garrison, Superintendent and Board President Joe Lawson 

Tremont CUSD #702 

Mr. Sean Berry and Board of Education  

Roanoke-Benson CUSD #60 

Mr. Thomas Welsh, Superintendent and Roanoke-Benson Board of Education 

ROE 21 

Ms. Lorie LeQuatte, Regional Superintendent  

Iuka Grade School CCSD #7 

Mr. Sam Alli and Board of Education 

Oakwood CUSD#76 

Mr. Larry Maynard, Superintendent  

Central City School #133 

Mr. Tim Branon, Superintendent 

Farmington Central CUSD #265 

Dr. Zac Chatterton, Superintendent 

Field Community CUSD #3 

Mr. Wayne Stone, Superintendent  

LeRoy CUSD#2 

Mr. Gary Tipsord, Superintendent and LeRoy CUSD#2 Board of Education 

Payson CUSD#1 

Dr. Donna Veile and Board of Education: Lisa Schwartz, Vinson Sill, Chanse Barker, Clint  Twaddle, Danelle Donley, and Denise Albsmeyer 

Benton CCSD #47 

Mr. Steve Smith, Superintendent 

Neoga CUSD #3 

Mr. Bill Fritcher, Superintendent 

St. Elmo CUSD #202 

Ms. Julie Healy, Superintendent and Board of Education 

Okaw Valley CUSD #302 

Mr. Kent Stauder, Superintendent and Board of Education  

Mount Vernon Township High School #201 

Ms. Melanie Andrews, Superintendent and Matthew Flanigan, Board President 

Ramsey CUSD #204 

Ms. Melissa Ritter, Superintendent and Ramsey Board of Education. 

Teutopolis CUSD #50 

Mr. Matthew Sturgeon, Superintendent 

Sullivan CUSD #300 

Mr. Ted Walk, Superintendent 

Bluford USD #318 

Dr. Shane Gordon, Superintendent 

Mulberry Grove CUSD #1 

Mr. Robert Koontz and Board of Education 

Effingham CUSD #40 

Mr. Mark E. Doan, Superintendent 

Anna-Jonesboro CHSD #81 

Mr. Rob Wright, Superintendent 

Anna CCSD #37 

Dr. Julie Bullard, Superintendent and Anna CCSD #37 Board of Education 

Beecher City CUSD #20 

Mr. Philip Lark, Superintendent and Board of Education 

ROE #13 

Mr. Matt Renaud, Superintendent 

Damiansville ESD #62 

Mr. Dustin E. Nail, Superintendent and Damiansville ESD #62 Board of Education 

Freeburg Community Consolidated District #70 

Dr. Melanie Brink and Board of Education 

Hutsonville CUSD #1 

Ms. Julie Kraemer, Superintendent and Board of Education

 Altamont CUSD #10 

Mrs. Casey Adam, Superintendent 

Gifford CCSD #188 

Dr. Jay P. Smith, Superintendent 

Salem Community High School #600 

Dr. Brad Detering, Superintendent 

Brownstown CUSD #201 

Mr. Mike Shackelford, Superintendent and Board of Education  

Prairie du Rocher CUSD #134 

Mr. Rob Pipher, Superintendent 

Calhoun CUSD #40 

Ms. Andrea Lee, Superintendent 

Delavan CUSD #703 

Dr. Andrew Brooks, Superintendent 

Scott-Morgan CUSD #2 

Dr. Kevin Blankenship, Superintendent and Board of Education 

Winchester CUSD #1 

Dr. Kevin Blankenship and Board of Education 

DeLand-Weldon CUSD #57 

Ms. Amanda Geary, Superintendent and Board of Education 

Spring Garden CCSD #178 

Ms. Tammy Beckham, Superintendent 

Chester CUSD #139 

Mr. Brian Pasero, Superintendent 

Norris City-Omaha-Enfield CUSD #3  

Mr. Matthew J. Vollman, Superintendent 

Clinton CUSD 15 

Mr. Curt Nettles, Superintendent 

Cumberland CUSD #77 

Mr. Todd Butler, Superintendent