District 209
The Forest Park Review will not endorse any of the candidates running for District 209 Proviso Township high school board. This is a course of action we take reluctantly because this failed school district clearly needs better leadership. The current candidates are not capable of providing it.
The downward spiral of District 209 continues.
Low student achievement and irresponsible spending for years now have plagued this district and none of the eight candidates running for the board’s three open seats appear capable of doing anything that will remedy that.
What’s more, only four of those eight candidates even acknowledged our phone calls for endorsement interviews.
One candidate, Megan Sawa – a young substitute teacher – pinpointed the political, financial and educational problems this district faces, but she still has a fairly steep learning curve to overcome in her comprehension of how a school board functions. President Chris Welch, a wily political hack, makes mincemeat of such persons. Furthermore, Sawa needs to distance herself from the three-person ticket she is running on, which includes the ineffective and highly political incumbent Theresa Kelly, and Frank Montgomery, who is not at all inspiring.
We would like to see a better-versed and stronger Sawa recruit some like-minded reformists to run in the next election. Maybe then we’ll consider endorsements.
