Conservative activist Phyllis Schlafly is giving her support to two Northwest Suburban High School District 214 board candidates, adding fuel to the fire in an already heated race.
In letters mailed to local members of her Alton-based Eagle Forum political action committee — which supports what it calls “pro-family” candidates — Schlafly endorses challengers Ken Frizane and Dennis Konczyk, pointing out that one is a church youth group leader and the other a church elder.
The letter criticizes incumbent candidates Bill Dussling, Alva Kreutzer and Bob Zimmanck for their support of what she calls “pornographic” books at the heart of a curriculum debate last spring — and what she considers a lax approach to staff conduct in the aftermath of the conviction of former teacher Jason Krigas on sex abuse charges last year.
Jim Harbaugh of Arlington Heights also is running for one of three seats on the board but wasn’t mentioned in the letter. He couldn’t be reached for comment Monday.
Schlafly, who acknowledged Monday she had no first-hand knowledge of District 214, said Eagle Forum members who live in District 214 urged her to issue the endorsement.
Neither Frizane or Konczyk knew it was coming, she added.
Frizane said Monday he’s always admired Schlafly, who rose to prominence opposing the Equal Rights Amendment. Nevertheless he said her support was a “complete surprise,” and, he adds, a pleasant one.
Konczyk, meanwhile, hadn’t yet seen the letter.
The incumbents say the endorsement letter contains erroneous information. They also dispute that church service is a credential for school board service and say the Schlafly endorsement is the link they’ve been anticipating between Konczyk, Frizane and the “radical right.
Further, they say, it proves their opponents are drawing support from people outside district boundaries who don’t really know District 214’s schools.
In its totality, Schlafly’s letter “is clearly a smoking gun,” said Arlen Gould, the head of the incumbents’ campaign.
“It links their campaign with people across the country who … would like to change the way we run public schools,” he said.
...The incumbents have long said the books earmarked as inappropriate by Pinney last spring are not pornography but texts chosen by professionals that are used in schools nationwide.
The election is April 17.
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I am continually amazed at the arrogance and paranoia of liberals in public schools. Their arrogance is exposed when they become enraged at the prospect of losing their ideological monopoly. They view public education as their fiefdom in which no other philosophical views are entitled to participate. When requests are made by conservatives for a place at the table, liberals hold their breath and stamp their ornery little feet.
Their paranoia is revealed when they express fear of a "takeover" at the prospect that one or two out of seven school board seats might be held by someone of more traditional philosophical leanings. So much for their commitment to diversity.
Well, maybe like David, Christians do threaten to dethrone the Goliath, GLSEN, and its emissaries. --Clive
