Parents attack U-46 board over administrative hire

About a dozen parents and community members lambasted the Elgin Area District U-46 school board over the recent hiring of a former Chicago Public School administrator tasked with overcoming the district’s achievement gap and ensuring racial equity in the district.

Last month, the district announced the addition of Ushma Shah as chief of equity and social justice. Shah, whose role became effective Monday, will receive a salary of $120,000 plus $12,450 in benefits.

Parents and community members say that salary and benefits package is absurd given the district’s fiscal concerns, and asked how the district could justify adding another administrator when programs like art, music and gym for kindergarten students have been eliminated and transportation services have been reduced.

“Taxpayers are outraged when we know that we have overcrowded classrooms,” said Terry Gavin, an Elgin resident and former Elgin City Council member. “We need teachers. That salary would go a long way to hire part-time and full-time teachers, especially when you don’t have to pay part-time teachers benefits.”

Others called the position “a waste of money,” and asked if the new position would affect the ongoing bias lawsuit against the district.

“This is money not well-spent,” district resident Joe Grens said. “We don’t even need this position. It’s the teachers who are supposed to teach social justice and equity in school.”

Julie Schmidt of Elgin called the appointment “concerning.”

“If U-46 has no racial bias issues as its attorney claims in the lawsuit, why does it require a staff position for implementing/overseeing racial equity?” Schmidt asked.

But school board members defended the approval of the administrative position, saying district is legally bound to educate every student.

“Every child in the district is not getting what they need,” board member Jennifer Schroder said. “It behooves us to look at why that is and examine it closely.”

Board member Maria Bidelman added that the district understands where parents concerns are coming from, and that the board had many discussions over the issue. In the end, the district stands by its decision, Bidelman said.

“It is taking a lot of guts to stand up to the issue and to say that we have an issue,” Bidelman said. “And to say that we don’t is preposterous.”

Superintendent Jose Torres referenced the last line of the Pledge of Allegiance before heading into executive session after Monday’s meeting.

“It’s not my social justice,” Torres said. “We just said the Pledge of Allegiance and the last line is ‘justice for all’.”