You can listen but still not agree

As a very involved parent and a member of the Facilities Review Committee I need to respond to Mr. Wilson's letter.

Mr. Wilson stated that the Board of Education didn't listen to the recommendation of the FRC. Also, that Michael Withey and Mr. Benson ran on the platform of getting the community involved and that they will listen to us.

They did listen to the public and the FRC as they voted to not keep only 80 of the first graders at Westbrook, as previously voted by the last board, rather should be all of them together, which was in our recommendation.

We also recommended researching all-day kindergarten; this is being done.

I was shocked Mr. Wilson felt the need to publicly attack the character and morals of some of the BOE members, as this was a unanimous decision by the BOE.

Michael Withey and Mr. Benson were mentioned as not caring about the district's children. Do these BOE members not have better things to do twice a month than to sit in front of the community (some of the community being misinformed on their information) and spend countless hours doing research to make an informed decision? They do this for four years of their lives.

Michael has four children in Dist. 57, the fifth joins us next year. So, as you can tell, this vote affects ALL his children, the neighborhood kids, the kids he teaches in Sunday school, the softball team he coaches, the girls that are in his wife's Brownie troop.

The Witheys get involved to make things better for everyone. They just don't sit by and watch things happen and complain about them later. As to Mr. Wilson's threat about when the next vote comes, "I hope we can remedy that," do you think these men will do this a second term so people like Mr. Wilson can be rude and careless?

So I say to you, Mr. Wilson: You have all these great ideas, and you want to be vocal and publicly heard? I look forward to seeing your campaign for the next open seat on the Board of Education for Dist. 57.

Amber Tortorello

Mount Prospect