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Dist. 211 hopefuls demonstrate individuality at forum

All eight candidates for the Palatine-Schaumburg High School District 211 school board shared their personalities and top priorities with voters at a forum Thursday night in their bids for support in the April 7 election.

Vying for four available seats on the board are Mucia Burke, Peter Dombrowski, Richard Gerber, Roman Golash, Will Hinshaw, Robert Lithgow, Lauanna Recker and Edward Yung.

-Burke, a four-year incumbent, said she has always looked for efficiencies but brings the human touch of being able to look at issues through more than one lens. She pointed to the new strategic plan being prepared by the district as something that will coordinate educational goals with financial resources.

"I am a solution-based person," Burke said. "I want the best for everyone."

Dombrowski, a structural engineer running for the board for the first time, was more emphatic that the board's current policies didn't reflect the will of the community. He said he hoped to create more committees to build a stronger voice for the public.

"Education is not a business, it's a community value," Dombrowski said. "There is no failure for our school district."

Richard Gerber, another incumbent seeking re-election, said his job as a real estate broker has contributed to a strong sense for the community. He felt his particular skill is the ability to see the connection between every function of the district and its all-important balanced budget.

"If you don't have a reliable revenue stream, then you're worried about many other things," Gerber said.

Golash, a microbiologist and retired Army colonel, was critical of the district's budget but even more so of the direction of education in the U.S. He was the most outspoken critic among the candidates of Common Core standards and said today's students should be taught in school about the threat of radical Islam.

"The reason I'm running is that we're losing our country, we're losing our freedoms," Golash said. "Common Core is a Trojan horse. Common Core is indoctrination, not education."

Hinshaw, an accountant, said that while his professional skills would be helpful in keeping tabs on financial matters, his history of volunteerism through such organizations as the Palatine Jaycees would keep him in touch with the goal of furthering students' education.

"I'm a well-rounded, reasonable and responsible individual," Hinshaw said. "I care about our students and I care about our property tax bills."

Lithgow, an attorney and 2002 graduate of the district, said his background gives him the perspective of every stakeholder in the community. He even got involved in politics through student organizations, and his wife is a teacher in another district.

Nevertheless, he sees overtaxation and a lack of equity in program spending as major issues for the district.

"I think the tax levy is the largest issues facing the district," Lithgow said, adding that he'd like to see an attempt to lower it for a year.

Recker said her strong business background makes her a good candidate on two fronts. Not only does she have the skill to see the district run as efficiently as possible, but she also knows the critical and analytical skills students must learn today to be of use to the business world.

"Budgeting happens to be something I know very well," Recker said. "I'm the best candidate because I live it and I breathe it.'

Yung, an architect who previously served on both the District 211 and Palatine Township Elementary District 15 school boards, is seeking a return to help keep education in the community at the level that helped his own children adapt better to college than he did, having personally attended Chicago schools.

"I think it's important that we keep up our standards here," Yung said. "I think a strong school district is what attracts people to this community."

The League of Women Voters of the Palatine Area organized and ran the 90-minute forum at Schaumburg High School.

  Martha Stamper, president of the League of Women Voters of the Palatine Area, welcomes candidates and audience members to a Palatine-Schaumburg High School District 211 candidates forum at Schaumburg High School Thursday. The candidates seated in the foreground are, from left, Peter Dombrowski, Richard Gerber, Will Hinshaw and Robert Lithgow. Eric Peterson/epeterson@dailyherald.com
  Martha Stamper, president of the League of Women Voters of the Palatine Area, welcomes candidates and audience members to a Palatine-Schaumburg High School District 211 candidates forum at Schaumburg High School Thursday. Seated from left are candidates Mucia Burke, Roman Golash, Edward Yung and Lauanna Recker. Eric Peterson/epeterson@dailyherald.com
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