Endorsements: Bharadwa, Kulovits, Long and Rutledge for Wheaton Warrenville District 200 school board
This endorsement is a consensus opinion of the Daily Herald Editorial Board.
A mix of newcomers and familiar faces are vying for a 4-year and a 2-year seat on the Wheaton Warrenville Unit District 200 school board.
Seven candidates are running for three 4-year seats: incumbents Julie Kulovits and David Long, and challengers Anjali Bharadwa, Erik Hjerpe, Amanda "Amy" Erkenswick, Spencer Garrett and David Sohmer.
Kulovits was unanimously appointed to the board last August, and we can see why. She brings experience as an attorney, and her understanding of the school board's role is clear. As an incumbent, Kulovits' knowledge of how the board works with budget and fiscal responsibilities is impressive, and she offers expertise when discussing curriculum and what is best for students, staff and the community. We like that she is an advocate for teachers and sees them as the curriculum experts. She offers solid ideas to consider - more student involvement with the board and school safety audits. She prioritizes transparency, and her competence on a variety of issues shows. Kulovits is endorsed.
Long has been on the board since 2019, and a variety of issues motivate his candidacy. Learning gaps, fiscal responsibility, investing in aging buildings, student safety and student well-being are his top issues. His experience and longevity are vital to the board's work and perspective. He shares Kulovits' view that the board's role in setting curriculum is collaborative with the superintendent and other leaders, and his experience as a controller makes him well suited to address and understand district finances. He's a district advocate, and his commitment to work in progress makes him deserving of another term. Long is endorsed.
Bharadwa and Hjerpe offer impressive civic involvement, backgrounds and experience. We endorsed Bharadwa when she ran two years ago, and we do so again. She would bring much-needed diversity and a fresh perspective. She founded the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Parent Council for District 200, started a nonprofit organization for children and emphasizes that her priority is advocating for all children. She hopes to bring a voice to the board that reflects community diversity, and we see her as an asset to both students and parents based on her background and knowledge.
Hjerpe displays similar passion for education and student support. He backs the current curriculum and views teachers as experts. He's shown consistent involvement with the district, both at the board and school levels. He supports transparency and clear communication, and we see Hjerpe as a good listener, team player and considerate of all perspectives. His love for the district, teachers and schools is infectious.
While both are qualified, we endorse Bharadwa for her thoughtful and detailed responses regarding curriculum, teacher support, diversity among the schools and the diversity and dedication she can offer.
Erkenswick, Garrett and Sohmer, who are running as a slate with 2-year candidate Kimberly Hobbs, speak almost in lock-step on issues, with parental involvement their key issue, rather than supporting and uplifting professionally trained staff and educators.
For the 2-year seat, John Rutledge faces Kimberly Hobbs.
Rutledge offers extensive community involvement that would serve the board well. He served 10 years on Wheaton City Council, five years on the College of DuPage budget committee and two years on the college's foundation finance committee. He has supported the schools in various ways to assure their continued high quality.
He supports the current curriculum but thinks it should be reviewed, expanded and updated to serve students in a diverse district. Rutledge would like to incorporate intergovernmental cooperation and explore what municipalities and park districts can offer the district to keep costs in check.
We like Rutledge's professional and civic leadership experience, along with his roles as president, board member, committee member and chair. His background offers a wealth of knowledge, cooperation, teamwork, discipline and preparedness to benefit the board.
Hobbs is running on the slate with Erkenswick, Garrett and Sohmer. Hobbs lacks civic and community involvement and tends to echo the narrow themes of her slate mates. Focused mostly on parental involvement, she lacks the experience or expertise that would make her an effective voice on this board.
Rutledge's wealth of relevant experience, public service and thoughtful examination of the issues is far superior, and he gets our endorsement.