District 113 accused of using students as pawns in pushing $89M referendum

BY ED COLLINS

District 113 officials are being accused of using students as “political foot soldiers” in their contentious campaign to push through an $89 million facilities referendum next Tuesday.  

Karen Berkowitz, a reporter for both the Deerfield and Highland Park weekly Pioneer Press newspapers, made the disclosure on the Internet Thursday, and local media has quickly picked up the story.

Berkowitz reported that Deerfield High School Athletic Director Robert Ruiz has been putting undue pressure on students to become “political foot soldiers, ” encouraging them to walk the precincts this final election weekend to distribute various campaign literature supporting the referendum.

Coaches were told by higher-ups to urge physical education students to join in a last-minute political blitz this weekend since there are millions of dollars at stake in the referendum for new gyms, swimming pools and other athletic facilities.

Many student participation teams are already well organized, drilled, and ready for the campaign, based upon their day of participation and the community they will blanket with referendum literature.

Test runs have already been carried out. As an example, Ruiz said he and his daughter walked a neighborhood last Saturday covering about 77 homes in less than 90 minutes.

Highwood property owner Bruno Behrend tipped off the press to the upcoming mischief after receiving complaints from some student’s parents who resent the imposition.

“It is completely inappropriate and coercive for teachers, coaches and administrators, who stand in a position of trust and authority over their students, to require them to engage in such political activity for schools,” Behrend said.

He has notified the Lake County State’s Attorney and the Illinois Attorney General about the questionable legalities of using students to peddle District 113 referendum materials and hopes investigators will monitor the situation. He said a similar issue occurred in 2011 when District 113 sponsored a $133 million facility referendum that failed by a wide margin.

District Superintendent George Fornero maintains that his staff and elective board members have been well informed on ethical referendum procedures.

“School Board President Harvey Cohen and I assure you that District 113 makes every attempt to comply with state and federal laws, as well as our own ethical policies,” Fornero said.

A separate citizens volunteer group called CLEAR is leading the pro campaign for obtaining improved facilities on behalf of the District, while Education First, another volunteer group of local citizens, is opposing the $89 million referendum as excessive and too expensive.   

Ed Collins is a Lake County freelance journalist and frequent Patch contributor on community and technology issues.

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