Politics & Government

District 113 School Board Candidate Q&A: Carl Lambrecht

One of three candidates opposed to District 113's referendum discusses why he's running for school board.

Background: Carl Lambrecht owns Laurel Industries, an optics company located in Highland Park. He is one of three candidates opposed to District 113's .

Highland Park Patch: Why run for the school board?

Carl Lambrecht: To stimulate the school board and the community to improve the laws governing education, some of which inhibit positive change and increase the cost of education. This means managing the Illinois Association of School Boards. The laws should address support for the students. Teachers should not be blocked by law to teach students.

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HP Patch: What are some of the things you would like to see change if elected?

Lambrecht: An organization called the Illinois Association of School Boards publishes the “Illinois School Code,” which shows clearly how many of the issues that have resulted in the high cost of education have been placed into law. These laws need to be corrected so that education will improve and the costs go down. Given the state of the economy, some residents feel that the school districts some programs, pensions, and per-pupil costs are too high. 

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HP Patch: How do you feel about the current state of the district’s financials? How do you plan to vote regarding funding distribution in the coming years?

Lambrecht: Residents of School District 113 (Deerfield and Highland Park High Schools) and the feeder schools spent over $25,000 for membership in Illinois Association of School Boards. This lobbying organization should be more effective in correcting the laws which inhibit quality education at a reasonable cost.

HP Patch: Talk about the future of the high schools — should District 113’s referendum for funding to improve the high schools pass, do you feel the tax payer’s money will be well spent? How will you communicate with residents that are opposed?

Lambrecht: If the referendum were to pass, I would do all the additions necessary to improve the schools. I would not destroy any of the buildings. I would ask the Illinois Association of School Boards to correct the laws that result in making the cost of construction cost about $30 million more than it should. Construction on a house, a factory or an office building would cost considerably less than school construction costs because of unnecessary and burdensome laws. We can save $30 million by correcting state laws.

HP Patch: District 113 has Academic Watch Status by the standards of No Child Left Behind. What are some things the school board can do to help the schools meet these standards?

Lambrecht: At the last school board meeting, we learned of a group that is addressing this issue without school funding. The school should adopt the same program. Probably state law would not allow the school to do this. The state law needs to be corrected. The group is paying salaries to students to teacher other students. The school could do the same, using students to help other students.

HP Patch: Highland Park High School students have begun the planning process for a teen center. While this planning process is completely independent of the schools, what are some things the school board can do to provide and endorse safe places for students and teens to go after school?

Lambrecht: The school has a building where the students can meet. The law must permit this to happen.

HP Patch: District 113 has students that come from low income and non-native English speaking families. How will the school board reach out to these families to involve them in their neighborhood schools and children’s education?

Lambrecht: There is a DVD in Highland Park Library called "The Ron Clark Story." This DVD shows a teacher taking a class from a Harlem slum school and bringing it to the highest level in New York City in a short period of time. Again, state law prevents better education and increases cost of education. The Illinois Association of School Boards needs to correct these laws. If they do not, then we need to address our state legislators. 

HP Patch: How will the school board promote partnerships between all parents, teachers and the board?

Lambrecht: You have forgotten the students. The partnership should be between first the student and the parent. Than this parent/student partnership should be supported by the teachers. The board should help create an atmosphere in which this can happen.


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