Ex-Elmhurst Teacher Calls Officials 'Bobbleheads'

ELMHURST, IL – A retired Elmhurst teacher called local school board members "bobbleheads," saying he was "not impressed."

During a school board meeting, Paul Guerino, who retired in 2005 after working for Elmhurst District 205 for 36 years, criticized the appearance of Sandburg and Bryan middle schools.

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He said they were "flat, concrete, grass, a few trees and a brick building," which he said could be found anywhere in Chicago and the suburbs.

By contrast, he called Churchville Middle School "a treasure," with a creek running through its property.

He also said an oak grove at the school is being killed by mulberry trees.

"The area is completely overgrown by trash trees," said Guerino, an Elmhurst resident since 1970. "In a few years, if you don't do something now, you're going to go with a chainsaw and cut everything down."

As an aside, Guerino called board members "bobbleheads." In politics, this means that officials blindly agree with what their leader or party says.

Guerino did not explain to the board why he leveled the insult.

In 2021, a resident called Lyons Township High School board members "worse than pedophiles" for their face mask policy.

At a later session, he said the members were "bobbleheads." The school later banned him from public meetings. That raised First Amendment issues, but the resident did not legally challenge the decision.

Guerino is not known for mincing his words.

Three years ago, Guerino, who often decries criminals, displayed a warm spot for the bad guys of his youth.

He even praised a mobster who went to prison for murder. He said he would rather deal with mob figures than anonymous online commenters.

About the mobsters, Guerino said, "They were 'bad guys' who you knew and could become involved with or not. They were perfect neighbors. Their grass was cut. Their kids were behaved in school. When someone died, they sent flowers."