'Clean House': Lawmaker To Elmhurst D-205

ELMHURST, IL – A Republican state lawmaker on Tuesday urged the Elmhurst school board to "clean house" because of problems in lessons at York High School.

Rep. Deanne Mazzochi of Elmhurst spoke during public comments at the Elmhurst School District 205 board meeting.

Mazzochi, who has a child at York, said the school's lessons in American history and junior English classes had problems. She offered no examples in the three minutes she was given to speak.

Last summer, Mazzochi said she heard from parents about issues in the classes. She said she tried to get information about the courses, but was required to file a public records request. That request, she said, gave her little information.

"Then once school started, I immediately raised concerns because multiple problematic assignments and class activities were reported to me by my child," Mazzochi said.

Mazzochi said she tried to get information about the lessons at curriculum night, but was unsuccessful.

"Your teachers couldn't shut the discussion down fast enough," the lawmaker said. "One ran to get her department chair, who also refused to give information and chose to argue with me about how everything was just fine."

She said that because she spoke out, other parents and students contacted her about issues. Knocking on doors, she said she met parents upset about curriculum quality and politics in the classroom.

Mazzochi said she went through administrative processes to get more information on the curriculum. But she said she ended up with the "bureaucratic runaround."

She said she received promises of openness, but they were broken.

She said Superintendent Keisha Campbell, who started last summer, did not create the problems, but inherited them.

"I hope you're going to be not drinking from this fire hose," Mazzochi said. "But, unfortunately, you are going to have to at some point clean house."

Mazzochi recommended a full curriculum review. She said teachers were not complying with policies.

"We had a full year go by, where I have gone through your entire process. No relief," she said.

Under its policy, the school board does not respond to public comments.

Recently, Mazzochi spoke at an event organized by Elmhurst Parents for Integrity in Curriculum. It is a conservative group that contends District 205 is indoctrinating students with ideas such as Marxism and critical race theory.

In November, Mazzochi told Patch in a statement that an "inappropriate" bias exists in York's classrooms.

Mazzochi is no stranger to social issues.

A few years ago, she sometimes called attention to social hot-button topics with her "Snark of the Day" posts on Twitter. She did so during her time as chairwoman of the College of DuPage board. Some comments focused on transgender people.

In other "Snark" posts, Mazzochi said President Barack Obama wanted revenge against "colonialist white men" and explained why a "white, male Republican" would be best for liberty.

She hasn't written any "Snark" posts since 2016. Her largest individual contributor distanced himself from the lawmaker's tweets after Patch wrote a story about them.

She has never responded to Patch's inquiries about the tweets.