Elmhurst Lawmaker Questions Local PTA

ELMHURST, IL – State Rep. Deanne Mazzochi, who has called for the Elmhurst school board to "clean house," recently set her sights on the PTA at a local school.

During Tuesday's school board meeting, the Elmhurst Republican read passages of her emails with a PTA representative at Sandburg Middle School.

Patch obtained the email chain from the PTA member.

On Aug. 10, Mazzochi asked why the PTA's list of committees did not include one for curriculum.

"Is there a reason why not? Isn't that pretty essential? Can we create one?" Mazzochi said. "I know several parents who would be willing to serve."

Three weeks later, the group's representative responded the PTA had nothing to do with the curriculum. Even if it did, she said, "I would definitely not take any input from someone who is not an educator and doesn't promote or believe in the benefits of social-emotional learning."

Mazzochi responded a couple of weeks later that she reviewed the PTA's minutes and noticed many discussions about the curriculum. The topics included the district's math goals, standards-based grading and how to make social-emotional learning data-driven.

The PTA also heard from a district curriculum official.

"Is there a district policy you are aware of that would prohibit more parental involvement, or which should be discouraging it?" Mazzochi asked the PTA.

The lawmaker also responded to the assertion about her not being an educator and her beliefs on social-emotional learning.

"I would appreciate assistance in understanding your perspective as to how and why you believe your stated approach contributes to inclusive, respectful dialogue and involved parents, which is supposedly one of the goals of D205," Mazzochi said.

The PTA representative responded, "To clarify my earlier email, the PTA, nor I have the authority or decision-making power to determine curriculum at individual schools; it is determined at the state level with (the Illinois School Board of Education)," the PTA representative wrote. "All parents are invited to come to these open meetings. As a fellow Sandburg parent, we hope to see you at one in the future."

At Tuesday's board meeting, Mazzochi, who has two students in District 205, said the board has sat silently in response to "cratering" student performance. She accused the district of hiring costly consultants who have delivered failure.

She cited her experience as a legislator and a former chairwoman of the board for the College of DuPage. She noted she took the helm when the college was in crisis and its accreditation at risk.

She said she and her fellow board members engaged in public oversight, something she said the local school board was not doing.

As for York High, Mazzochi said one teacher pledged online to teach false American history. Another teacher, she said, was recorded "whining that the district didn't pay her enough to individually grade students' English papers."

"This has been my experience as a D-205 parent," the lawmaker said. "Given this history, ideological rigidity and an utterly derisive attitude toward parent input and curriculum, is a downward spiral in student performance really that surprising?"

The board didn't specifically respond to her comments, but board President Kara Caforio later said the district needed to improve its numbers.

In the Nov. 8 election, Mazzochi is running against Elmhurst Democrat Jenn Ladisch Douglass for the District 45 state representative seat.

The League of Women Voters of Elmhurst recently invited both candidates to participate in a forum. Douglass agreed to take part, but Mazzochi didn't respond to the invitation, according to the league.