D-86 Board Leader To Miss Candidate Forum

HINSDALE, IL — Kevin Camden, president of the Hinsdale High School District 86 board, said over the weekend he would be unable to take part in a candidate forum Sunday, citing a family commitment.

The virtual forum is being sponsored by Independent Voters for D86.

In a response to Independent Voters, Camden noted it seemed that selecting a date and then advising candidates of the choice made full participation "improbable." He said the Hinsdalean had selected a "mutually acceptable date" for its forum, which he said he would attend.

Organizer Meeta Patel, School District 181's vice president, said her group was aware that the Hinsdalean was planning a forum at some point in the weekdays leading up to Independent Voters' event. So her group chose a weekend date, she said, to avoid a conflict with the Hinsdalean.

"As you pointed out, with ten candidates running, we knew it would be difficult to find a date that would work for everyone," Patel told Camden. "Fortunately, 8 of the 10 candidates responded promptly that they will be in attendance."

Patel told Patch that the other candidate who cannot attend is board member Marty Turek.

"Unfortunately, Mr. Turek was unable to definitively commit to the date/time of the forum due to travel," she said in an email.

The election is April 6.

Over the years, the District 86 board has faced its share of criticism on issues such as the revised science curriculum, equity between Central and South high schools, and the return of in-person schooling. Such feedback is not unusual for a public entity, but Camden occassionally bristles in response.

A year ago, Camden announced he would no longer respond to constituent emails, saying that he would refer them to the district's communications director. He said his responses to previous emails had been "bastardized." Within months, he acknowledged he had backed off that policy.

In a March 2020 interview, he told Patch that District 86 benefits from a "very engaged" public. Around that same time, he said at a board meeting in reaction to critical comments: "They are decidedly negative relative to what the board is doing. I think in the grand scheme of things that may demonstrate more about the commenters' character than that of the board."

In September, Camden announced that he would push public comment to the end of board meetings — after decisions are made — rather than near the beginning.

"I've said this for a number of years. I'm tired of folks coming in and complaining and not listening as we go through the meeting to answer the questions we have," Camden said.

No board members publicly questioned his decision, which Camden said would be in effect as long as he was board president. However, public comment was near the start of the last two meetings, even though Camden still heads the board.