Equity Position Coming Before Hinsdale D86 Board

HINSDALE, IL – The Hinsdale High School District 86 board plans to vote Thursday on whether to keep a position focused on equity.

Up for consideration is a one-year, $112,000 contract for the director of equity and inclusion.

The person who currently fills the position, Patrice Payne, who makes $115,000 a year, is leaving Friday after nearly two years.

At a board meeting last month, Cheryl Moore, assistant superintendent for human resources, said the district conducted interviews and had been ready to present a recommended candidate.

"But we're not ready to make that recommendation, I guess," Moore said.

The board added the position in 2021 at the recommendation of Superintendent Tammy Prentiss. Shortly after an anti-Prentiss majority took control of the board last month, the superintendent went on an undefined "leave of absence."

Conservatives often oppose equity and inclusion programs. Republican-controlled Florida is defunding such efforts.

Awake Illinois, a conservative group, says on its website, "This hyper-fixation on race and equity is harming children and distracts from the proper goal of public schools: Academics."

District 86's board president, Catherine Greenspon, received Awake's endorsement before she was elected in April.

At the time, Greenspon said who endorses her doesn't change who she is and what she stands for.

"That any group or individual would endorse me when I so openly stand for collaboration and unity gives me hope," Greenspon said in an email. "My actions speak louder than words. My whole adult life has been dedicated to serving others. That's who I am today and who I will be after all the votes are counted."

On its website, Awake says it is fighting the grooming of children. This is where an adult builds a relationship with a child to exploit and possibly sexually abuse the child.

The website includes links such as "Groomer playbook," "Gays against groomers" and "Pritzker profits from synthetic sexual identities."

Awake is known for opposing all-ages drag shows at the Downers Grove Public Library. The group's website says, "Be the barrier between your child and anyone or any agenda to indoctrinate/groom/data mine your children."