Daniel Cox, Candidate for Palos Dist. 118 School Board

PALOS PARK, IL — Dan Cox running for his first term on the Palos Dist. 118 school board. There are four candidates running for three open seats.

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Early voting is underway. The consolidated election is April 4.

Read Cox's answers to the Patch candidate survey.

Your name: Daniel Cox

Age (as of election day): 39

Town/city of residence: Palos Park

School district: Palos 118

Family: I have been married to my wife Andrea (Gorecki) Cox for ten wonderful years. We have four fast growing boys: Walter (8), Emmett (6), Graham (4), and Nathan (19 months). When my wife and I were exploring options where to raise our family, we knew there was no better place for us than Palos Park. Walter and Emmett are attending Palos West while Graham attends preschool at the Farm and Nature Discovery School. When it comes time for the two younger Cox brothers to attend Kindergarten, they will also go to Palos West. My wife, Andrea, and my mother-in-law Catherine (O'Connell) Gorecki both graduated from District 118 which makes our children third generation of Palos Cardinals.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government? If yes, please explain. No, they do not.

Education:

A.A., Moraine Valley Community College, 2011
B.S., Business Administration, Saint Xavier University, 2015

Occupation: Through continuing my education and gaining new skills, I was recently able to make a career transition into software development with Allstate. Before that, I was a sales representative for Sherwin-Williams for ten years.

Campaign website or Facebook or other social media:

Dan Cox For Palos 118 Facebook

Dan Cox For Palos 118

Previous or current elected or appointed office: None.

The most pressing issues facing our (board, district, etc.) are _______, and this is what I intend to do about them.

From what I have learned as a parent in the district, the most pressing issue currently is the student/teacher ratio increasing for the incoming first grade classes. The incredible work that has been done by our district for generations has attracted new residents into the area, therefore increasing the number of students in each class. Higher class sizes have a negative effect on students’ learning experience. The board should ensure teacher to student ratios remain suitable for optimal learning and support the current staff to keep retention levels high and retain the great staff that we have. I intend to advocate for hiring more educators and staff to keep up with the demand of our district.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I believe I can bring a fresh perspective to the board with my professional experiences and education. I have over a decade of experience in budget management and working collaboratively with others. I believe this can help me ensure that the taxpayers' costs are effectively utilized. While I do believe that it is crucial for a school board to have educators and a teachers perspective, district 118 has four educators currently on the board. Ideally, a school board should have seven unique perspectives and come together to find common solutions with the students at the center of all decisions.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community or district?

I do not feel that the current board has failed our community, and I have the utmost respect and admiration for our current board. As a parent of current Palos 118 students and as spouse to a Palos 118 graduate, I have seen the success that this district provides to students and families. I hope to play a role in the team that helps Palos 118’s continued success into the future.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform:

Above all other issues, I am most concerned about providing our students with a challenging and rigorous curriculum that prepares them for success at their next level and beyond. I believe an effective school board prepares all students in their districts with the foundational tools they will use for the rest of their lives to be successful. I am also a strong believer in providing students an equitable education where each student feels included, welcomed, and represented.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

My previous roles have prepared me to build strong relationships and work collaboratively as part of a team. The board has seven members, but comes together to make decisions that are best for the district. I’ve also been an active community member coaching various teams in Palos Heights and PBO (Palos Baseball Organization). Just by being a coach, I am able to see kids of all different backgrounds and diverse cultures. I appreciate and value my time working with them and their parents to provide a safe and positive environment to allow for kids to do their best.

Why should voters trust you?

I have been an active member in our town of Palos Park for thirteen years. Our own children will be in the district for the next thirteen years. I am happy, comfortable, and interested in talking to anyone. Even if we have different backgrounds, values, or beliefs, I can only gain and never lose from hearing other perspectives. That means that as a school board member, I will be available to listen to the wants and needs of the communities and how it pertains to the students of district 118. I pride myself on being honest, caring, and open to those that have something to say.

If you win this position, what accomplishment would make your term in office a success?

I am not running for my own personal accomplishments. I am not in this race for personal gain or politics, but rather to ensure all the students in our district are provided the best educational experience possible. If I were fortunate enough to become a board member, I would take great pride in helping each of our Palos 118 students to prepare for a happy, productive, and successful life.

What are your views on fiscal policy, government spending and the handling of taxpayer dollars in the office you are seeking?

I believe that fiscal policy is an immense responsibility of the board and should not be taken lightly. Becoming an elected official means that you are responsible and trusted for decisions that taxpayer dollars from every resident contribute towards whether or not they have a student in our district. Every decision should be centered on the student and how it will benefit them.

What are your thoughts on how the district has handled the COVID-19 pandemic?

I believe the board did the best they could in what was an extremely difficult and unprecedented situation. Advice and data was changing quickly. In order to keep the students, staff, and community safe, I think the board made the best decisions to allow for the schools to go to virtual learning, and then to reopen when they did. Some of the tough decisions were also not made by the district but instead by the state.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, some school boards saw extremely heated disagreements during public meetings. If elected, what changes, if any, need to be made to ensure meetings are run efficiently while still allowing open discussions?

I do not believe any changes need to be made to public meetings, this is the proper place for engagement from the community. Parents and residents are passionate about their school district, as are the employees of the school district. If we can remain passionate while staying respectful, then I see no reason to alter public meetings. I have attended numerous school board meetings and find the discussion of the agendas to be respectful and effective.

How do you feel about sex education being taught in school? Should an LGBTQ component be included, and why or why not?

Sex education is health education and should absolutely be taught in schools. Everyone has a body and it's crucial for them to learn about it. Palos 118 has opted out of the suggested Illinois Sex Ed curriculum. Palos 118 covers a very wide range of grades and it is important for the district to tailor the content to the appropriate levels for the students' age group for all topics including genders, sexual orientations, and relationship types.

What are your views on critical race theory and whether it should be taught in the district?

My view on critical race theory is it's a complex framework to understand racism that is typically taught at the secondary level or above, not in K-8. I believe in our district the focus should be on foundational learning practices like reading and writing that develop comprehension, fluency, and critical thinking skills. Our curriculum in history should cover historical events and address issues of race and identity at an age-appropriate level.

Do you think the current board has done enough to support racial equality, and if not, what specifically should be done to do so?

I do but there is no end to the work in diversity, there is always room for improvement. As our population grows so does its diversity and we should celebrate that within our community. Learning about people's different backgrounds and perspectives, especially from a young age teaches empathy and provides a foundation that our children will need to succeed in the future as our world becomes more diverse. Understanding other perspectives and adapting to working with different people will be a crucial skill for all Palos 118 students in their lives well beyond school age. Palos 118 can support more opportunities for students to learn about and celebrate different cultures.

When it comes to student achievement, what are schools within this district doing well and what needs to be improved? How can those improvements be made?

Palos 118 has done an excellent job creating a culture of excellence and that hard work was just recognized when Palos West was named a Blue Ribbon Award winner by the U.S. Department of Education. Continuing to improve student achievement requires a cohesive effort from educators, administrators, families, and the community. We should use data from assessments to inform our instruction moving forward and then give our teachers the tools required to provide effective instruction in those areas.

Is there any reason you would not serve your full term of office, other than those of health or family?

No, there is not.

The best advice ever shared with me was: Nothing fails like success.