Sean Gay must not be elected to the D128 Board of Education
Sean Gay’s hate-filled rhetoric threatens the safety and community that D128 has created in its schools.
*Note: Three of the final paragraphs of the original version of this opinion piece, which discussed a different candidate, have been removed from the article. Drops of Ink may not have fully contextualized the nature of the article when reaching out to that candidate for comment and may not have stated enough information about the claims made.
Although the election for D128 Board of Education isn’t until April 6, the race has created a number of controversies, mostly centering around racist, transphobic and Covid-19 denying comments from challenger Sean Gay.
Gay has been railing against D128’s decision to move to remote learning in response to the Covid-19 pandemic since July 2020 on a Facebook group known as “Let’s Talk Libertyville,” where he is a moderator. Around the same time, he began to promote the use of hydroxychloroquine (a medicine used to treat malaria, lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, which was touted by President Trump as a treatment for Covid-19, although the FDA and National Institutes of Health have firmly stated otherwise) in order to treat coronavirus. Furthermore, Gay consistently denies the dangers of Covid-19, which he calls “the China Virus,” advocating against the use of masks and other safety precautions.
Gay’s disgusting depravity doesn’t stop there, however. His slew of hateful comments is appalling and gives insight into a part of Libertyville that is often ignored. He has stated that the acronym BLM (Black Lives Matter) stands for “Burn Loot and Murder” and has repeatedly used the R-word to attack the state’s Covid-19 policies.
A large number of his hateful attacks have been focused on the transgender community. He has posted a number of times about “boys entering girls locker rooms” and attacked transgender athletes competing in sports.
According to Nikki Michele, a local advocate for the LGBTQ community, Gay is “trying to forward some kind of alt-right religious belief system that doesn’t have a place in public education.”
Michele added that being made unwelcome in the place you are supposed to learn can have a profoundly negative effect on students.
“I just can’t imagine having to fight for my existence against the very people who are supposed to be helping me get a better education,” she said
When I reached out to Gay for comment about some of his previous remarks, he declined to talk and only gave a brief statement doubling down on his transphobic and hateful beliefs.
For the past four years, LHS has been my home. I have been given every opportunity to explore my identity and my beliefs. My experience has been marked by a supportive community and a healthy support system. Although I am leaving LHS soon, it would break my heart to see what has been built at D128 schools destroyed. Every student deserves a school that welcomes them, no matter their race, sexuality, gender, religion or identity. Gay represents a threat to D128’s promise of acceptance and community.
Clearly, Gay is a hateful man who takes every opportunity he has to attack marginalized communities and spew dangerous misinformation about a deadly disease.
Beyond attacking marginalized communities, it appears that another of Gay’s favorite pastimes is taking pot shots at D128 teachers, who put themselves in potential danger to serve students. Gay has suggested “coming in with a wrecking ball and removing [D128’s] staff structure in July 2021,” and has even gone so far as to suggest a 70% cut in teaching staff.
These frankly stupid suggestions are nothing compared to the conspiracy theories Gay promotes alleging that D128 teachers and their union are behind a supposed movement to close the district’s schools. Believing that the union holds an undue influence on the school board, Gay has promised to find those supposedly responsible for the diabolical plan to keep children safe and fire them in what can only be described as a McCarthy-esque display of delusion.
What’s interesting, however, is that many of the asisne comments Gay makes aren’t even feasible. According to Pat Groody, the current president of D128’s Board of Education who is retiring at the end of his term, the district is required by law to provide an equitable environment for all its students.
“Board members don’t have the right to say, ‘I’m not going to do what the law says I have to,’” Groody said.
In any case, Gay’s comments speak for themselves. They portray a racist, transphobic and sad man, out of touch with reality. He has no place in the D128 community.
According to Groody, who has served on the school board for 16 years, “this is the most important board election that we’ve had in a very long time. I think the community needs to decide, do they want to elect people that have personal agendas? Or do they want a board that’s going to respect the professional work and guidelines issued by our public health departments and will they work to abide by legislation that’s been passed on a number of these difficult issues?”
Maggie Spence • Feb 28, 2021 at 10:28 am
This is brilliant journalism and the reporter should be commended. He brought Sean Gay’s comments to the attention of the students and they are left to decide for themselves if they agree or disagree with the candidate. Likewise, Dale Sherman’s “no comment” sends a message to be interpreted by the reader. Excellent writing by a bright cub reporter!
SJ Wexler • Feb 26, 2021 at 8:22 pm
Shocking to see some adults here suggesting the journalist tone-down their rhetoric, when the subject of the article’s entire mode of communication is attack, denigrate, insult and threaten their personal well-being and daily routine as a student.
What person is not allowed to respond in the same manner?
The person whom some of you feel is being treated discourteously, wishes to be elected and have some power over student’s lives and school careers. He is purposely agitating on this issue, spewing hateful words and ideas, and the students are and should be responding just as passionately. He has made it clear he does not wish to include all students in his vision of the district. The students probably feel differently and don’t want “guidance and direction” from anyone with that degree of discomfort with people who are not like himself. Do our students need to politely tolerate adults in our own Village threatening or denigrating them.
We can wait and see if any students wish to write about the merits of the person in question.
But I have no doubt, this person will never be representing our school board.
Amanda • Feb 26, 2021 at 2:27 pm
Wow. Extremely disappointed that this article was censored to eliminate Dale Sherman’s name. The original article was well thought out and well written. There were not untrue things said about Dale Sherman, who has consistently been blocking members of the community from viewing his posts, and deleting comments that he doesn’t agree with. It’s important that the community knows that.
Risa McDonell • Feb 26, 2021 at 7:51 am
It is truly disheartening to see that LHS has apparently NOT supported the author, nor championed students’ rights to free speech. Had the author been asked to edit the apparently offending passages to clarify the legitimacy of his claims, this could have been a great teaching moment. Instead it just teaches that student censorship is an appropriate response to adult bullies. Not very DARING…
Mary • Feb 25, 2021 at 8:33 pm
Dale Sherman made a post on his campaign page about his views of ISBE’s proposed Culturally Relevant Teaching and Leading Standards, commenting, “The core intention seems more akin to indoctrination than education.” Sherman also stated, “The proposed new standards are not consistent with fact-based education.” When responding to this DOI article, Mr. Sherman stated on his campaign page, “It is true that I personally opposed the Culturally Responsive Teacher training standards. The reason for my opposition is simple: the standards teach students what to think not how to think. They are designed to indoctrinate teachers and eventually students in a progressive political orthodoxy.”
Given that Mr. Sherman felt strongly enough against Culturally Relevant Teaching to post about it on his campaign page, I have very politely tried to ask him multiple times if he could please clarify his concern. Twice Mr. Sherman deleted the question immediately. Once he answered, “The proposed standards are not consistent with fact-based education. If you read through them and my concerns are not self-evident, we clearly have different views.” Finally, when asked by others to please clarify his concern, he deleted those 5 questions and then minutes later deleted his entire campaign page.
It’s truly a shame that Mr. Sherman does not seem to understand that ISBE’s Culturally Relevant Teaching and Leading Standards don’t change curriculum at all. They simply provide training for education students pursuing teaching degrees in college. Also they don’t push a progressive political orthodoxy, unless inclusivity is unique to one party? Instead they simply improve teacher’s skill sets in closing achievement gaps and fostering a classroom environment in which every child is included, supported, and given what they need to reach their potential. Every child – All of them. Mr. Sherman’s views opposing culturally responsive teaching should be explored as he seeks a position of power within the school district, and I commend the student author for pointing that out.
Caleb Malloy • Feb 25, 2021 at 8:08 pm
How can saying “No Comment” to someone be considered “racist” or ” transphobic”? In this case, it seems that Mr. Sherman’s words were taken out of context and twisted to support the author’s own agenda. What many people despise about politicians is when they focus too much on trashing their opponents rather than concentrating on what they can do for the people. Mr. Sherman has continued to focus on the real issues that are affecting us all and has continued to push ahead for In-Person Schooling. Drew, in your article you mention “Sherman, just like Gay, has centered his campaign around opening the schools, which has already been done”. Has it been done? Yes, but has it been done to maximize our learning? While some students may be physically present in the classroom, has the learning changed? I, along with many of my classmates, am experiencing the same learning quality as e-learning provided in the first semester. Many in person classes consist of students sitting at their desks with their headphones in their ears, and with their Chromebook in front of them on zoom. As a student, knowing that members of the community, like Mr. Sherman, are running for D128 Board, gives me great relief and hope for what’s to come. Thank you, Mr. Sherman, and all of the other board members that continue to fight for all students to give us the opportunity to embrace our full potential as students and, most importantly, as people.
Risa McDonell • Feb 25, 2021 at 3:49 pm
Whether or not you like or agree with this article, it is, objectively, an extremely well-written piece of investigative reporting, well-researched, and backed up quite well with evidence.
Let’s look at Sean Gay first. His posts, letters to the board this year, and public behavior speak for themselves, and all the information was obtained through legitimate sourcing. So, no, this isn’t “libel,” and it isn’t “doxxing,” and it isn’t “potshots.” Leaving aside the obvious irony here, I will also state that neither is is it “poorly wrote.”
It is not libel when the content is, in fact, true and verifiable. It is not doxxing when the author cites material that has been posted in any kind of public form, which all of the posts and other citations from Mr. Gay have been. (Well, sort of publicly. Apparently he posts only and exclusively on a closed FB page that he administers, and on which he deletes posts and blocks members who contradict — or give even the merest appearance of questioning — his words and actions. That is his prerogative, though it does make one wonder what he’s trying to hide. However, from a legal standpoint, that is still considered public and therefore not libelous. It is not doxxing if none of his private information was exposed, and it hasn’t been exposed here that I can see. It’s not a potshot if it’s based in actual words and actions made by the subject. So, as far as this article’s examination of Mr. Gay, this is actually journalism at its finest. This is what journalism is supposed to do: expose that which is of interest to the broader community, particularly when it relates to something in which we all have such a stake.
Now let’s look at what was said about Dale Sherman. Admittedly, the lines are a bit blurrier here. But if I’m reading the article correctly, that is exactly the author’s point — that Mr. Sherman is far less direct about his views or his agenda for the board, and in so doing leaves us no choice but to draw our own conclusions. For the most part, the author cites publicly verifiable statements that Mr. Sherman, too, has made on record: “He opposes culturally responsive teaching standards, meant to support inclusion and equity in the classroom.” I have personally seen Mr. Sherman assert this position more than once on Facebook, both on a public candidate forum and on his campaign page. Does that mean he is racist? On its own face, maybe/maybe not. However, Mr. Sherman has an unfortunate habit — also publicly verifiable — of ignoring and erasing any and all questions that seek to clarify why he opposes education policy meant to support equity and inclusion — in other words, to support diversity. Several people have tried to ask him, in very respectful terms meant to allow him to clarify and make it clear whether or not his motives are racist. They have done so on the public candidate forum and on his own campaign page. And in literally every single instance, he has deleted the questions and blocked the people asking from his campaign page. Worse, he has deleted their questions and blocked them from seeing ANY of his responses on what is supposed to be a public page with clearly stated rules against deleting or blocking. Further, Mr. Sherman declined to clarify his position on culturally relevant teaching when the author — following all responsible journalism protocols — reached out to him to get his side before drawing his conclusions here. So, Mr. Sherman’s actions themselves raise the very real question of whether he harbors racist positions as he seeks to run for the school board on a “students first” platform that includes a diverse student body. Refusing to answer those questions opens Mr. Sherman up to these kinds of accusations, and it is not inaccurate for the author to state that his actions suggest a more subversive kind of racism. Further, the fact that Mr. Sherman, along with other board candidates, has up until now been running with Mr. Gay as part of a loose slate of like-minded candidates, self-dubbed “The Freedom Five,” indicates that Mr. Sherman knew of Mr. Gay’s opinions and was happy to associate himself with them. So, we have someone who 1. Opposes education policy aimed in part at increasing equity for minority populations that have been historically underserved, 2. Refuses to answer questions asking him to clarify his opposition, 3. Hides behind deleted posts and blocked voters on public channels, and 4. Runs for office alongside Sean Gay, whose more openly racist behavior has been visible since well before Mr. Sherman chose to run with him. Far from unfounded, I would say that the author writes about Mr. Sherman with far more substantiation and truthfulness than the last six years of Fox News put together.
I find it telling that neither Mr. Gay nor Mr. Sherman have availed themselves of the opportunity — either when first asked for comment or after the publication of this piece — to set the record straight by publicly condemning the actual racism, teacher bullying, and trans/homophobia that this article exposes. Mr. Gay has made no effort to deny it, but has instead devoted all his time to systematically cyberbullying a student journalist who had the evidence to back up his claims. Let that sink in. Cyberbullying a student. In the very student body he purports to want to represent.
In Mr. Sherman’s case, a real adult would have said, “I am dismayed to have been linked with Sean in this article, because regardless of my feelings on why I did or didn’t choose to comment when approached by this student, I categorically reject the blatant racism, the blatant homo/transphobic behaviors, and the virulently anti-teacher stance with which he has gone on the record. And I want to go on record that personally attacking a student is never appropriate, period.” Instead, in a post that he blocked anyone but his own friends from seeing, he expressed anger at being linked to Mr. Gay, and then seemingly sent his adult friends to attack the author for him in the comments here. Who is the adult here, and who are the children?
Even more appalling is the number of people here who also fail to express the proper repugnance at the very least toward the more blatant racism and trans/homophobia spouted by Mr. Gay. Mr. Sherman stated on the candidate forum that the culturally relevant teaching curriculum represents “indoctrination” and that “facts are facts.” Well, the fact is that there is no middle ground when it comes to the appalling content we see here in Mr. Gay’s own words. Either you’re okay with it or you’re not. If you are, then you too are a racist and/or a trans/homophobe. And if you’re not okay with it, then you, too, should be denouncing it instead of shifting the focus to your own self-righteous anger. (It is also a fact that ALL teaching is indoctrination. The original and historic definition of the word literally means “to teach.”)
Could the author have been a bit clearer about the very legitimate basis on which he linked Mr. Sherman’s behavior with Mr. Gay’s? Yes. However, he is a high school student, working on a high school newspaper, the very existence of which is supposed to be learning and mastering skills that are still in development. Other than that, this article is brilliant. I am the parent of a rising freshman, so I have seen lip service to the districts’s “DARE” mission, but have not yet had a chance to experience it firsthand. It seems to me that this student has shown courage and skill greater than that of all the adults in town (honestly, myself included) who huddle behind closed Facebook groups, preaching to their own choirs, and that this is the epitome of what I understand DARE to be. I fervently hope that LHS is supporting this brave and talented young man and students’ right to free speech.
Melissa • Feb 24, 2021 at 9:07 pm
Thank you so much for this op-ed piece! We just moved to this community in the summer and it was alarming to me to see the stances of several candidates in this race. I was extremely worried I had made a grave mistake moving my family here, especially after reading some of the commentary and rhetoric being used by people actively running for positions of leadership. I am still somewhat unsettled, as it seems many people are turning a blind eye to this kind or malice or are willing to overlook it in the interest of getting kids back to in person, which is horribly short sighted. But, specifically concerning to me is the silence of some of the other candidates. If people are not condemning these actions, this only proves they are complicit in allowing this dangerous and hateful rhetoric to continue and they will 100% not be getting my vote if they do not take a stand. As far as the author goes – keep standing up for what you believe in and don’t let grown “adults” bully you into silence. I only hope my small children will grow up to be compassionate and inclusive members of this community, always brave enough to speak out against hate. I have a lot more faith after reading this that these hateful beliefs do not represent the majority of people here.
Jenness • Feb 24, 2021 at 8:14 pm
Thank you, Drew, for highlighting some of the transgressions by this candidate. As a parent of a child who has Down syndrome, I was not only sickened to see that he openly uses the R-word, but also defends his use of the word by saying it is OK because other kids have teased his kid. When I tried to engage in a conversation with Sean Gay about how hurtful the word is he dismissed my concerns and justified its use. I, for one, do not want a man who uses degrading terms without regard representing my children’s educational interests. Drew points out several reasons why he should not be a member of the D128 school board using facts and provides evidence for some of his ideas. This is a well-written OPINION piece that shares the opinion of many residents of the D128 boundaries. Proud of the DOI crew!
Josh • Feb 24, 2021 at 3:14 pm
This is a very thoughtful, well framed piece covering a topic that is very close to this student. It is clearly labeled as an opinion piece and uses factual statements made by the candidates and in some cases, draws inferences from those statements. There are thousands of opinion pieces published in outlets across the country each week that are much more respected and well-funded than a local school paper – and many of those pieces take much greater liberties with facts than this author. Many of the statements covered in this story are repugnant; this should be the focus rather than attacking an aspiring young journalist.
If any of the candidates take issue with how their comments have been presented, I’m sure that the paper would welcome the opportunity to clarify them through an on-the-record interview. Dale Sherman is an intelligent, successful member of the Libertyville community. If he wants to go on -the-record and explain why he knows better re: cultural sensitivity training for teachers than lifelong educators and experts in the field, there are plenty of platforms for him to do so. Attacking a student is not productive in supporting the goals for our district, and frankly, it’s embarrassing.
David S. • Feb 24, 2021 at 1:55 pm
“We are far too willing to turn a blind eye to hate in our community. Take Dale Sherman, an articulate lawyer and another candidate for D128’s school board. In many ways, Sherman represents the same threat as Gay, just presented in a far more appealing package. . . .When given a chance to remark on Gay’s racist and transphobic statements, Sherman simply said, “no comment.” . . . Most people in the community find Gay’s rhetoric morally reprehensible. Yet no significant backlash has been leveled against Sherman.What does it say about Libertyville that we are so willing to accept the same racism and transphobia if it is simply said in a nicer way? Is Libertyville really so shallow that all it takes to accept a malignant hatred in our schools is an articulate lawyer with a Facebook page?”
From the Editorial Policy page of DOI: “Only the adviser will look at the publication prior to distribution. Changes to a publication will rest solely with the editorial board, unless the material is deemed harmful or libelous by the adviser. “
From the instructions to the DOI comment section: “we do not permit the use of profanity, foul language, personal attacks, or the use of language that might be interpreted as libelous.”
I would have assumed that a student who has taken a journalism class at LHS and who holds a position as an Editor for DOI would have been taught the definition of libel and also taught that LHS does not permit the use of language that might be interpreted as libelous and what the consequences to both the student, the faculty adviser and the school could be for the printing of libelous statements. I would also have assumed that the faculty adviser in his review of the publication before distribution would have taken action under the Editorial Policy.
Unfortunately both of my assumptions are evidently misplaced. It is one thing for a student to be unaware of the law but Dr. Koulentes and Mr. Gluskin, I would strongly suggest that you review the definition of libel in Illinois and in particular the definition of defamation “per se”. After that review, I would ask that you take any actions to remedy the situation that you deem warranted in your roles, as Principal of LHS and Adviser to DOI respectively, including, but not limited to, taking action under 7:315 of the school board’s publications policy that is linked to on the Editorial Policy page of the DOI website.
Nicole Gas • Feb 24, 2021 at 12:53 pm
This is an exceedingly well written piece about two problematic candidates, Sean Gay and Dale Sherman. I’m so proud to see the students displaying critical thinking skills, using evidence to build a strong claim, and being engaged in the local community politics. Dale Sherman absolutely deserves to be critiqued along with Sean Gay. In a recent candidate forum, he stated that teachers in District 128 should be taking budget cuts, and on his personal page and in other local social media outlets he has expressed that teachers are “indoctrinating” our students. Libertyville (and Vernon Hills!) are schools that have strong reputations for academic excellence and helping students to succeed for college and career readiness. Any candidate who feels that teachers are problematic clearly does not deserve to be on a school board.
Thank you for writing this piece and I’m so sorry for the smears you’ve had to endure. It is clearly an insecure and unfit candidate that would feel so threatened by a high school journalist’s op Ed
Matt • Feb 24, 2021 at 4:47 am
Thank you to this young journalist for accurately documenting some of the many statements by Mr. Gay. It is clear beyond any measure that he is unfit to be in a role which could impact the lives of so many young people. If this weren’t abundantly clear simply from his social media and other public statements prior to the publication of this OpEd, then his response to this OpEd would certainly be disqualifying. Rather than address the concerns raised in the OpEd he chooses to attack a student journalist.
It matters who we entrust with making critical decisions for our great high school. The author is right: Sean Gay must not be elected.
Megan Colleen McGlynn • Feb 23, 2021 at 3:16 pm
Go Cats!
Great to see DOI speak up for the marginalized folk in LBV.
Sarah • Feb 23, 2021 at 3:07 pm
I’m so heartened to see a student taking a stand on this issue. In no way do these candidates represent the community I knew and loved when I was an LHS student. Good on the author for being outspoken about a board election. These elections have consequences!!!
Christopher Morozin • Feb 23, 2021 at 1:42 pm
I’m fine with him not getting the job, but what you show in this article is more of a petition to have his kids not allowed to go to d128 schools than not having him get the job. He may not deserve the job, but he doesn’t deserve getting doxed
Barb F. • Feb 23, 2021 at 1:39 pm
I do not understand the attacks on this student. This is clearly labeled an opinion piece . This student is entitled to voice his opinions about those seeking election to the school board.
Catherine • Feb 23, 2021 at 1:01 pm
I think it is wonderful that students have a voice in how their school is run – after all, it impacts them more than it impacts their parents. This article is well written, and gives a voice to students that I hope parents consider as they push their own personal agenda. Not all kids are the same, and I don’t expect everyone to agree with the writer’s opinion. But we should respect any student who is courageous and takes a stand to articulate his point of view like Andrew has done.
Carolyn L. • Feb 23, 2021 at 12:49 pm
I’m applaud any student who is paying attention to their own School Board election, can’t say I was ever aware enough at that age. Author is bravely speaking up with a lot of passion here and I’m glad he felt courageous enough to publish his opinion about a candidate who is so divisive and appears to be running for a select few rather than the whole community.
Jim W • Feb 23, 2021 at 11:13 am
Glad to see someone standing up to these two idiots who claim they only want the best for D128 students. Sean would ruin the culture and structure that LHS has built over the years. Dale is just as bad. Everyone in the comments is desperately trying to save their behinds. Funny
Melissa Rieder • Feb 23, 2021 at 10:24 am
Why would anyone want to cancel the opinion of one budding journalist? That’s silly. Great journalism, Andrew B. Thanks for being the future.
Ryan • Feb 22, 2021 at 8:11 pm
I am very disheartened to see Mr. Sherman libeled in such a way. I understand that this is an opinion piece, but even so, if the author intends to make such a defamatory claim against anyone, much less someone as respected as Mr. Sherman, they have the responsibility to back it up with real evidence, which is missing. Additionally, before I typed this I read above that comments which include “language that might be interpreted as libelous” are not permitted, which is more than reasonable. I believe it is important that these articles follow the same guidelines.
Jack Goff • Feb 22, 2021 at 7:41 pm
I’m sorry, but the fact that there is no opposition to articles of this kind is very concerning to me. The lack of credibility and responsibility held by this individual is astounding. I don’t know how this could ever get passed, especially given the lack of correlation between the candidates. This is just a weak attempt to spread alt-left ideals. In conclusion, this article is absolute dogwater. The individual who wrote this shows very minimal intelligence, nor character.
Hudson • Feb 22, 2021 at 7:36 pm
Framing people for something they didn’t do is honestly pathetic.
Hudson • Feb 22, 2021 at 7:08 pm
They shouldn’t let anyone write articles for DOI. This article is honestly just sad ur just trying to ruin someone else’s campaign.
hudson • Feb 22, 2021 at 7:01 pm
poorly wrote article ngl
Andrew • Feb 22, 2021 at 6:00 pm
This is one of the most disrespectful and inaccurate articles I’ve ever read on DOI. I really hope the people in charge of this get this article deleted ASAP. This far left biased author should never be allowed to publish stuff on DOI again.
Sayre DeBruler • Feb 22, 2021 at 4:15 pm
I’ve always admired how Drew is so unafraid to tackle such topics such as these! I hope that there will always be someone like him on the DOI staff. This article was fantastic, even though I wish the need to write it wasn’t there.
Kristen Christensen • Feb 22, 2021 at 4:12 pm
Sad to see Dale Sherman’s name dragged into this! Never has he made a racist or disrespectful comment. Having a private opinion about something Is one thing. This is libel and you are false about your assumptions. Where is the proof. Sad day for libertyville and it’s journalism department. This is a grotesque use of power in my opinion. Just because you have a talent to write doesn’t open up a door of lies and opportunities to defamation of someone’s character. A person who pays taxes and has kids attend the school. I hope an apology is written about Dale Sherman
Jack Bonamarte • Feb 22, 2021 at 4:02 pm
How can saying “No Comment” to someone be considered “racist” or ” transphobic”? In this case, it seems that Mr. Sherman’s words were taken out of context and twisted to support the author’s own agenda. What many people despise about politicians is when they focus too much on trashing their opponents rather than concentrating on what they can do for the people. Mr. Sherman has continued to focus on the real issues that are affecting us all and has continued to push ahead for In-Person Schooling. Drew, in your article you mention “Sherman, just like Gay, has centered his campaign around opening the schools, which has already been done”. Has it been done? Yes, but has it been done to maximize our learning? While some students may be physically present in the classroom, has the learning changed? I, along with many of my classmates, am experiencing the same learning quality as e-learning provided in the first semester. Many in person classes consist of students sitting at their desks with their headphones in their ears, and with their Chromebook in front of them on zoom. As a student, knowing that members of the community, like Mr. Sherman, are running for D128 Board, gives me great relief and hope for what’s to come. Thank you, Mr. Sherman, and all of the other board members that continue to fight for all students to give us the opportunity to embrace our full potential as students and, most importantly, as people.
kenzie • Feb 22, 2021 at 1:41 pm
his last name is Gay yet he’s super homophobic and transphobic, poor guy must be compensating for something lol
erin scott • Feb 22, 2021 at 12:31 pm
I’m sorry, but this isn’t an op-ed. Were is the mentor teaching journalism? This is how far journalism has gone, all op-ed.
Brooke • Feb 21, 2021 at 8:39 pm
Why was another candidate dragged into this article? Not supporting CRT does NOT make one a racist or a homophobe, nor does saying “no comment” to a question. Where is the author’s proof that Dale is racist & transphobic”? The proof is no where, because he is not. So disheartening to see this slander of Dale, and asinine that it was permitted to be printed.
Katie Suttie • Feb 21, 2021 at 7:30 pm
I appreciate the passion and well formed opinion by the writer. One recommendation I would have made as the faculty editor would be to have omitted the personal pot shots at the candidates. Let’s teach our kids to keep it clean even if they feel the opposition does not. We teach the same is sports, why not journalism.
Kim Bissing • Feb 21, 2021 at 6:54 pm
How does Dale Sherman’s response of a “No Comment” mean he agrees with What Sean Gay is saying? Never has Dale said any comments that even could be inferred as racist.
Perhaps you needed more “context” for your “opinion”?
This is a weak attempt to discredit someone who has been nothing but professional throughout this campaign. Dale has been vocal about Re-opening the schools as well as other important issues affecting our school district. Dale does not deserve this. This is out of line from an extreme left liberal author.
Seth T • Feb 21, 2021 at 2:41 pm
Let’s start with the fact that this is exceedingly well-written. That alone gives me hope for the future, so thank you. Now, onto business.
This is an extremely important piece and it is my fervent hope that *every* student at LHS (and VHHS, why not) shares it with their parents. As a parent of student starting at LHS in the fall of 2021, I have a vested interest in the future of the district and I intend to share this with the other LHS parents I know.
In addition to his views (which include being vocally anti-science and trans/homophobic), this candidate has repeatedly demonstrated a lack of understanding as to the scope of duty and the powers vested unto the school board. He has, at one time or another:
– called for a class-action lawsuit against the school board to get back some portion of the 2020 property taxes that were allocated to D128 and D70. When it was noted that the school board doesn’t have the power to refund taxes dollars, he did not care. When it was noted that the school would defend itself from a lawsuit by paying for lawyers using …tax dollars, he did not care. He does not understand the job.
– called for firing ALL current teachers and replacing them immediately. When it was noted that both D70 and D128 started the 2019/20 school year with a significant deficit in the substitute teacher pool, thus indicating that there were not enough teachers in the district, he did not care. He does not understand the community.
– stated that a high school-aged student was more likely to be killed by lightning strike than by COVID-19 infection. When presented with published data that proved otherwise, he showed a complete lack of understanding of basic mathematics and statistics. He does not understand math.
– waited outside of the county office at 6:30am in order to be first on the ballot for the April election. In addition to having to be reminded by the officer on duty that he was required to wear a face mask in a government building, this candidate demonstrated a lack of understanding regarding ballot placement. (Anyone who registers in the first hour is placed into a lottery and assigned a random position towards the top of the ballot.) He does not understand politics.
I wish I were making any/all of this up. I wish that this was all a poorly-constructed attempt at a personal attack. Unfortunately, all this and more is readily available for public viewing at his Facebook page and at the aforementioned “Let’s Talk Libertyville” Facebook group. To any students reading this: I doubt very much that his views match with yours. Today’s generation is far more tolerant, accepting, and open-minded that those of the past. If these views and proposed actions scare you, then you owe it to yourself and to all the Wildcats and Cougars who come after you to share with your parents make sure they do NOT vote for this candidate. (And to those students who are now 18, make sure YOU vote as well!)