Lee on D300 Ethics Reforms and Student Fees Increase

Rob Lee, candidate for D300 Board, has issued press releases regarding his position on the progress made on ethics reform and opposing increases in Student Fees.  The releases are posted in their entirety below:

ROBERT LEE STATEMENT ON PROGRESS FOR DISTRICT 300 ETHICS REFORMS

I’m pleased with the progress we’ve made in the Policy Committee on important ethical reforms for District 300.  I stand committed to the principle that District 300 must not engage in business with vendors or contractors that seek to influence district elections with political contributions.

More so, I have a sincere hope and belief that we, both as a committee and a school district, will implement these reforms before too long.  In light of what has happened in our state within recent months, all levels of government need to look long and hard at whether an opportunity for conflicts of interest exists in their policies.  District 300 has an opportunity, and I believe our board has an obligation to close that loophole as soon as possible.

In the Policy Committee, we’ve asked the question – how will this policy be implemented?  I support a policy which clearly states the expectations of the district, but still allows the administrative staff enough flexibility to enforce the policy fairly and efficiently.

Including a statement of the policy with documents such as bid packets and a request for quotes is one such way.  We include other requirements with those documents already, and this requirement would not be anything capricious.  I do not find it unreasonable to require a vendor or contractor to avoid political conflicts of interest.  For example, vendors and contractors must demonstrate they meet prevailing wage requirements, something far more stringent and pressing.

What is most important is that District 300 is that we make an effort to close this potential loophole.  Waiting for our own version of the former governor to emerge is unacceptable.  We have an opportunity now to pass what is a difficult, but necessary, reform.  By the progress we’ve seen with this policy, I’m encouraged that we’ll soon see it done.

ROBERT LEE OPPOSES PROPOSED INCREASE IN STUDENT FEES FOR DISTRICT 300

Robert Lee opposes District 300’s proposal to increases student activity fees, as presented at the Board of Education meeting on Monday night.

“I find it ridiculous that we’re raising student fees in light of our economy and other actions of this school district,” Lee said. “Families are facing tough obstacles in the current economy, and last month the district admitted to hiring more teachers than were necessary. In light of that, the district is still asking parents to pay more activity fees on top of what is already paid.”

Lee highlighted the admission that District 300 hired fifteen and a half more full time elementary teacher positions than necessary for the current school year, costing the district hundreds of thousands of dollars that was not needed.

“I do not believe the District has asked teachers to take a pay-cut next year as a result of its poor financial planning, nor do I think it would be fair. Equally, I think it is horribly unjust to ask parents already facing tough times to pay more money for their children’s school activities.”

Lee said this demonstrates another reason his proposals for Financial Impact Statements (FIS) and quantitative program evaluation are critical to improving District 300.

“An FIS would have given the District a five year cost projection for these student activities, allowing for proper budgeting beforehand. Additionally, the District should be able to demonstrate student achievement and performance will drop without parents paying higher activity fees. I will never support an increase to student fees without both these critical pieces of information available. In fact, I wouldn’t even consider it for my vote.”

Lee Uses Latest Technology in D300 Campaign

The following is a press release from Robert Lee, candidate fo District 300 school board:

EAST DUNDEE – Robert Lee, candidate for District 300 school board, highlighted his efforts to incorporate new web based technologies into his campaign.  He released a YouTube video in the hopes of communicating to more voters directly before the April 7, 2009 election, and plans to release more in the coming weeks.

“Before the holiday, the Policy Committee discussed the use of technology in the classroom.  It made me realize how little I know about it,” Lee said.  “I decided to incorporate that technology into my campaign to both communicate with the community better and educate myself about its potential.”

Lee continued that the Policy Committee’s discussion included a detailed presentation by the technology staff of the district, which helped to spur his interest into different technologies available.  Additionally, Monday night’s board meeting saw a presentation directly from students on the power of web based technologies in the classroom.

“Incorporating these simple and widely available technologies opens up tremendous opportunity for the school district.  We could literally broadcast public meetings to the entire community to view at their leisure, and the utility in the classroom is obviously invaluable. Most importantly, these technologies are of minimal cost, helping the district to do more with less money.”

In the coming weeks, Lee plans to release more videos about why he’s running for District 300 and the issues important to his campaign.  He encourages people to use the same tools to communicate with him about
the issues, as well.  Lee hopes to incorporate all his videos on his website soon.  In the meantime, he said community members can visit http://www.youtube.com/leeforillinois.

Robert Lee announces campaign for D300 Board

The following is a press release from Robert Lee, announcing his candidacy for District 300 school board.  It is posted here for the benefit of the community and does not represent any official endorsement at this time.  For more information, visit the campaign website: http://www.robertwadelee.com

ROBERT LEE ANNOUNCES CAMPAIGN FOR DISTRICT 300 SCHOOL BOARD

EAST DUNDEE – Robert Lee, a member of the District 300 Community Finance Committee (CFC) and resident of East Dundee, announced his campaign for the District 300 School Board.

“District 300 is a fundamental part of my community. I’ve had the privilege to be part of D300 with the Policy Committee and CFC. Now, I hope that my neighbors give me a chance to serve them further on the Board of Education,” Lee said.

Petitioning for the April 7, 2009 consolidated election began on October 29, 2008, with the goal of each candidate for the Board of Education to collect at least fifty valid signatures. Lee feels that should not be a problem for him considering his involvement with some of the District’s committees.

“I have been exposed to the finances of the school district and the policies that govern the district’s activities. Also, I worked with other members of the community to develop ways to improve the district’s communication activities. That exposure has given me insight into what the board must do to establish a strong district for current and future students to enjoy. We still face significant issues regarding our budgeting process, program evaluation, and curriculum that must be resolved, though.”

Robert notes that since the referendum, non-capital expenditures have outpaced incoming revenues. He continues that another referendum will not be necessary if the school district begins to implement policies that control reckless spending. Additionally, he notes that district safety issues are important for the future of the school district, and wishes to see the curriculum improve in a way that develops students who take personal responsibility in their education seriously.

“I’m running because my community is important to me. East Dundee and District 300 are my home, and will be for a long time. I want to make sure District 300 is a source of pride for students, parents, families, and taxpayers are proud in.”

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For more information about Robert Lee or his commitment to the District 300 community, please contact him by telephone at (847) 844-0397, by cellular phone at (970) 420-6468, by email at rob@robertwadelee.com, or by visiting http://www.robertwadelee.com.