District 65, District 202 elect new school boards
Unofficial results show voters re-elected Joey Hailpern, Soo La Kim and Elisabeth “Biz” Lindsay-Ryan, the board’s current vice president, to serve on the Evanston/Skokie School District 65 board. Newcomer Donna Wang Su is also projected to win a seat in the race, though Marquise Weatherspoon trails her by 46 votes.
Kim has over 20 years of teaching and administrative experience in higher education, and is currently the assistant dean of graduate programs in the School of Professional Studies at Northwestern. She is a founding member of Lincoln Elementary School’s equity committee and has been on the board since filling a vacancy in April 2020.
The Democratic Party of Evanston has endorsed mayoral candidate Daniel Biss, city clerk candidate Stephanie Mendoza and 1st Ward aldermanic candidate Clare Kelly for the 2021 municipal elections. The organization also endorsed Ald. Cicely Fleming (9th), who is running unopposed for reelection.
Throughout January, the DPOE shared candidate endorsement videos on their social media pages. Now, the organization is focusing its efforts on getting out the vote, board president Rachel Ruttenberg said.
But the endorsement process came with controversy, as residents questioned the party’s membership requirements concerns Ruttenberg said bubble up annually.
To participate in the DPOE’s endorsement session, individuals must pay a one-year $40 membership fee, a two-year $75 membership fee, or complete volunteer hours for the organization. Some say the requirements perpetuate classism and ableism by shutting out community members unable to afford the fees or volunteer.