The Schaumburg Township Elementary District 54 School Board has appointed Nicholas Scipione to replace Char Kegarise, who recently accepted a post as a Schaumburg Township trustee.
A science teacher at Glenbard East High School, Scipione served on the Schaumburg Township District Library Board for six years. He is slated to serve out the remainder of Kegarise’s term, which runs through April 2021.
"I am looking forward to supporting and maintaining the tradition of excellence for which District 54 has long been recognized," Scipione said in a statement. "As an educator and father of two young children, future educational opportunities are very important to me. The tradition of excellence to ensure student success for my children and all the students of the district will be my top priority."
Schaumburg Township Elementary District 54 School Board member Nicholas Scipione
| https://sd54.org
Scipione’s appointment, however, has not come without some level of controversy.
The Daily Herald has previously reported that David From, former Illinois state director of the Americans for Prosperity tax watchdog organization, is on record in asserting that taxpayers have reason to be concerned about public education industry employees serving on school boards.
"I think it does matter because the cost of education is the biggest driver in seemingly ever-increasing property taxes," From said. "This matters even more when our state has the second-highest property tax burden in the nation. The education unions encourage their members to run for these offices, driving up the cost of benefits and salaries in those districts. Those contracts are then used by the other districts as leverage and example to drive up costs in other districts. The unions have been very well organized and effective in executing this model."
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