This is in response to the letter to the editor you published recently from retired public school teacher and former Barrington Hills village trustee Karen Selman.
I would like to correct the record. Ms. Selman’s inclusion of me and my family members in a letter to the editor is inappropriate, wrong and uninformed.
First, I have five incredible daughters, not two. The first four have attended TCU, Villanova, USC and yes, Northwestern due to their determination and hard work. My wife deserves all the credit, for her dedication working with our children on rigorous nightly homework routines over many years.
Interestingly, each of my children and many others in our great schools were able to succeed during a period without this proposed referendum.
I have not publicly stated a position in opposition or in favor of the District 220 referendum.
I was, however, part of the District 220 Referendum Advisory Committee, which — after more than 500 hours of volunteer community input — gave direction to the school board for the lowest amount presented, $158 million, which was quickly amended to $185 million by the school board.
I have publicly endorsed Deb Buettner, Brian Cecola and Brian Croll for Barrington Hills Village Trustee in the upcoming election. Your publication also has endorsed these three qualified volunteers. Thank you in advance for accepting my corrections.
Martin J. McLaughlin
Barrington Hills village president
The link to McLaughlin’s letter to the Daily Herald editor can be found here. The link to the former Trustee who McLaughlin refers to can be found here.
I noticed Selman’s LTE in the Herald was published online LAST NIGHT and the alcoholics that make up the Barrington Hills Chronicle brain trust are just noticing it now apparently!
Karen Selman, when do the lies and exaggerations stop?
You write “over the past 20 years”……..”enrollment has nearly doubled.”
Really – for an ex-teacher, you failed miserably at homework!
The March 2004 issue of “Your School District Connection” on page 2 shows a graph indicating “CUSD 220 Student Enrollment 1998-99 at just under 8,000 students.” Here’s the link: http://www.balibrary.org/files/220news032004.pdf
The current CUSD 220 District website indicates that the District “is educating nearly 9,000 students.” https://www.barrington220.org/Page/14771
An increase of approximately 1,000 students to 9,000 from 8,000 is an increase of 12.5%, way off from 100% as you have written.
If the candidates you endorse are making decisions based on the figures you have stated, then their competency to qualify for elected office must come into question!
Congratulations to the success of Selman’s and McLaughlin’s children on their post high school academic success, all of which occurred before the proposed referendum to float the 180 Million Dollar bond. In other words by admission of Selman, the bond money is not a requirement to attain post high school academic success when enrolled in District 220.
Why doesn’t McLaughlin take a side – especially if he was on the advisory committee? Can’t have your cake and eat it too.
Did I miss something here? Is McLaughlin running for school board?
You know he only controls BH Levy. Could you imagine what he could do with that bloated Dist 220 budget? Please, please, please run Mr. McLaughlin. Maybe we would then actually see real tax relief if he could do half of what he and Colleen Konicek have done for Barrington Hills.
He was in the advisory committee that studied this proposal. Surely he must have an opinion on the issue. As a 220 parent, I would like to know where he stands.
To my knowledge no one in BACOG has expressed an opinion. The five candidates running for Trustee positions have not expressed their stance, nor were they asked to in a forum held by the League of Women Voters.
A former Trustee of this village chose to express her ignorance in a LTE in the Daily Herald. McLaughlin clarified his position, simple as that.
The Herald better get on the ball when it comes to fact checking letters before they’re published, otherwise our volunteer officials will have to waste taxpayer money hiring staff to post corrections!
It appears former VBH president is at it again, this time hiding behind the moniker, “BH Resident”. He never met a tax he didn’t like.
I am a mom of 2 children in the district and a corporate executive. I don’t have any views on those running for trustee nor do I care about the politics surrounding past village or current village presidents. Just found it curious that Mr McLaughlin wrote that long letter without expressing his views. I would have been interested to know where he stands. That is all.