By Steve Zalusky | Daily Herald
In the wake of four (4) school board members coming under investigation, Barrington Area Unit School District 220 has updated a key policy governing political activity by elected officials.
The update, approved by board members last week, allows board members seeking elected office to mention District 220 or use incidental photos of district property in campaign materials, but only as long as they don’t suggest a district endorsement.
“Not to say that the prior policy wasn’t great, but this, I think, clarifies a lot of things,” board member Steve Wang said.
The policy update comes after board member Erin Chan Ding was found to have violated district policies by using school resources, property and social media for prohibited political campaign activities related to her campaign for the Illinois House.
Fellow board members Leah Collister-Lazzari and Barry Altshuler also violated policies by posting images of students, district property and the district’s chess piece logo on campaign social media sites during their 2023 runs for school board.
School board President Sandra Ficke-Bradford was investigated and cleared of wrongdoing regarding a photo of her in front of Barrington High School that appeared in a news article related to the 2025 election.
The board next will be examining its ethics and gift ban policies, officials said
Report continues here.
Related: ““District 220 board members violated campaign policies, investigation finds,” “Proposed Policy Change Would Strip Anonymous Formal Grievances in Barrington District 220,” “CUSD 220 Board delivers second (slappier) slap on the wrist to member Erin Chan Ding,” “CUSD 220 Board of Education public comments we applaud,” “Over $100,000 in Special Interest Funding gifted to 220 Board member’s campaign in failed bid for State Rep job,” “New Evidence of Chan Ding’s Policy Violations and Conflicts of Interest,” “The D220 Board of Ed gets another ‘F’ in accountability & transparency,” “The Real Issue in Barrington 220 Isn’t Parking or Levies — It’s Leadership Culture,” “BOARD OF ED VOTES, MEMBER CHAN DING MADE FLAGRANT POLICY VIOLATIONS – Part 2,” “BOARD OF ED VOTES, MEMBER CHAN DING MADE FLAGRANT POLICY VIOLATIONS,” “District 220’s Lack of Transparency (Updated),” “District 220’s Lack of Transparency” and “Change.org Petition: ‘For the Resignation of Erin Chan Ding ~ D220 Resources are Not for Political Campaigns’”
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