$20,000 in Special Interest Funding & Continued Violations of Public Trust
By Better Barrington | @Change.org
Thank you for standing with us as we hold our elected officials accountable. We have a critical update regarding the petition for the resignation of Erin Chan Ding from the Barrington 220 Board of Education.
Despite previous reprimands by the Board of Trustees for “flagrant violations” of school board policy, public records now reveal a deepening web of financial conflicts that directly undermine the neutrality of our district’s leadership.
The newest Schedule A-1 filings for Chan Ding’s political campaign reveal a massive influx of cash from organizations that represent the very interests she is tasked with negotiating against on behalf of taxpayers:
- $10,000 from the IPACE (Illinois Professional Action Committee for Education). In Barrington D220, the Barrington Education Association (BEA) is the local teachers union. BEA is an affiliate of the Illinois Education Association which operates IPACE as its political arm.
- $10,000 from the Lake County Federation of Teachers Local 504 COPE PAC.
- Public Endorsements: Her campaign is now openly touting endorsements from the IEA and the Illinois Federation of Teachers—entities representing over 240,000 educators statewide.
Why This Matters: A Breach of Board Policy
District 220 policies are not suggestions; they are the ethical framework that protects our schools from partisan capture. Chan Ding is in direct conflict with:
- Policy 2:105 (Ethics and Gift Ban): Sets strict standards to prevent conflicts of interest and ensure public trust.
- Policy 2:80 (Board Member Oath & Conduct): Explicitly mandates that members avoid the appearance of impropriety and refuse to surrender responsibilities to “special interest or partisan political groups.”
In her first Board of Ed campaign, when called out for taking $750 in donations from IPACE, Chan Ding told the Chicago Tribune she would not approve contracts that raise taxes, yet her voting record tells a different story. She has consistently voted for the maximum tax levy every time it has reached the floor.
Accepting $20,000 from unions that negotiate directly with the Board of Ed is not just a “political choice”—it is a disqualifying conflict of interest. A Board Member cannot serve two masters. You cannot be a neutral steward of taxpayer funds while being funded by the organizations seeking those same funds.
We continue to call for the resignation of Erin Chan Ding to restore integrity to the D220 Board.
- Share this update: Post this on Facebook, X, and local community groups.
- Attend the next Board Meeting: Let your voice be heard during public comment.
- Email the Board: Remind them that Policy 2:80 must be enforced, not ignored.
Related: “Candidate Erin Chan Ding’s opinion on Data Centers,” “Barrington area Democrats condemn Chan Ding mailers,” “The D220 Board of Ed gets another ‘F’ in accountability & transparency,” “School district’s parking plan defies logic,” “Zoning change defies village policy,” “The Real Issue in Barrington 220 Isn’t Parking or Levies — It’s Leadership Culture,” “Change.org Petition: ‘For the Resignation of Erin Chan Ding ~ D220 Resources are Not for Political Campaigns’,” “BOARD OF ED VOTES, MEMBER CHAN DING MADE FLAGRANT POLICY VIOLATIONS – Part 2,” “BOARD OF ED VOTES, MEMBER CHAN DING MADE FLAGRANT POLICY VIOLATIONS,” “Erin Chan Ding: The violations just keep piling up…,” “Erin Chan Ding starring in another episode of, ‘Rules For Thee But NOT For Me…’,” “District 220’s Lack of Transparency (Updated),” “District 220’s Lack of Transparency,” “Ding Politicking on School District Property,” “Dual School Board and State Rep Positions Legally Incompatible,” “D220 Abuses Taxpayer Funds in favor of Partisan Campaign,” “Ding In Her Own Words – CONFLICTED!,” “Ding Doubles Down,” “Ding’s D220 Deception,” “Chan Ding running in Democratic primary in 52nd,” “Three (3) Democratic candidates queued to run for the IL 52nd District House seat in 2026”
