PETITION CALLING FOR ARLINGTON HEIGHTS DISTRICT 25 SUPERINTENDENT’S RESIGNATION

Dr. Lori Bein, the Superintendent of School District 25 (D25) in Arlington Heights, has failed the children of our community. A little background:

- 2015-2016: Dr. Bein and the D25 school board eliminated creative arts classes, such as Family and Consumer Science and Computer Skills, that used to teach students valuable life skills like cooking, sewing and typing. Instead the district spent roughly $250,000 on implementing a less-than-stellar STEM curriculum despite outcry from over 1,000 community members.

- 2016: Dr. Bein and the D25 school board demonstrated incompetence and lack of transparency regarding Advanced Language Arts testing, placement and curriculum implementation.

- 2017: Dr. Bein failed to create the opportunity for full-day kindergarten in response to demand from the community. Surrounding districts have implemented full-day kindergarten programs with success, while we have continued to lag behind.

- 2020: In the months since the COVID crisis began, Dr. Bein has demonstrated divisive behavior and poor leadership skills. She has focused more on finding barriers than solutions. Her unilateral decision-making and lack of transparency have failed teachers, parents and children alike. As of November 2020, there is still no plan to transition back to full in-person learning. Dr. Bein is not even willing to follow the lead of other schools who have been open in-person successfully since August.

The District 25 community deserves better. Dr. Bein has repeatedly ignored community input and created hand-picked committees to defer her own decision-making responsibility. Many times the notes from these closed committee meetings were non-existent or incomplete, leaving the D25 board and the public in the dark.

Dr. Bein demonstrates a consistent unwillingness and/or inability to build a healthy working relationship with teachers OR parents. Teacher input is not part of the decision-making process, and teachers typically find out about changes at the same time as the rest of the school community. A shocking lack of transparency will be one of the legacies of Dr. Bein's tenure in D25.

Dr. Bein has continually expected the D25 Board of Education to rubber stamp her plans without seeking their input or accepting constructive criticism.

Dr. Bein inherited a highly-regarded District 25 in 2014 when it was still an example for others to follow. Over the last several years our beloved school district has devolved into a mess of politics, indecision and discord. Our school ratings are in decline and many teachers are unhappy. Our children’s schools lack the warm sense of community and caring they once had. Arlington Heights School District 25 will no longer be a "destination district" where people want to move if this trend continues.

Leadership starts at the top. If you agree that the board should hire a well-respected and proven leader to be our Superintendent, please sign this petition urging Dr. Bein to step aside.