Evanston Township High School’s Teachers’ Council, the union serving educators at the school, has officially endorsed incumbent and current board Vice President Monique Parsons, incumbent Mirah Anti and newcomer Leah Piekarz in the current election cycle.
Early voting began March 20 at the Morton Civic Center, 2100 Ridge Ave., with Election Day on Tuesday, April 4.
In a news release issued Friday, March 17, Teachers’ Council President Rick Cardis said Piekarz “earned overwhelming support” from ETHS educators during discussions and voting for candidate endorsements. Piekarz retired in June 2022 after working as a counselor at ETHS for 21 years.
Piekarz also spent 18 years on the union’s executive committee and went through two rounds of contract negotiations with the school board and administration.
“She has a wealth of experience and intimate knowledge about the inner workings of the district,” Cardis said. “Her vast experience, ability to understand and engage multiple perspectives, and independent thinking will add value to the work of the District 202 Board of Education.”
Parsons, the president and chief executive of the McGaw YMCA, received the union’s backing for her “commitment to the district’s race and equity goals” along with her “valuable perspective and leadership.”
Both Piekarz and Parsons are running for full four-year terms on the board, while Anti is seeking a two-year term as a write-in candidate.
Anti was appointed in 2021. As the only declared write-in candidate, she only needs one vote to ensure victory this spring.
“Her current role as an administrator overseeing equity work in District 113 will contribute to District 202’s race and equity goals,” Cardis wrote in the Teachers’ Council news release. “In addition, her experience in education contributes to a keen understanding of how systems at ETHS can be improved.”
The union declined to endorse incumbent Elizabeth Rolewicz, who won her first term in 2019, and challenger Kristen Scotti, who has been vocal at board meetings and candidate forums about providing additional support for students with disabilities.