Arlen S. Gould: 2025 candidate for Wheeling Township Elementary District 21 board

Bio

Office sought: Wheeling Township Elementary District 21 board (Vote for 4)

City: Arlington Heights

Age: 80

Occupation: Consultant

Previous offices held: Wheeling Township Elementary District 21 board since 1993

Why are you running for this office? Is there a particular issue that motivates you?

I am running so that District 21 has an independent and experienced leader. My passion for education stems from being a challenged learner in school. Then, absolutely by chance, I became a special-education teacher in 1968.

The Chicago Board of Education was hiring individuals without teaching experience but who would commit to getting a master’s degree. I started teaching with good intentions. But it took only two years to realize how difficult good teaching is, and that I’d never be good at it.

Luckily, I was then hired by Gov. Richard Ogilvie to be Statewide Special Education Coordinator. I worked with parents, teachers, and superintendents across Illinois to improve the state’s special education program. I discovered great voids in our special education system in Illinois and later in our mental health system.

With the help of people across Illinois I spearheaded the passage of the section in the Illinois School Code that defined learning disabilities for the first time. Since then, I always have felt that my 32 years on the District 21 board was my way to make up for what I feel were my failures as a teacher to my students. But I still have more to contribute.

What is the role of the school board in setting and monitoring the curriculum?

Whether about curriculum or other board issues, I believe that a board member must first spend considerable time in the schools and at community events observing, being accessible, and maintaining an ongoing dialogue with all stakeholders. And as everyone knows, I do this!

As to curriculum, we have a statewide curriculum that we must achieve in a limited number of school days. Consequently, while we look for ways to add information and content, we must follow state guidelines. To meet the guidelines, we approve the use of materials or methods with input from parents and guidance from our professional staff.

Are there curriculum issues within the district that you feel need particular attention from the board?

The board is clearly involved in the discussion on how to improve education in District 21. From our review of test materials and outcomes, we have recognized performance gaps in student learning in math and reading. We are exploring curriculum and strategies to close these gaps with input from parents and guidance from professional staff.

We have, in the past, received what turned out to be unsubstantiated concerns from small citizen groups, such as our policies on masking, and will continue to respond to such claims in rational, evidence-based ways. Currently, I am aware of no such claims before our board.

How do you view your role in confronting policy or curriculum controversies: provide leadership even if unpopular, give a voice to constituents — even ones with whom you disagree, or defer to state authorities?

I have always felt that in a leadership role one does what is right. Of course, that always has its risks. In a leadership role, when you do the right thing, you are going to offend someone.

In my role as a school board member and in my role as campaign chair for four High School races against those who would fundamentally change our schools, I have listened and was certainly willing to discuss such issues with those wanting radical change.

But public schools are designed to educate all students of all religions and all different cultures. So, when necessary, I have pushed back against those who want to change curriculum to meet their own ideological or religious beliefs.

Describe your experience working in a group setting to determine policy. What is your style in such a setting to reach an agreement and manage school district policy? Explain how you think that will be effective in producing effective actions and decisions for your school board.

I am a big believer that learning, and compromise. That approach also gives me the freedom to ask the hard questions, which I believe is a critical role for a board member.

Through this strategy, I can help a I am a big believer that learning, and compromise. It also gives me the freedom to ask the hard questions, which I believe is a critical role for a board member.

Through this strategy, I can help a group find a path forward through discussion and compromise. For me, managing our school district is always about “what is best for the kids” and how to achieve that outcome through compromise.

Governing is the art of the compromise. I am the only candidate running independent of any party or ideology. This allows my approach to be based on listening.

What is your assessment of the school district's diversity and equity efforts? Do you support the continuation or enhancement of such programs, of would you rather see them diminished. Please explain your reasoning.

Our efforts to promote diversity and equity conform to the best practices for general management of educational systems. They are centered on professional development for teachers that guide them to differentiate their delivery of education based on addressing students’ individual backgrounds. This includes understanding any student’s skill level, emotional capacity, and cultural experience.

The notion of differentiation is core to successful development in any context. In addition, the district has done hiring outreach to attempt to diversity our staff. Currently, about 9.5% of our teaching staff have identified as other than white. Best practices shows that there are benefits in raising this percentage with qualified teachers who represent the different cultures of our student population. I believe this can be done while continuing to hire the most qualified candidates.

I do not see any reason to change what we are doing because we are just following common sense guidelines to make District 21 staff more representative of our highly diverse student population. And as an independent, I feel best positioned to reconcile possible new federal mandates with our current practices.

What makes you the best candidate for the job?

First, I am the only candidate running as a true independent without the baggage of any party ideology. This allows me to apply my extensive background in education, government, and politics to make good decisions for our kids that are based on best evidence, and to continually move our excellent school district ahead. It has been said that “Arlen gets things done.”

I believe working with a great board and staff, that knowledge and experience gives me the ability to help make things happen. It also provides us the institutional knowledge to avoid the minefields that we have previously experienced.

What’s one good idea you have to better your district that no one is talking about yet?

Actually, I have two ideas which haven’t been raised. First relates to the mental health crises facing our children. Given the community need is so great I want District 21 to create a drop-in mental health program whereby parents can bring kids into “week night” or “weekend” therapy sessions and for continued regular therapy sessions. Let’s make this more accessible to parents!

Secondly, as we continue to search for ways to boost the scores and grade levels of our underperforming students, we should explore finding a partner to fund a strengthened tutoring program enhanced potentially through new artificial intelligence tutoring programs.