Citizens for Quality Education is a group representing parents, neighbors and residents in District 214 who want the best for their students. We believe that many educators in District 214 are working hard to do a quality job of instructing our students, and we appreciate that. But we also believe we can do even better and that standards must be set leading to higher ground, stronger character and better quality education overall.

While not resting on past laurels, our educators should be paving the way for optimally preparing our students to stay competitive in a globalized society. CQE believes that quality education is embodied through the use of challenging educational curriculum; but not that which is so controversial that it offends community standards and basic decency. Educational materials that comprise lewd materials, present unhealthy lifestyles, or use language that cannot be printed in local papers or violate FCC standards should not be used in the class room.

We also believe true diversity is a wonderful thing where it embodies: cultural, racial and ethnic backgrounds. All students should be regarded with respect and never mistreated for who or what they are. But this does not mean affirming unorthodox lifestyles or risky, unhealthy behaviors.
 
These are very different times in education than when many of us were in high school.  Budgets are under pressure on many fronts, while cost containment doesn't seem a priority for many in the system as it is in the business world. Unions are pressuring for unrealistic benefits and wage demands.
 
Some staff aren't able to grasp the basic concept of controlling small costs akin to budgeting your household or a business. Increasing numbers of educators are using schools as a distribution mechanism for sowing their own social agendas, which many times undermine our families' traditional secular moral and faith beliefs whether Jewish, Muslim or Christian in origin.

Some school board members seem immune to fresh thinking. Instead of exhibiting openness to the ideas of constituents and transparency with respect to their decision making processes, they instead prefer to dig in their heels when their decisions are challenged. Perhaps they feel that their tenure is reason enough to ignore parents' legitimate concerns.