Setting the record straight

During the course of my campaign for School Board I stayed positive and ignored the lies and deliberate misinformation directed at me by Keith Pekau. Now that the campaign is over it’s time to set the record straight, not only for my reputation, but more importantly the reputation of Orland School District 135. 

The two most ridiculous lies:

1. Canceling Christmas: Pekau’s quote “remember when she (Linda Dodge) had the superintendent try to cancel all references to Christmas."  Fact:  Superintendent John Bryk wrote a letter to all parents taking full responsibility for any issues with Christmas decorations specifically saying the board had nothing to do with his actions.
2. Elimination of the Advanced Track (AT) program: Pekau’s quote “she (Linda Dodge) succeeded in eliminating the AT (advanced track program).”  Fact: the AT program was changed to the self contained enrichment program over 17 years ago. 11 years before I was elected to the board. My degree from Duke University did not include a semester at Hogwarts.

There are other lies and misleading statements Pekau made during the campaign: 

• Cultural Center $1 offer
• Hiring of School Resource Officers
• The 5-year teachers' contract 
• Decisions during Covid
• SEL, Honors and elimination of the Band program
• Influence of CFL, CTU and BLM

Pekau’s quote: “they are trying to put additions on 5 schools when we offered to give them a building for $1.”

Read the fine print and ask yourself, would you agree to this? 

Fact: the offer of the Cultural Center from the Village for $1 also demanded:

1. The District give up our ability to negotiate terms of a potential revamped tax incentive district at 143rd and LaGrange and agree to a 30-year lease of the district's ballfields. 
2. In his  own words: "the cultural arts center is in need of approximately $6 million in repairs” and then we would have to renovate for millions more to bring it up to the Illinois School Code.  
3. If we did go ahead with the Cultural Center, our ongoing annual costs would be over $500,000 a year, per state law requirements for schools. 

Pekau’s quote: “School board president Linda Dodge opposed putting school resource officers at District 135 Junior High Schools.”

Fact: The district simply asked the Village for an estimate of costs for SROs, Pekau made it political. 

1. This request was made confidentially because it relates to school safety.  He made it public. 
2. We were told $4 million over 10 years, but during the 14 weeks that school wasn’t in session, the officers would work for the village but the District would still have to pay the full amount. 
3. I objected to the proposed deal, as did the majority of the Board and the Village was not willing to negotiate. 

As always, the D135 Board continues to look at improvements to building safety including our own staffing options. 

Pekau’s quote: “This extends the contract beyond the term of the most recently elected board members. It should be ILLEGAL to thwart the will of the voters, and it is surely UNETHICAL. SHAME ON HER and the rest of those board members from April of 2021”

Do as I say, not as I do?  Ok for him, but not anyone else?

Facts: 

1. Negotiations at this level are difficult, complicated and time-consuming. They can take months of work. This specific contract was with our teachers. We had extended an existing contract twice before entering into negotiations. Getting it done was in the best interests of the district and the teachers. The stability of a 5-year contract cannot be overstated. The board in place at that time was doing their job. 
2. Ironically, Pekau negotiated and signed a 5-year agreement with the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 399 in 2019 right before 3 new trustees took their seats on the Orland Park Village Board. 
3. Let’s not forget he wanted a 30-year agreement on the ball fields. So 30-year deals are ok but 5-year contracts are not? 

Pekau’s quote: “Linda Dodge’s actions of closing schools for covid, forcing masks on children.” 

Waste more money on useless lawsuits? 

Facts: The full Board of Education decided to follow public health mandates 

1. The governor, health departments and Illinois State Board of Education closed schools and instituted a public health mandate during a global pandemic.
2. The mask mandate was followed by nearly every Illinois school district.  
3. During the pandemic, 41 out of 852 schools district in IL were formally on probation for ignoring the mandate. 

Pekau's quote: implementing "her pet project SEL and trying to eliminate Honors and Band programs." 

Facts: Schools Board operate under the School Code a specific set of laws and mandates

1. SEL (social emotional learning) is mandated by the state of Illinois.  I invite you to review the entire curriculum if you have questions. 
2. Honors Program: I voted for changes to the program based on staff recommendations and I listened to parents when they raised concerns.  
3. Band Program: I never voted to eliminate the program. 

Pekau’s quotes: "we cannot let CTU, CFL, and those that support BLM take over our schools.”

Facts:  I have support from a wide range of people and no "group" is taking over the schools.  

1. I had bipartisan support for a non-partisan office.
2. I was also endorsed by Tim McCarthy, Paul O’Grady, Rick Nogal, Don Borling, and many more former office holders in the village, OSD135 and D230. 
3. I received help from the Orland 135 teachers and support staff, The Chicago Federation of Labor, Former Republican Congressional candidate and owner of the Illinois Review Scott Kaspar, the Democratic Party, and let’s not forget my husband, Jim Dodge who ran for statewide office for the Republican party.