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Name:
Derek Shaw
What office are you seeking?
CUST 428 School Board Member
What is your political party?
Democrat
What is your current age?
43
Occupation and employer:
Graduate Teaching Assistant for the Department of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment at Northern Illinois University
What offices, if any, have you previously held?
I have served as an Election Judge for DeKalb County since 2020. I discontinued my commission to run for this office.
City:
I live in Cortland, Illinois but I used to live in DeKalb. I am originally from Eugene, Oregon.
Campaign Website:
No, I do not have a campaign website.
Education:
I have an AAS from Lane Community College and a BS in Political Science with a minor in History from the University of Oregon both of which are located in Eugene, Oregon. I also have an MPA from Kansas State University.
Community Involvement:
American Legion Post #66.
Marital status/Immediate family:
I have been married for nearly 10 years. My wife and I have two children together. We have a 9-year-old son and a 3-year-old daughter plus I have a 20-year-old daughter from a previous marriage.
Questions:
How can the district improve reading and English proficiency and state test scores?
We need to incentivize parents to become more involved through family-orientated events. We can also foster more of a competitive albeit positive learning milieu that makes learning fun by rewarding not just success but also effort. I also think that it would be beneficial for schools to have more after-school programs that coincide with students’ various interests like Cortland Elementary School does with their various fun activities that students can sign up with. We also can work with community partners like the YMCA in Sycamore to find more opportunities to improve reading and English proficiency for youth in our community. We can also prepare children better for state tests.
DeKalb County public schools asked voters in November to support an up to 1% sales tax which officials said would have gone to help pay for needed things such as infrastructure work. The referendum was voted down. What ideas do you have to address aging buildings and infrastructure needs for your school district while not overburdening taxpayers?
As a former American paratrooper with a VA disability rating of >70%, I am exempt from state property taxes. For this reason, I do not feel comfortable suggesting any tax increases on my fellow citizens because I would feel like a hypocrite. With that said I think as a community we need to keep our priorities straight while not overburdening taxpayers. Moreover, a sales tax is a regressive tax and my home state of Oregon does not have one. I would be fine with eliminating Illinois’ sales taxes. I would suggest that we tax the state lottery more and entice entrepreneurs by offering property tax reductions in exchange for large donations made toward our school buildings and infrastructure. I would also advise consideration of luxury taxes for high-end items similar to what they have in North Carolina.
Fiscal responsibility is an important part of elected roles, and a priority for voters. Do you believe the school district budget needs trimming? Why or why not? If you were to cut, where would you do it?
I have not reviewed the school district budget and therefore cannot respond to a question regarding budget trimming until I have further information.
Illinois, like many districts across the nation, is facing significant teacher shortages. What is your idea to recruit and retain educators, including special education, dual-language teachers, etc.
We have to pay teachers more and recruit more paraeducators to assist in the classroom milieu. We also need more educators with advanced degrees and specialized training for children on the Autism spectrum. We also need more Islamic language teachers, not just Spanish.
If you have children, do they or did they attend public school and was that for all of their K-12 school years?
Yes, my 9-year-old son attends Cortland Elementary School and my 3-year-old daughter is enrolled in the Early Learning Development Center at Huntley Middle School in DeKalb. Kaelan began going to school at the NIU daycare prior to attending Malta Elementary School in Malta, Illinois. Thus, I have broad experience in these three municipalities and understand that we should have more school board meetings in Malta and Cortland, not just DeKalb.
What do you see as the school district’s role in deciding what materials should be available in the library and in curricula?
We need to push back against anti-DEI propaganda and continue to teach real history, not just what makes white people feel comfortable. I applaud Illinois’ band on book bands. However, I am kind of nostalgic when it comes to physical books and would prefer to keep more texts in our public school libraries not just having library activities or events like the DeKalb Public Library does. I would also propose more bookselling and even some optional reading clubs for kids with similar interests.
Most of local residents' property taxes go to their school districts. Are taxes paid to your school district too high? What would you do to protect the interests of taxpayers?
Again, since I am exempt from state property taxes I would not feel comfortable advocating for higher property taxes. Rather I acknowledge that we have the second highest property taxes in the country behind only New Jersey. We should try to move more towards the median tax ranking like Kansas is. Therefore, we should try to rein in spending as much as possible but not cut the quality of education that our children receive. Moreover, it should be acknowledged that successful public schools produce an educated workforce that is in the best interest of taxpayers who will eventually rely on future generations for services that they will need when they are older. Taxpayers should be reminded that better schools mean higher quality of healthcare and ultimately a more competent citizenry, which is in the overall public interest.
Most of the COVID relief money from the federal government is coming to an end. What spending adjustments does your school district need to make to address that?
I do not know the budget but will learn it if elected. Public budgeting was part of my MPA program and I have taken three public budgeting classes.
Should Title IX cover sexual orientation or gender identity? What are your views on the use of locker rooms and bathrooms by transgender students and their participating in sports?
While I am opposed to male athletes competing in female sports because of my view of fairness and concern regarding more serious injuries I do not approve of how transgender people are being treated in today’s political climate. Moreover, I think that locker rooms should be open to everyone who needs it but cisgender individuals might also feel uncomfortable going in a bathroom open to any gender, or young females might have anxiety having a heterosexual male use the same shower as they do. Another concern is the age of athletes who are transgender. I like how the YMCA in Sycamore has a separate locker room for children and young adults under the age of 20 years old although that might not be feasible in high school given the size of the student body.
What is your stance on ICE agents accessing school grounds, and what policies would you advocate for regarding their presence on school property?
No ICE agents should ever enter a school under any condition. Children have no say in their immigration status anyway. Moreover, students’ immigration status is private information, and trying to use school records against students’ families like they are doing in Oklahoma is abhorrent.
What are the top three issues that the school district is facing right now?
Based on my conversation with voters they are 1) drug use at Huntley Middle School, 2) bullying, and 3) gun violence. I think the ordering has to do with what our community thinks is within the power of a school board member.
What is your position on allowing students to use cell phones during school hours?
I would prohibit them completely. They are way too much of a distraction and reduce everyone’s attention span. I would also ban them in the parking lots or roadways when crossing streets like Hawai’i does.
Do you think cell phone policies should allow exceptions for emergencies or specific educational purposes? If so, how would these exceptions be defined?
Yes, public safety always comes first.
What steps would you take to address concerns about cyberbullying and inappropriate content access through student cell phones?
We can block access to such sites on school grounds. Also, cyberbullying must be expressly prohibited and punished by suspension or expelling bullying students.
Should students be able to use AI in schoolwork?
Yes, AI should be permitted for outlines but not for writing entire papers. Even the Elgin police use AI for writing police reports. It’s here to stay and we should try to adapt to his reality.
What is your plan for making district financial reports, including budgets and expenditures, publicly available and easy to understand?
I would simplify the language used in budges and expenditures so that these reports are written at a 10th-grade level.
How would you involve parents and community members in the decision-making process for curriculum or policy changes?
No, I think that constituents expect us to make informed decisions on their behalf because parents and community members are not focused on our curriculum on a day-to-day basis. However, community input should be considered and when someone has a better idea I do not care what their background is because I will do what is best for our children.
What is your position on banning books in school libraries or classrooms, and how do you define the criteria for such decisions?
As I already alluded to bans on books should be banned and this language should be engraved into our state’s constitution. As far as criteria I would not place material that was not age-appropriate to the students who attend school where that library would be.
How would you balance maintaining appropriate class sizes with the current teacher staffing levels?
The reality is that we need more paraeducators drawn from NIU or Kishwaukee Community College. Other than that we should try to maintain no higher than a 20:1 student-to-teacher-ratio.
Do you believe the district is allocating enough resources toward hiring and supporting teachers, and if not, what changes would you make?
If elected, I will review the school budgets and determine what increases we might need for supporting teachers at that time.
How will you make sure you are accessible to your constituents?
I am very responsive to everyone in our community from the mayor to the children in our Chestnut Grove subdivision. My home office is right on South Hahn Drive and, if elected, constituents can come speak with me at home whenever they have a concern.