Huntley District 158 school board race: candidates on DEI, Title IX and more

Voters Huntley School District 158 will be deciding five of the seven members of the school board April 1.

Who is running for school board?

For four four-year terms:

• Richard Bobby III
• Corine Burns
• Sean Cratty (incumbent)
• Jim Hollich
• Cassie Khurana
• Andrew Martin
• Melissa M. Maiorino
• Paul A. Troy (incumbent)

For a two-year term:

• Andrew Fekete
• Dana Wiley (incumbent)

Wiley was appointed to the school board in November 2023 and is running to keep her seat. Bobby originally was nominated for that seat but wasn’t appointed. Troy has been on the school board since 2009, Cratty since 2020.

Fekete ran for a two-year seat in 2023. Current board member Michael Thompson won that seat but opted not to run again. Board member Anthony Quagliano, whose seat is up this year, also isn’t running. Maiorino was on the school board from 2019 to 2023.

What are the candidates’ stances on social issues?

Bobby, Burns, Hollich, Maiorino, Troy, Fekete and Wiley attended a candidate forum hosted by community group Inspire158, while Khurana, Cratty and Martin did not.

The candidates were asked about diversity, equity and inclusion. The district has an equity plan and a student group promoting diversity. However, the board has waded through hot-button issues including whether to apply for a library grant in the wake of Illinois’ ban on book bans and the Biden administration trying to expand Title IX protections to transgender students. The Trump administration has ordered school districts to end DEI programs or risk losing federal funding.

Here’s what the candidates said at the forum or wrote in candidate questionnaires about diversity, equity, equality and inclusion. The candidates generally denounced hate speech and bullying, which they were also asked about. Click on a candidate’s name to see their questionnaire:

• Wiley said hate speech is “not tolerated” and that is a standard expectation in school. She said hate speech is perpetuated in a lot of areas in the world now, and she said she would look to families to make sure the right messages are set at home. She said she’s looking forward to coming up with solutions to combat such speech.
• Hollich said he is a “firm believer” in DEI. He mentioned that he didn’t believe someone who is a “full male” should compete in girls sports, but said he isn’t a doctor. “These people are here. We need to make them feel comfortable,” Hollich said, adding it was a hot-button topic.
• Troy said he supports the existing equity plan and he’s become more engaged in the issue himself. He said he’s gone to some of the Recognizing American Diversity events over the past year, including the Black History Month event. “It was something that I attended for the first time and I learned things that I didn’t know.” He said that was the most important thing in these conversations. He said the district is limited by Senate Bill 100 when it comes to discipline and sometimes handing it out takes time. “Every student matters” and wants to be seen and heard, and it’s up to the school board to provide that environment for them, Troy said.
• Maiorino said hate speech “has no place in our schools.” She said students are distracted enough and don’t need to be dealing with hate speech, and the district, by law, must accept all students and educate them in a safe, inviting environment.
• Fekete said he was proud of the work the district has done around the topic. He said there needs to be wraparound supports and recently learned 78 languages are spoken in the district which can lead to a lot of “you’re different than me.” He said the district needs to continue a conversation of people are more alike than different. “We want all of our students to achieve their goals” and become great members of society, Fekete said.
• Burns said hate speech is “unacceptable.” She said the district should focus on ”core academics." Burns said she has been bullied for her beliefs and said everyone deserves respect and acceptance, but DEI initiatives are not the way to go about it.
• Bobby said he goes back to the district’s motto of “all students always” and said those who receive hate speech often may not have a voice. “I think we can all agree that we should include every student as much as we can, specifically students who have disabilities. They should be included in our community. We shouldn’t shun them from the district,” Bobby said. He said the district’s equity plan should be followed and with diversity, we should celebrate everyone’s culture.

The candidates weighed in on book bans in the questionnaires. See the questionnaires for full answers:

• Wiley wrote: Our district needs to always consider that materials need to be age appropriate for students. What is permitted in elementary schools should differ from what is available for young adults in high school. That is a very different perspective than banning books.
• Hollich wrote: As I said before, I don’t believe in banning books, however, there must be age appropriate screening of material. Staff, administrators, school board members and parents should discuss what’s appropriate at what age.
• Bobby wrote: I believe in empowering our district’s Superintendent and subject matter expert staff to ensure that library content and curricula support all students’ academic and social-emotional needs, with a strong focus on students who require special education services. I also believe we should follow the law as it pertains to book banning. Of more concern to me than what books are in the library, is what content students have access to on their mobile devices.
• Fekete wrote in part: Ultimately, the goal is not simply to include or exclude books but to ensure that students have access to materials that support learning in a thoughtful and responsible way. As a board member, I would advocate for a fair, transparent, and professional approach to book selection; one that involves educators, values community input, and ensures our students have access to resources that help them think critically, engage respectfully, and grow academically.
• Cratty wrote: I am aware that we have books that are banned. As a school board member it is my responsibility to listen to our district librarians about their position to ban or not ban books.
• Burns wrote in part: I do not support banning books, but I strongly believe that materials in school libraries and classrooms should be age-appropriate.... Additionally, the district must carefully evaluate any grants related to this issue, ensuring they align with our community’s values and do not compromise local decision-making.
• Troy wrote: I oppose the banning of most books in school libraries or classrooms, unless the rational is well documented and justified based on age considerations of the content in question. I trust the existing process that includes school librarians and teachers reviewing items.
• Martin wrote in part: No literature should be banned, but should be age appropriate remain age appropriate, nonpartisan towards any political view or other predetermined factors like those outlined in the Equal Employment Opportunity Act of 1972. I am a firm believer in parent’s rights and choice and opt-out option will always remain available in District 158.

Candidates also discussed Title IX and transgender students:

• Fekete wrote in part: There are evolving legal interpretations and executive actions related to these issues, and while challenges and clarifications continue, our district must remain committed to following the law as it is determined. ... As a board member, I would advocate for policies that uphold the rights of all students while maintaining a positive and respectful learning environment for everyone.
• Wiley wrote in part: My concern on the use of restrooms actually extends to all students feeling safe to use them at school. I have heard many times, from students and staff that students will not use the restrooms at our middle and high schools because of safety issues. They worry about fights occurring in the restrooms and a lack of adults to intervene. ... There are many requirements a transgender student would need to meet in order for IHSA/IESA to approve the deviation to another gender sport. Per local news reports recently, there are over 300,000 high school athletes in Illinois, and only 3 students have ever been grated such a waiver. We would work with IHSA and IESA if such a situation came up in D158.
• Hollich wrote: The actual number of transgender students is low. I believe that they should have their own bathrooms so as not to upset the parents and students that are not transgender. I believe that students should participate in their birth gender sports.
• Cratty wrote: The regulation behind Title IX is not to discriminate against one’s sex. Therefore looking at the above situations, I support following a federal law and looking at all situations with a non-biased opinion.
• Burns wrote on part: Allowing biological males to compete in girls’ and women’s sports undermines the purpose of Title IX and creates an unfair playing field. As a mother of two young daughters who are athletes, I want them to have the opportunity to compete on a level playing field and not be forced to share locker rooms or bathrooms with biological males. I support policies that preserve fairness in girls’ and women’s sports by ensuring that teams remain based on biological sex.
• Bobby wrote in part: Huntley District 158 is legally required to adhere to Title IX, and I fully support following the law. My priority is ensuring that all students feel safe and supported in their learning environment.... Regarding athletics, the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) reported that out of 320,000 student-athletes in 2024, only three students born male statewide requested waivers related to participation in girls’ sports—representing just 0.0009% of student-athletes. If a situation like this were to arise in D158, I would approach it with a fact-based, student-centered perspective.
• Troy wrote: Yes, I believe Title IX should cover sexual orientation and gender identity, However, I will advocate that the board follows the law as it is written. I would seek out opinions of stakeholders to understand what is on the mind of the community, plus my duty, as stated in the Oath of Office, is to uphold the Constitution and the laws of the land.
• Martin wrote in part: When it applies to District 158, I am in favor of safety and comfort of the students and staff. If one individual voices concern or discomfort in sharing locker rooms or bathrooms with transgender students, these concerns must be acknowledged and addressed to keep the facilities accommodating to all. I am also in favor of the original intent of Title IX when it comes to the creation of women’s athletics and do not believe that biological males should be competing in women’s athletics.

Inspire158 said it would not make any endorsements. Other local groups have offered recommendations in the race.

Voting information

See the Northwest Herald coverage of voting information here.