Meet Spurgeon Johnson, Subdistrict 3 candidate for District 186 board of education
Editor’s note: This is part of a series of articles previewing candidates vying in the April 4 consolidated election. Early voting is underway.
Spurgeon Johnson said he will bring passion and transparency to the District 186 board of education if he is elected from Subdistrict 3.
Johnson, a U.S. Army veteran who worked in law enforcement in Chicago, would bring something else.
"One of the biggest questions is the diversity and the equity and the inclusion (in the district)," said Johnson, who is Black. "The diversity in regard to teachers, in regard to the board itself is bleak. The kids, they rarely see someone who looks like them they can inspire to or communicate with."
The only other Black person serving on the school board is Erica Austin, who represents Subdistrict 6.
Johnson, who formerly worked at Maryville Academy's main campus in Des Plaines, said he has "expectations of high academic standards" in the district.
"Going to the school board meetings and they're arguing over $250,000 for (yoga) when some of our kids aren't even reading correctly, I'm not a happy camper with that one at all," Johnson said.
Johnson said some district teachers didn't know who the school board member was from Subdistrict 3.
"(If I'm elected) I'm going to provide that transparency to families, to the children, to the paraprofessional staff, to the teachers and to the administrators," Johnson said. "I'm going to be that supportive cast and hold people accountable."
Spurgeon Johnson
Age: 49
Occupation: Chief financial officer, Garrison Group
Family: Wife, Saundi; son, attends Northern Illinois University and is an Air Force reservist; daughter, senior at Southeast High School
Political experience: Republican precinct committeeman 006
Education: Attended Morehouse College; bachelor of science in criminal justice, Chicago State University; master of business administration, master of public health, St. Xavier University
Contact Steven Spearie: 217-622-1788, sspearie@sj-r.com, twitter.com/@StevenSpearie.
This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Spurgeon Johnson is a board of education candidate in Subdistrict 3
