Politics & Government

Professor: 'Scandal' Led to Clark Being Voted Off D300 Board

The Daily Herald examines why an incumbent might be voted out in a local election.

A Northern Illinois University professor told the Daily Herald the reason why incumbent Monica Clark lost her District 300 board seat was a direct result of Clark swearing at a recent board meeting.

Scot Schraufnagel, a political science professor at NIU, told the Daily Herald the only reason why incumbents lose board seats in low-turnout local elections is “through a scandal" and referred to the ousting as "textbook."

During a meeting March 23, Monica Clark, who had served one term on the board before Tuesday’s election, swore, using a defamatory word, after one student asked her to look at him while speaking. The heated meeting ended with the board voting 4-3 in favor of cutting 363 teachers. Clark voted in favor of the cuts.

Find out what's happening in Algonquin-Lake In The Hillswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The defamatory statement was picked up by the district’s recording system, according to the Daily Herald article, and then used in a YouTube video made by Lake in the Hills resident Randy Clark (who is no relation to Monica Clark). That video as of Thursday afternoon had more than 3,600 views.

For more on this story, visit the Daily Herald.

Find out what's happening in Algonquin-Lake In The Hillswith free, real-time updates from Patch.


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