2025 Election Questionnaire: Kevin Haberzetle, Bourbonnais Elementary School District 53 School Board

Name: Kevin Haberzetle

What office are you seeking? BESD #53 School Board Member

What is your political party?

What is your current age? 40

Occupation and employer: I am a Project Manager at GRP WEGMAN

What offices, if any, have you previously held? This is my first time running for a office position.

City: Bourbonnais

Campaign Website:

Education: I am a graduate of Herscher High School, directly following I entered the Smart Local 265 Apprenticeship Program.(Sheet Metal Worker) I am still an active member.

Community Involvement: I have been coaching many your sports through out the community. (Baseball, basketball, flag football, and soccer) I regularly volunteer through out the year at Alan Shepard and Liberty Schools.

Marital status/Immediate family: I am married and have 4 boys who all attend Dist #53.

Questions:

How can the district improve reading and English proficiency and state test scores?

I would like to see a class room aid in every room. The pressure on teachers and students has risen to levels where a single person helping students in a class room is not enough.

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 feel not enough information or detail is provided during our current board meetings. I feel more details should be provided when funds are asked for approval. Detail exactly what is being modified or replaced. Directly following this should be a break down of the bid procedure and how contracts are decided with disclosure of pricing and reason for selections.

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.

I feel our teachers are underpaid and underappreciated. There needs to be a reversal of these issues.

If you have children, do they or did they attend public school and was that for all of their K-12 school years?

My children (4) will all attend DIST #53.

What do you see as the school district’s role in deciding what materials should be available in the library and in curricula?

I do believe there should be age appropriate restrictions for media available for children. I do not agree with agenda driven censoring of educational resources.

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?

Taxes and funding will most likely never decrease, so decision making and competitive pricing for products and services to the district are key in avoiding increase.

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?

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?

What is your stance on ICE agents accessing school grounds, and what policies would you advocate for regarding their presence on school property?

Policy on immigration is not the reason I am running for this position. My position is to advocate for our children feeling safe and having an inclusive environment. I know it would not be very settling for my children to see another small child removed from their class. We have always taught our children that school is a safe place and it should be modeled that way. Unless there is an immediate danger, there should be no exceptions.

What are the top three issues that the school district is facing right now?

We have a great school district with amazing teachers. We cannot afford to loose these assets to our district.

There is overcrowding in our lower grades preventing children from getting adequate lunch and recess times. Our Children need to be allowed to exert more energy through out the day.

What is your position on allowing students to use cell phones during school hours?

Cell phones should not be allowed in class rooms.

Do you think cell phone policies should allow exceptions for emergencies or specific educational purposes? If so, how would these exceptions be defined?

At a lower grade level there should be no exceptions.

What steps would you take to address concerns about cyberbullying and inappropriate content access through student cell phones?

Cell Phones should not be allowed in class rooms.

Any form of bullying should be handled swiftly.

If cell phones are on school grounds they should have parental limitation in place.

Should students be able to use AI in schoolwork?

I think this is a situation questions and there is not really a right answer. Its yes and no.

What is your plan for making district financial reports, including budgets and expenditures, publicly available and easy to understand?

The district has a great website already. I do feel there should be more of the districts financials and decisions to be posted in advance. There are instances where more information should be provided prior to voting on items within the Dist.

How would you involve parents and community members in the decision-making process for curriculum or policy changes?

There are many avenues to communicate with the school or the board of education to express concerns or ideas. The solution maybe the district should ask for more involvement. There are many ways to send out surveys or feedback requests. Subtle items such as a survey can get the community more active and involved. BBCHs did a great job getting the community involved with the High School renovations.

What is your position on banning books in school libraries or classrooms, and how do you define the criteria for such decisions?

How would you balance maintaining appropriate class sizes with the current teacher staffing levels?

I do believe the district is overcrowded and understaffed. Our children deserve better.