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Name:
Rich Bobby
What office are you seeking?
Huntley 158 Board of Education (4-year term)
What is your political party?
Nonpartisan position- I am pro D158 students, parents, staff and community and refuse to take any political side’s agenda outside from this primary focus.
What is your current age?
47
Occupation and employer:
CEO of Little City, a nonprofit serving people with autism, intellectual and other developmental disabilities, including operating a therapeutic day school for students who have high behavioral support needs.
What offices, if any, have you previously held?
No previous public office held.
City:
Campaign Website:
Education:
Masters of Social Work (MSW) from University of South Florida and Bachelors of Psychology from Northern Illinois University
Community Involvement:
Board President of the Huntley 158 Education Foundation, an elected Board member of the Illinois Association of Rehabilitation Facilities (IARF) a disability advocacy association, an active parent participant of the Huntley 158 Parent Teacher Advisory Committee, former member of the statewide Illinois Child Welfare Advisory Committee (2 consecutive terms)
Marital status/Immediate family:
Married, 2 children who are D158 students
Questions:
Would you make any changes to the district’s medication policy?
I don’t believe any current changes are needed for this policy. Per policy, parents/guardians must give written consent prior to any prescribed or nonprescription medications.
How can the district improve reading and English proficiency and state test scores?
I would work with the district leadership to ensure educators have the necessary supports and resources to effectively work with students who have behavioral needs while maintaining reasonable class sizes, allowing for more individualized instruction and improved reading and English proficiency, for all students.
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 two kids have attended only D158 schools from Kindergarten to their current grades, first and sixth.
What do you see as the school district’s role in deciding what materials should be available in the library and in curricula?
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.
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?
According to data from D158, our community’s taxes are comparable to or, in some cases, lower than those of adjacent benchmark districts. However, it is imperative that our school district operates efficiently, ensuring the highest and best use of our community’s tax dollars to achieve positive student outcomes. High student achievement increases the likelihood of remaining a destination district, ultimately enhancing property values in our community.
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 would encourage the district to continue seeking grants while increasing Medicaid billing for special services, at the same time re-evaluating the district’s current resources to ensure they are being allocated in an effective and efficient manner to achieve positive student outcomes.
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?
Title IX protects students from harassment and discrimination, including, but not limited to, sexual orientation, gender identity, and pregnancy. On a human level, I believe the vast majority of families support the principle that no student should be harassed or discriminated against for any reason.
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. While national debates on this topic can be politically charged, my focus remains on the real concerns of our community such as academic excellence, student safety and well-being, and ensuring all students have the opportunity to succeed.
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. I would seek to understand the specific circumstances, the impact on all students involved, and how best to balance fairness and inclusion without rushing to conclusions based on political narratives.
What is your stance on ICE agents accessing school grounds, and what policies would you advocate for regarding their presence on school property?
The district is responsible for complying with all federal and state laws while ensuring that schools remain focused on education and that students feel safe and supported. If a situation involving ICE were to arise, I would ensure that the district adheres to the law and follows Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) guidelines while maintaining a clear, consistent, and legally compliant approach to school policy. This policy should include being respectful to ICE representatives, designating a district-level point of contact for ICE interactions, and consulting district legal counsel to confirm compliance with the law while safeguarding student privacy. In Illinois, a student’s immigration status is neither recorded nor required at enrollment, meaning the district does not maintain such records.
I recognize that some students and families have concerns about ICE entering schools. Whether one believes these concerns are warranted is not the point. My goal as a Board member will be to ensure that every student and parent feels heard and respected, while promoting a school environment where all students feel safe and supported in their learning.
What are the top three issues that the school district is facing right now?
- Strengthening Special Education services & creating meaningful inclusion: The district must continue to go beyond the illusion of inclusion and ensure that students with special education needs are meaningfully integrated into the community. This includes strengthening special education services and providing the necessary support for students to succeed. Additionally, we must continue to support the LIGHT program, as families of students with disabilities need a clear pathway to help their children transition into adulthood. The number one concern for many of parents who have students with disabilities is, “What happens when the bus stops coming at age 22?” We need to ensure that students and families have the skills, resources, and guidance necessary for life beyond the school system.
- Addressing student behavioral challenges: Many educators are facing increased student behavioral challenges in the classroom. We need to provide educators and parents with the right resources to support students with behavioral needs. A well-supported approach benefits not only the students receiving these interventions, but also the overall classroom learning environment.
- Ensuring operational efficiency: With the expiration of COVID-era funding, the district must prioritize operational efficiency to make the most of taxpayer dollars. Strategic decision-making will be essential to sustain high-quality education, support teachers, and maintain extracurricular programs while being fiscally responsible to the community.
What is your position on allowing students to use cell phones during school hours?
Research has consistently shown that student cell phone use during school hours is a distraction from learning and negatively impacts the development of essential socialization skills. Schools should be a place where students are engaged in their education and have opportunities to build natural friendships without the constant distraction of social media and notifications.
It is important to create an environment where students are fully present in class and able to interact meaningfully with their peers during breaks. We should encourage students to be present in the moment as we all know how fast time flies, and being on a device during school will take away the opportunity to create memorable school moments.
However, exceptions should be made for students with special educational needs who require mobile devices to communicate their needs and wants, as well as those who benefit from specific functions on their devices to aid their educational experience. At our Little City school many students with autism use devices to communicate and for sensory purposes.
Do you think cell phone policies should allow exceptions for emergencies or specific educational purposes? If so, how would these exceptions be defined?
Exceptions should be made for students with special educational needs who require mobile devices to communicate their needs and wants, as well as those who benefit from specific functions on their devices to aid their educational experience.
In emergency circumstances, exceptions can be provided with parent approval, as long as clear guidelines are in place outlining when and how cell phones can be used in these situations.
What steps would you take to address concerns about cyberbullying and inappropriate content access through student cell phones?
There should be strict adherence to enforcing consequences as outlined in district policy when students misuse cell phones, including cyberbullying or accessing inappropriate content. Consistency in enforcing these policies is essential to maintaining a safe and respectful learning environment.
Equally important is the collaboration between parents and the district to ensure students are held accountable for their actions related to cell phone misuse. Open communication between schools and families is critical in addressing issues effectively and reinforcing expectations both at school and at home. By working together, we can promote responsible technology use and create a learning environment that prioritizes students academic and social-emotional skills.
Should students be able to use AI in schoolwork?
AI is an unavoidable part of our society and will likely increase its impact on education. Rather than ignoring its existence, I believe we should focus on responsible AI use that enhances learning. AI could be a tool for research, but it should not be used to create content from scratch to represent a student’s own work such as creating artwork or writing reports that would prevent a student from learning these skills.
What is your plan for making district financial reports, including budgets and expenditures, publicly available and easy to understand?
Continue to provide financial reports using charts and graphs as this is easiest for most to understand as well as spell out acronyms and remain accessible for answering questions and concerns.
How would you involve parents and community members in the decision-making process for curriculum or policy changes?
Include ongoing surveying and opportunities to hear from parents and the community. Continue using the district’s Parent Teacher Advisory Committee, as well as sharing community-wide short videos and podcasts to educate families and the community about the decision-making process, including how and why a curriculum or policy is being changed. Most importantly, engage parents and the community prior to any changes as much as feasibly possible.
What is your position on banning books in school libraries or classrooms, and how do you define the criteria for such decisions?
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.
How would you balance maintaining appropriate class sizes with the current teacher staffing levels?
Data-driven decisions are imperative. We should continue to cross check data for students who have behavioral needs as well as class sizes as it relates to student academic performance. It is widely known that higher class sizes can lead to less individual student attention being given thereby negatively impacting student outcomes. At the same time, the school district could not fiscally operate with class sizes of 10 students across the entire district. That is why I believe we need to look to what the data tells us, and make decisions based on data.
Do you believe the district is allocating enough resources toward hiring and supporting teachers, and if not, what changes would you make?
My wife is a public school teacher and has been for more than 15 years at another district. There can always be an increase in resources to support teachers. One of my key goals for our district is providing the resources necessary to support teachers. High level data such as teacher retention rates is shared with the Board of Education, while at the same time I have had grass-roots dialogue with teachers across the district who state they don’t always feel they have the resources to support them to effectively teach students. No district is perfect in this regard, at the same time I hold the opinion that there will always be ways to improve supporting our teachers.
How will you make sure you are accessible to your constituents?
I am open to all constituents during my campaign at voterichbobby.com, and I will be fully accessible using the district issued email provided upon being elected. I am willing to meet with constituents in person or virtually, which ever is preferable to them.