In a letter to the editor regarding Nathan Mellman and Joshua Gertz, David Gilbert wrote “political candidates, authoritarians typically exploit fear, in their hunt for enough votes to impose punitive controls” [Vote against fear on the D200 board, Viewpoints, Feb. 26]. Gilbert continues with characterizing the Mellman and Gertz candidacy as wanting to impose “harsher student discipline, an academic caste system for freshmen and DOGE-like scrutiny of projects and staffing.”
Mellman and Gertz advocate for appropriate discipline depending on the offense, reverting to tracking, which is not a caste system (the current detracking in place needs more time to determine viability, and if it is better, that’s great), and projects of course should be reviewed, staffing should be reviewed. Those things are part of the duties of a board. DOGE-like scrutiny has no place anywhere, but that is not what Mellman and Gertz are advocating.
Whether you agree with any of these candidates’ positions, my years of experience living in Oak Park have shown me that the vast majority of people who run for public office here have the best interests of their desired office at heart.
I believe both writer Gilbert and the editor at Wednesday Journal who allowed this letter to be published need to publicly apologize in Wednesday Journal to Mellman and Gertz.
Marty Bernstein
Oak Park
