Dupage Policy Journal

With all precincts reporting, grade-school teacher Abigail Emerson narrowly missed out in her run for the Glen Ellyn Elementary District 41 school board.

With four seats open, the Daily Herald reports Emerson finished fifth out of eight candidates with 1,945 votes.

Incumbents Robert Bruno and Joe Loebach held onto their seats, while newcomers Tayyaba Syed and Chris Marteli also emerged victorious.   

As the battle intensified, Emerson, who ran on a platform of a full-time return to in-person learning, stressed that her run was all about doing what she feels is best for the community.

Emerson said she was shocked at how partisan the race came to be, as illustrated by a phone call she received late in the campaign from Indivisible DuPage attorney Matt Gasaway that she said she found to be threatening as he peppered her about online posts he felt were off base.

 “I want to do something good for the community, but I’m not a freaking politician,” the mother of three young daughters told the DuPage Policy Journal. "I’m happy to stand up to it, but I need special guidance if I’m going to do that.”

“I will admit, I am shaken,” Emerson posted on Facebook. “Honestly, I’ve never seen anything like the attacks of late on a fellow candidate and community member. I guess I’m a bit naïve and tend to think the best in people, especially those in my community.”

In the end, Emerson said the attempts at intimidation only made her more determined to do what she felt was necessary.

“Any worries or fears regarding the outcome of this election now have nothing to do with missing out on an opportunity to help this community, and everything to do with the prospect of a group of extremists, supported by our union, controlling this district and continuing to push an agenda at the expense of our kids and community,” Emerson said.