Dupage Policy Journal

Whitney Rogers, a candidate for the Westmont Community Unit School District 201 school board, says schools need to change the way they do business.

“My main focus and concern is safety within the school and transparency, having teachers, staff members and administrators all being transparent with the parents and guardians of the kids,” Rogers told the DuPage Policy Journal ahead of the April 4 election. “That transparency will assure the kind of safety where we know our kids are being taken care of and educated as they should be.”

That, she said, would go a long way to ensuring that children have a life to look forward to.

“I would say I'm running to protect my kids' future and the futures of all their peers across the district,” she said.

Rogers is a member of the Children First 201 slate of candidates. 

"Whitney Rogers, George Welson, and Jim Liceaga believe our children deserve a world-class education and believe schools and school boards must be transparent and accountable to the community they serve,” the group said on the slate’s website. “This dynamic trio is full of fresh ideas and wants to make make sure that YOU are heard and represented on the School Board. All three are committed to making CUSD 201 the best it can be, starting with academics!” 

Rogers would bring 20 years of law enforcement experience, in which much of her time was devoted to working with juveniles, to the board. After that career, she transitioned to education. That combination “has helped prepare me for working on behalf of the kids,” she said.

Rogers describes Westmont as having a lot of community involvement, while providing a safe environment for its residents. 

"Our children ALL deserve to thrive within a safe environment at all times; while both at home and at school,” she said on her landing page on the Children First 201 website. “Safety within the schools holds the same equivalency as safety within the community.” 

Rogers has two children in the district, a 14-year-old eighth-grader and a 7-year-old in first grade. “Another son of mine is an alumni of the district and from the outside looking in I would say it's changed some from back then, especially around the time of the pandemic,” she said. “Parents maybe need to take a more active role in making sure things are right for their children.” 

That is why she said she’s running for the school board now.

“As an advocate, I’m running for school board to ensure that our children, as well as their parents/families, have someone who is willing to speak on their behalf while fighting for their individual and human rights,” Rogers summed up on her landing page.

Westmont Community Unit School District 201 has 1,346 students over five schools. The district headquarters is located at 133 S Grant St. in Westmont. The school system employs around 110 teachers. The student-teacher ratio is 12 to 1.