Eric Leys
Encyclopedia
Eric Scott Leys is an American politician
. He is currently a member of the Board of Education
(a non-partisan, elected office
) for Maine Township High School District 207
in Cook County, Illinois
, since 2001.
, the youngest of three children of Rodger Leys, a High School Mathematics teacher (a Maine 207
retiree) and Jeanette Leys (Bolt), a Registered Nurse
. Leys was raised in suburban Des Plaines, Illinois
where he attended Cumberland Elementary School and Chippewa Junior High School (now Chippewa Middle School), and Maine West High School
. Leys was the first graduate of Maine West High School to become an elected school board member in District 207.
Leys showed an early interest in student government at Maine West, where he served as a representative to Class Council and Student Council, and was ultimately elected at the end of his Junior year as Maine West’s Senior Class President
. Leys was an active student at Maine West enrolling in advanced placement classes, acting in plays, and competing on the school’s Speech Team, Scholastic Bowl, and Mock Trial
teams.
During Leys’ Senior year at Maine West, he represented his fellow students on a number of occasions, making presentations to the Board of Education.
Following graduation from Maine West, Leys enrolled in the University of Maryland-College Park
and later DePaul University
in Chicago and although he has completed some college coursework, he does not possess a college degree.
Leys is currently employed as General Sales Manager at Acura of Libertyville (an Acura
automobile dealership
) in Libertyville, Illinois
, and has worked there since 2001.
Regular Republican Organization during the 2004-2005 term. Leys has served in various capacities in the Republican Party and in various roles in Republican campaigns dating back to 1994. In 2004, Leys attended the Republican National Convention
in New York City
as part of the Illinois Delegation Host Committee. Leys was also part of the Illinois Republican Party
Delegation to the 55th Presidential Inauguration
of President George W. Bush
in January 2005.
Board of Education in 2001 in a six-way race. In April 2005, Leys was re-elected to a second term. Upon reorganization of the board following the April 2005 Consolidated Municipal Elections, Leys was unanimously elected President of the Board of Education. At the time of his first election to the school board, Leys was one of the youngest elected officials
in the State of Illinois.
In 2009, Eric Leys was re-elected to a third term of service in a contested six-way race that produced mixed results for incumbent board members (Leys and Edward Mueller were retained by voters, Jeffrey Bergen retired from board service, and Marijo Bustos was not retained by voters. Newcomers Eldon Burk and Margaret McGrath were elected to their first terms of service in 2009.) Following reorganization of the school board in May 2009, Leys was named by School Board President Edward Mueller to serve as Chairman of the board's Policy Committee, a role that Leys has held for several years in the past.
During the 2009 election cycle, Leys supported establishing a system of merit pay
for District 207's certified staff, producing a white paper
titled "Modernizing Teacher Pay in Maine 207". In the days following Leys' announcement of this campaign position on March 18, 2009, the Maine Teachers Association (an IEA-NEA affiliate labor union representing District 207's certified staff) declined to endorse Leys for re-election to a third term on the school board. To support their endorsements, the Maine Teachers Association engaged in voter canvassing efforts in the community that had not occurred in the prior six election cycles. According to filings with the Illinois State Board of Elections, the Maine Teachers Association political action committee ("Maine Teachers Assn PACE"), spent $3,766 on election-related activities in the 2009 election cycle.
Despite failing to secure endorsement of the school district's labor union for certified staff, Leys did receive the endorsement of several local media outlets including the Journal & Topics Newspapers, the Pioneer Press Newspapers, and Daily Herald and a number of local elected officials.
Leys became Chairman of the North Cook Division of the Illinois Association of School Boards in 2009 after serving on the Divisional Executive Board since approximately 2005. Leys has been very active with state association, serving as District 207's delegate to the annual association's Delegate Assembly since 2003. In 2002, he served as Alternate Delegate. Leys is the only currently seated District 207 board member to have received a designation of "Master School Board Member" by the Illinois Association of School Boards. Leys term as Chairman ends in September 2011.
Eric Leys has served as a member of the ED-RED Executive Committee representing District 207 since 2004. ED-RED, "the voice of suburban schools," is an advocacy organization that monitors and actively influences education policy at the Illinois Statehouse
, particularly issues that are priorities for our member school districts. ED-RED currently has 97 "member" districts, primarily from Cook County, Illinois.
Leys is a graduate of Maine West High School
in Des Plaines, Illinois
, one of three large suburban high schools governed by the District 207 Board of Education
. In addition to Maine West High School, District 207 also includes Maine South High School
and Maine East High School
, both in Park Ridge, Illinois
.
surprised the local political establishment in Chicago's heavily Republican-dominated northwest suburbs in announcing that he would not seek reelection in 2006 and in fact would resign within the following months. Political maneuvering began immediately with Leys named prominently among a crowded field that included local committeeman Mark Thompson, Des Plaines Mayor Tony Arredia, Arlington Heights
Mayor Arlene Mulder, and Elk Grove Township
Clerk Cheryl Axley.
The Chicago Tribune
reported on September 6, 2005 that Leys was one of three "favorites" to succeed state Senator David Sullivan
, who had announced his resignation effective September 12, 2005.
On September 17, 2005, Republican committeemen of the 33rd State Senate District met, and Cheryl Axley received the appointment. Cheryl Axley served the unexpired portion of David Sullivan's term and sought election to a full term in November 2006, when she was defeated by Democrat Dan Kotowski. Leys considered challenging Kotowski in the November 2008 election cycle, but instead Republican Mike Sweeney opposed Kotowski and was defeated. Kotowski's second term of service expires January 2013.
and the conservative online publication the Illinois Leader continued to suggest that Leys would be a candidate in the 2006 Republican primary
for the state Senate seat. The Journal & Topics local newspaper had reported on September 14, 2005 that Leys formed an exploratory committee
to investigate a potential candidacy for the Illinois State Senate.
It was widely reported (see: Des Plaines Journal, Mount Prospect Times) in October 2005 that Leys had agreed to withdraw his candidacy for Illinois State Senate for the March 2006 Republican Primary in order to support newly appointed Senator Cheryl Axley. In the November 2006 General Election, appointed Senator Cheryl Axley was defeated by Democrat Dan Kotowski
. In 2006 and 2007, while President of the District 207 Board of Education, Leys invited (on separate occasions) both Axley and Kotowski to board meetings where addressed the board on active legislative matters.
Leys' present term on the Maine Township High Schools
Board of Education
expires in April 2013.
Politics of the United States
The United States is a federal constitutional republic, in which the President of the United States , Congress, and judiciary share powers reserved to the national government, and the federal government shares sovereignty with the state governments.The executive branch is headed by the President...
. He is currently a member of the Board of Education
Board of education
A board of education or a school board or school committee is the title of the board of directors or board of trustees of a school, local school district or higher administrative level....
(a non-partisan, elected office
Election
An election is a formal decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual to hold public office. Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative democracy operates since the 17th century. Elections may fill offices in the legislature, sometimes in the...
) for Maine Township High School District 207
Maine Township High School District 207
Maine Township High School District 207 is a school district based in Illinois.Composed of Des Plaines and Park Ridge as well as portions of Glenview, Harwood Heights, Morton Grove, Niles, Norridge, and Norwood Park Township, the district lies 30 minutes from downtown Chicago...
in Cook County, Illinois
Cook County, Illinois
Cook County is a county in the U.S. state of Illinois, with its county seat in Chicago. It is the second most populous county in the United States after Los Angeles County. The county has 5,194,675 residents, which is 40.5 percent of all Illinois residents. Cook County's population is larger than...
, since 2001.
Early life, education and career
Leys was born in Arlington Heights, IllinoisArlington Heights, Illinois
Arlington Heights is a village in Cook and Lake counties in the U.S. state of Illinois. A suburb of Chicago, it lies about 25 miles northwest of the city's downtown. The population was 75,101 at the 2010 census....
, the youngest of three children of Rodger Leys, a High School Mathematics teacher (a Maine 207
Maine Township High School District 207
Maine Township High School District 207 is a school district based in Illinois.Composed of Des Plaines and Park Ridge as well as portions of Glenview, Harwood Heights, Morton Grove, Niles, Norridge, and Norwood Park Township, the district lies 30 minutes from downtown Chicago...
retiree) and Jeanette Leys (Bolt), a Registered Nurse
Registered nurse
A registered nurse is a nurse who has graduated from a nursing program at a university or college and has passed a national licensing exam. A registered nurse helps individuals, families, and groups to achieve health and prevent disease...
. Leys was raised in suburban Des Plaines, Illinois
Des Plaines, Illinois
Des Plaines is a city in Cook County, Illinois, United States. It has adopted the official nickname of "City of Destiny." As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 58,720. It is a suburb of Chicago, and is next to O'Hare International Airport...
where he attended Cumberland Elementary School and Chippewa Junior High School (now Chippewa Middle School), and Maine West High School
Maine West High School
Maine West High School, or MWHS, is a public four-year high school located in Des Plaines, Illinois, a north-west suburb of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States...
. Leys was the first graduate of Maine West High School to become an elected school board member in District 207.
Leys showed an early interest in student government at Maine West, where he served as a representative to Class Council and Student Council, and was ultimately elected at the end of his Junior year as Maine West’s Senior Class President
Class President
A class president is usually the leader of a student body class, and presides over its class cabinet or organization within a student council, in a grade school class presidents are generally elected by the class, a constituency composed of all students in a grade level.The practice of electing a...
. Leys was an active student at Maine West enrolling in advanced placement classes, acting in plays, and competing on the school’s Speech Team, Scholastic Bowl, and Mock Trial
Mock trial
A Mock Trial is an act or imitation trial. It is similar to a moot court, but mock trials simulate lower-court trials, while moot court simulates appellate court hearings. Attorneys preparing for a real trial might use a mock trial consisting of volunteers as role players to test theories or...
teams.
During Leys’ Senior year at Maine West, he represented his fellow students on a number of occasions, making presentations to the Board of Education.
Following graduation from Maine West, Leys enrolled in the University of Maryland-College Park
University of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
and later DePaul University
DePaul University
DePaul University is a private institution of higher education and research in Chicago, Illinois. Founded by the Vincentians in 1898, the university takes its name from the 17th century French priest Saint Vincent de Paul...
in Chicago and although he has completed some college coursework, he does not possess a college degree.
Leys is currently employed as General Sales Manager at Acura of Libertyville (an Acura
Acura
Acura is the luxury vehicle division of Japanese automaker Honda Motor Company. The brand has been available in the United States and Canada since March 1986, marketing luxury, performance, and near-performance vehicles. It was introduced to Hong Kong in 1991, Mexico in 2004, and China in 2006...
automobile dealership
Car dealership
A car dealership or vehicle local distribution is a business that sells new or used cars at the retail level, based on a dealership contract with an automaker or its sales subsidiary. It employs automobile salespeople to do the selling...
) in Libertyville, Illinois
Libertyville, Illinois
Libertyville is an affluent northern suburb of Chicago in Lake County, Illinois, United States. It is located west of Lake Michigan on the Des Plaines River. The 2000 census population was 20,742; the 2005 estimate was 21,760...
, and has worked there since 2001.
Political Activities
Leys has served as a Director of the Maine Township, IllinoisMaine Township, Cook County, Illinois
Maine Township is one of thirty townships in Cook County, Illinois. The population was 135,623 at the 2000 census. The township was founded in 1850....
Regular Republican Organization during the 2004-2005 term. Leys has served in various capacities in the Republican Party and in various roles in Republican campaigns dating back to 1994. In 2004, Leys attended the Republican National Convention
2004 Republican National Convention
The 2004 Republican National Convention, the presidential nominating convention of the Republican Party of the United States, took place from August 30 to September 2, 2004 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
as part of the Illinois Delegation Host Committee. Leys was also part of the Illinois Republican Party
Illinois Republican Party
The Illinois Republican Party is the state-level affiliate of the Republican Party in Illinois. Since August 20, 2009, it has been chaired by Pat Brady...
Delegation to the 55th Presidential Inauguration
Presidential Inauguration
A Presidential Inauguration is a formal ceremony to mark the beginning of a leader's term of office. To see detailed information on specific presidents, see the links below:* Brazilian presidential inauguration* Croatian presidential inauguration...
of President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
in January 2005.
Board of Education Service
Leys was elected to his first term on the Maine Township High SchoolsMaine Township High School District 207
Maine Township High School District 207 is a school district based in Illinois.Composed of Des Plaines and Park Ridge as well as portions of Glenview, Harwood Heights, Morton Grove, Niles, Norridge, and Norwood Park Township, the district lies 30 minutes from downtown Chicago...
Board of Education in 2001 in a six-way race. In April 2005, Leys was re-elected to a second term. Upon reorganization of the board following the April 2005 Consolidated Municipal Elections, Leys was unanimously elected President of the Board of Education. At the time of his first election to the school board, Leys was one of the youngest elected officials
Official
An official is someone who holds an office in an organization or government and participates in the exercise of authority .A government official or functionary is an official who is involved in public...
in the State of Illinois.
In 2009, Eric Leys was re-elected to a third term of service in a contested six-way race that produced mixed results for incumbent board members (Leys and Edward Mueller were retained by voters, Jeffrey Bergen retired from board service, and Marijo Bustos was not retained by voters. Newcomers Eldon Burk and Margaret McGrath were elected to their first terms of service in 2009.) Following reorganization of the school board in May 2009, Leys was named by School Board President Edward Mueller to serve as Chairman of the board's Policy Committee, a role that Leys has held for several years in the past.
During the 2009 election cycle, Leys supported establishing a system of merit pay
Merit pay
Merit pay is a term describing performance-related pay, most frequently in the context of educational reform. It provides bonuses for workers who perform their jobs effectively, according to measurable criteria...
for District 207's certified staff, producing a white paper
White paper
A white paper is an authoritative report or guide that helps solve a problem. White papers are used to educate readers and help people make decisions, and are often requested and used in politics, policy, business, and technical fields. In commercial use, the term has also come to refer to...
titled "Modernizing Teacher Pay in Maine 207". In the days following Leys' announcement of this campaign position on March 18, 2009, the Maine Teachers Association (an IEA-NEA affiliate labor union representing District 207's certified staff) declined to endorse Leys for re-election to a third term on the school board. To support their endorsements, the Maine Teachers Association engaged in voter canvassing efforts in the community that had not occurred in the prior six election cycles. According to filings with the Illinois State Board of Elections, the Maine Teachers Association political action committee ("Maine Teachers Assn PACE"), spent $3,766 on election-related activities in the 2009 election cycle.
Despite failing to secure endorsement of the school district's labor union for certified staff, Leys did receive the endorsement of several local media outlets including the Journal & Topics Newspapers, the Pioneer Press Newspapers, and Daily Herald and a number of local elected officials.
Leys became Chairman of the North Cook Division of the Illinois Association of School Boards in 2009 after serving on the Divisional Executive Board since approximately 2005. Leys has been very active with state association, serving as District 207's delegate to the annual association's Delegate Assembly since 2003. In 2002, he served as Alternate Delegate. Leys is the only currently seated District 207 board member to have received a designation of "Master School Board Member" by the Illinois Association of School Boards. Leys term as Chairman ends in September 2011.
Eric Leys has served as a member of the ED-RED Executive Committee representing District 207 since 2004. ED-RED, "the voice of suburban schools," is an advocacy organization that monitors and actively influences education policy at the Illinois Statehouse
Illinois General Assembly
The Illinois General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Illinois and comprises the Illinois House of Representatives and the Illinois Senate. The General Assembly was created by the first state constitution adopted in 1818. Illinois has 59 legislative districts, with two...
, particularly issues that are priorities for our member school districts. ED-RED currently has 97 "member" districts, primarily from Cook County, Illinois.
Leys is a graduate of Maine West High School
Maine West High School
Maine West High School, or MWHS, is a public four-year high school located in Des Plaines, Illinois, a north-west suburb of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States...
in Des Plaines, Illinois
Des Plaines, Illinois
Des Plaines is a city in Cook County, Illinois, United States. It has adopted the official nickname of "City of Destiny." As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 58,720. It is a suburb of Chicago, and is next to O'Hare International Airport...
, one of three large suburban high schools governed by the District 207 Board of Education
Board of education
A board of education or a school board or school committee is the title of the board of directors or board of trustees of a school, local school district or higher administrative level....
. In addition to Maine West High School, District 207 also includes Maine South High School
Maine South High School
Maine South High School, or MSHS, is a public four-year high school located in Park Ridge, Illinois, a north-west suburb of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States. It is part of Maine Township High School District 207, which also includes Maine East High School and Maine West High School.Maine...
and Maine East High School
Maine East High School
Maine East High School, or Maine East, and officially Maine Township High School East, is a public four-year high school located at the corner of Dempster Street and Potter Road in Park Ridge, Illinois, a north-west suburb of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States...
, both in Park Ridge, Illinois
Park Ridge, Illinois
-Climate:-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 37,775 people, 14,219 households, and 10,465 families residing in the city. The population density was 5,374.6 people per square mile . There were 14,646 housing units at an average density of 2,083.8 per square mile...
.
State Senate Speculation
On July 1, 2005, state Senator David SullivanDavid Sullivan
David Sullivan is a Welsh-born British businessman and pornographer, who is also joint-chairman of West Ham United.He graduated in Economics from Queen Mary College, University of London. From 1986 until 2007 he owned the Daily Sport and Sunday Sport which he sold for £40 million...
surprised the local political establishment in Chicago's heavily Republican-dominated northwest suburbs in announcing that he would not seek reelection in 2006 and in fact would resign within the following months. Political maneuvering began immediately with Leys named prominently among a crowded field that included local committeeman Mark Thompson, Des Plaines Mayor Tony Arredia, Arlington Heights
Arlington Heights, Illinois
Arlington Heights is a village in Cook and Lake counties in the U.S. state of Illinois. A suburb of Chicago, it lies about 25 miles northwest of the city's downtown. The population was 75,101 at the 2010 census....
Mayor Arlene Mulder, and Elk Grove Township
Elk Grove Township, Cook County, Illinois
Elk Grove Township is one of thirty townships in Cook County, Illinois, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 94,969. Elk Grove Township formerly housed the United Airlines headquarters.-Geography:...
Clerk Cheryl Axley.
The Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
reported on September 6, 2005 that Leys was one of three "favorites" to succeed state Senator David Sullivan
David Sullivan
David Sullivan is a Welsh-born British businessman and pornographer, who is also joint-chairman of West Ham United.He graduated in Economics from Queen Mary College, University of London. From 1986 until 2007 he owned the Daily Sport and Sunday Sport which he sold for £40 million...
, who had announced his resignation effective September 12, 2005.
On September 17, 2005, Republican committeemen of the 33rd State Senate District met, and Cheryl Axley received the appointment. Cheryl Axley served the unexpired portion of David Sullivan's term and sought election to a full term in November 2006, when she was defeated by Democrat Dan Kotowski. Leys considered challenging Kotowski in the November 2008 election cycle, but instead Republican Mike Sweeney opposed Kotowski and was defeated. Kotowski's second term of service expires January 2013.
Future political prospects
The appointment of Cheryl Axley to the state Senate seat notwithstanding, local newspapers such as the Daily HeraldDaily Herald (Arlington Heights, Illinois newspaper)
The Daily Herald is a daily newspaper based in Arlington Heights, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. The newspaper is distributed in the northern, northwestern and western suburbs of Chicago...
and the conservative online publication the Illinois Leader continued to suggest that Leys would be a candidate in the 2006 Republican primary
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
for the state Senate seat. The Journal & Topics local newspaper had reported on September 14, 2005 that Leys formed an exploratory committee
Exploratory Committee
In the election politics of the United States, an exploratory committee is an organization established to help determine whether a potential candidate should run for an elected office. They are most often cited in reference to United States Presidential hopefuls, prior to the primaries.Exploratory...
to investigate a potential candidacy for the Illinois State Senate.
It was widely reported (see: Des Plaines Journal, Mount Prospect Times) in October 2005 that Leys had agreed to withdraw his candidacy for Illinois State Senate for the March 2006 Republican Primary in order to support newly appointed Senator Cheryl Axley. In the November 2006 General Election, appointed Senator Cheryl Axley was defeated by Democrat Dan Kotowski
Dan Kotowski
Dan Kotowski is a Democratic member of the Illinois Senate, representing the 33rd District since 2007.Kotowski and his wife Anne live in Park Ridge with their two sons...
. In 2006 and 2007, while President of the District 207 Board of Education, Leys invited (on separate occasions) both Axley and Kotowski to board meetings where addressed the board on active legislative matters.
Leys' present term on the Maine Township High Schools
Maine Township High School District 207
Maine Township High School District 207 is a school district based in Illinois.Composed of Des Plaines and Park Ridge as well as portions of Glenview, Harwood Heights, Morton Grove, Niles, Norridge, and Norwood Park Township, the district lies 30 minutes from downtown Chicago...
Board of Education
Board of education
A board of education or a school board or school committee is the title of the board of directors or board of trustees of a school, local school district or higher administrative level....
expires in April 2013.