Ryan Lawler was appointed Friday to fill the Fourth District seat on the McLean County Board left vacant by the resignation of Matt Coates. Krystle Able who was rejected by the county board for the same position earlier this month did not reapply.
Lawler is a Normal resident who teaches social studies at Heyworth High School and also coaches girl’s basketball. He studied education at Illinois State University and wrote a thesis titled “Incorporating Black Voices and Perspectives Into U.S. History Curricula Within Small, Rural Midwestern Schools.
Cities 92.9 asked Lawler his thoughts on the circumstances leading to his appointment and he said, “Hopefully whatever has happened in the past can settle down.”
At the regular McLean County Board meeting on Aug. 8 board Chairman John McIntyre accepted a motion and a second to appoint Able to the board. However, Republicans on the board outvoted Democrats eight to seven denying the appointment.
Before the meeting Patrick Cortesi, Democrat Party Chair spoke during open comments and referring to the Able episode said, “Vocal Republican personal biases and personal politics in this body should not be a basis or a factor in the appointment to fill that vacancy.”
Coates resigned in June after accepting an appointment to the Illinois Prisoner Review Board.
Lawler billed himself as a person that would be able to speak with members of the board on both sides of the aisle. Cities asked Lawler what has prepared him to do that and he said, “I think I have to be moderate in my classroom. I can take stances all I want but at the end of the day my job is to help students learn how to discuss things and can we compromise.”
Lawler continued, “All my kids believe different things and we compromise. You know I sit down with kids and say OK, you’re a no on this vote but if I was a member of the other party what can I do to get your vote? And that’s kind of practicing what I teach a little bit in the classroom.”
