Village President Joanne Trapani was not the only openly GLBT candidate elected in Oak Park April 3. Bob Walsh, an Oak Park gay dad who is former chairman of the Oak Park Community Relations Commission, won in his race for District 97 school board.
"I am fairly certain that I am the first openly gay father to win election here in Illinois," Walsh said in an email message to friends.
Walsh ran on the EducationFirst slate, and brings his experience as a member of the Education Subcommittee of the Diversity Task Force.
At an Oak Park Area Lesbian and Gay Association forum, Walsh said while he would leave the elementary school curriculum alone, he would like to see the junior highs increase education on GLBT issues, the Wednesday Journal reported.
Walsh received his undergraduate degree from Franklin and Marshall College and a law degree from Loyola University. In the past he worked as Legislative Director for U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush, as issues director for Carol Moseley Braun, and as issues analyst for Richard Daley during his 1988 campaign, the Journal reported.
Walsh works in the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Walsh has two children, Aidan, 6, and Hannah, 4.