Lawsuit driven more
by acrimony than merit

I’m responding to Brian Hudson’s article about the Glen Ellyn Diamante preschool (“Education begins; dispute continues,” Sept. 17).

He quotes a vocal minority of nearby residents who oppose the school’s opening and their attorney who is intent on pressing “full steam ahead” with a lawsuit against Glen Ellyn. But other than forcing the village to spend our community’s tax dollars, it’s not clear what the suit will accomplish.

I respect residents’ differences of opinion. But as someone who lives only a few blocks from the school, where my son walks, I feel that many of the complaints have been overblown.

Mr. Hudson conveys dismay, stating, “For many nearby residents, the introduction” of the new business to their neighborhood “still is too much to tolerate.” This makes it sound as if Diamante were a gas station or a dump. But it’s not. It’s a preschool. It’s a school to teach young children, most of whom are themselves Glen Ellyn residents.

Opponents say they want to “preserve our neighborhood.” This vocal minority has a right to put signs in their yards, but let’s be clear — that doesn’t mean their position on the preschool is right.

In truth, it reflects a rather myopic point of view. They overlook that the same preschool with the same leadership operated for the past two years only a few blocks away at another Glen Ellyn church with no significant problems or major complaints. Moving a preschool from one church on Main Street to another church on Park Avenue — only about the length of a Metra commuter train — does not represent some transformational change to Glen Ellyn.

We don’t need to preserve our neighborhood from the school’s opening because Diamante has already been part of our community. The preschool is still located in the heart of Glen Ellyn just as it has been.

The lawsuit is unfortunate and appears driven more by acrimony than merit. Taxpayers’ money could be put to better use than defending against a suit brought by a small number of residents who would prefer to have a few less cars on the public streets by their homes during the day.

Let’s hope the opponents remain open to an amicable resolution that keeps the best interests of all Glen Ellyn residents in mind.

Marc Cavan, Glen Ellyn