Under Pressure, Hinsdale D86 Adds PE Course

HINSDALE, IL – Under public pressure, Hinsdale High School District 86 announced this week it was offering an early bird physical education class for freshmen and sophomores.

The district said it was doing so to meet a directive from the school board.

The problem: It is not clear when the board issued such a directive.

For more than 20 minutes last week, the board debated whether to add early-bird PE.

This was after students and parents during public comments asked the board to offer such a course for underclassmen. The students said they wanted to take PE before school, so they wouldn't miss out on opportunities such as taking another language all four years.

For starters, the issue was not on the board's meeting agenda. Under the state's open meetings law, the board cannot take any action without letting the public know of the possibility beforehand.

In November, the board approved next year's program of studies at a publicly advertised meeting. The addition of the PE course serves as an unofficial amendment to that document.

During Thursday's debate, President Catherine Greenspon and members Peggy James, Jeff Waters and Abed Rahman pushed for the administration to offer the course.

Three others – Terri Walker, Asma Akhras and Heather Kartsounes – were against it.

This was after administrators advised against adding courses to the program of studies so late in the process. They said that could open the board to further requests for course additions.

They also said they had no curriculum for such a course.

Then the discussion turned to exceptions, with officials saying they could look into students getting PE waivers. Greenspon accepted that idea.

"However you do it is however you do it," she said.

Walker also seemed to favor exceptions.

The debate concluded soon after. At the beginning of the discussion, it appeared a 4-3 majority wanted to add the course.

But when Greenspon's position shifted to exceptions, it appeared the board lost a majority in favor of offering the course to all underclassmen.

A message was given to students about the new course earlier this week, citing the so-called directive. Students have until Sunday to sign up.

Board members did not return a message for comment left on Thursday morning.