Hinsdale D86 'Totally Disregarded' Board Order: Member

DARIEN, IL – Hinsdale High School District 86 officials engaged in another debate over communications Thursday night, repeating a pattern from a month earlier.

As the rap group Run-D.M.C. would say, "It goes a little something like this": A part of the board issues a vague directive (without a vote), then members later call administrators to the carpet for not following the will of the board.

Launching a more than half-hour debate, board member Jeff Waters said the board made it "blatantly" clear two weeks ago that it wanted the administration to email all incoming ninth graders that honors biology and other low-enrollment courses were available to them.

He said the instruction was "totally disregarded."

"I know I'm not crazy," Waters said. "Tell me, board members, am I wrong or crazy?"

This was part of Waters' accusation that Hinsdale South was "steering" incoming freshmen from biology. He said he didn't use the word "manipulate," but that he could use stronger words.

Jason Markey, assistant superintendent for academics, tried to respond to the allegation that the administration disobeyed the board. But Waters said he wanted to first hear from other board members.

A short while later, Waters noted, "Clearly for the record, no one is disagreeing with me, which means I'm not insane."

Markey was then allowed to speak. He said it was clear from the last board meeting that the district should communicate the opportunity to request course changes once course confirmations are complete.

Markey then detailed the complexities of setting up schedules, saying such a message to students now could upend the process.

Board member Peggy James backed up Waters, saying it was agreed that such a communication would go out.

Member Abed Rahman, who joined the board last fall, said he had full faith in the administration and that it has always delivered for his family.

He said he was fine with the board reviewing Markey's proposed email.

"Let's wait and see," he said.

At the meeting two weeks ago, the board never gave Markey a timeline for issuing the message.

Near the end of the discussion at the previous meeting, board President Cat Greenspon said, "The expectation is that a communication would go out to all incoming ninth graders about the four courses that have been board-approved at low enrollment."

At the time, Markey said, "I would just like a little time before we commit to what the exact communication looks like and have some discussion, so we can talk to our department chairs and make sure it makes sense to everyone."

Members said they found that plan reasonable, with Waters thanking Markey.

During a later public comment period Thursday, resident Anne Huber, who had earlier praised the board, called the half-hour discussion "painful." But she said it was part of the messiness of democracy.

A month earlier, the board held a similar debate over a vague instruction to the administration about an early bird PE course. Waters called administrators "hypocritical" in their approach to the issue.

Patch detailed why the instruction was unclear.