District 86 Board Working on New Counter Proposal

At an emotional and well-attended school board meeting, the District 86 Board of Education unanimously voted to have board members Kay S. Gallo and Victor Casini represent the board in future negotiation sessions, starting immediately.

“We are actively working on a counter proposal to be presented this week, and therefore a vote on the HHSTA proposal is unnecessary at this time,” Gallo said. “The district is hopeful that a contingency plan will not be necessary.”

The Oct. 6 school board meeting attracted about 1,500 parents, teachers, community members and students to the Hinsdale Central High School cafeteria, where the consideration of the Oct. 2 proposal from the Hinsdale High School Teachers’ Association was on the agenda.

More than 45 members of the public spoke, a few making a case for the board, a majority in favor of the teachers and several just asking both parties to settle the whole thing together. But nearly everyone pleaded for the well-being of students, and the continuation of their education, athletics and activities.

Randall Woods of Hinsdale said real estate value, taxes and the quality of the schools “rests on something fragile — the bond between teachers and students.”

Jerry Kennedy of Clarendon Hills urged the board to negotiate, get the best deal they could and move on.

“We don’t like either side using our kids as hostages,” Kennedy said. “…We moved here knowing the taxes are high. We moved here because of the schools. We wanted the best for our kids. What’s best for our kids is for you to reach an agreement and end this now.”

Several parents also brought up the issue of the contingency plan. Kent Fredrickson of Clarendon Hills, said he and the other D86 parents have the right to see the plan.

He asked if children would be taught all of the classes in which they’re enrolled, would substitute teachers be certified, would the Illinois State Board of Education certify attendance that meets state mandates, what would class sizes be during a strike and what classed would not be offered.

Some voiced concern that substitute teachers would merely be “warm bodies” or “glorified babysitters.”

Board members said they learned Saturday that a seven-period day would be required during a strike — not just core classes — and the number of substitutes needed would be determined by the task ahead.

“So what I’m hearing is there is no contingency plan,” said Jennifer Planson, school board member.

Yvonne Mayer of Hinsdale also brought up an issue of public information and government transparency. Through Freedom of Information Act requests, Mayer learned that some board members had used personal email addresses to communicate about board issues.

This could be problematic because emails sent with a school board email address are public record, but emails through a personal account are private.

Rick Skoda, school board president, said a “server rule” has changed since the summer, which may account for the change in usage of personal and district email accounts.

A notorious “glossy flyer” the board distributed was also the subject of some conflict. The flyer claimed the average D86 teacher salary was $111,000 for 2013-14.

The board acknowledged at the meeting that $111,000 actually represents the total compensation plan.

Dale Kleber of Hinsdale said the base salary of a teacher was about $87,000.

“I will tell you board members that you do yourself no favors when you take what might be legitimate points and you clothe them in deception and spin and manipulative tactics, the most recent being this glossy flyer,” Kleber said.

Liz Sant of Hinsdale asked the board to take responsibility for the lack of fact checking in its informational materials.

Sant also asked them to take responsibility for a job advertizement in the Chicago Tribune. The board declined to say who wrote the ad.

Under job requirements, the ad states “You need only: A Four-Year College Degree and an ISBE Substitute Licensure/Certificate” and “Clear a Fingerprint Background Check through District 86 or at the DuPage Regional Office of Education.”

“That ad represented our district so poorly,” Sant said. “…I feel like from that ad there was a clear message that teachers are commodities.”

Though the crowd had thinned considerably when the board left the cafeteria around 11:15 p.m. to hold a closed meeting to vote, emotion and excitement remained apparent in those who stayed. People caught up with fellow parents and residents and discussed the proceedings.

“My sentiment is that this board is destructive to this community. Our community is the school.” said Cynthia Stathopoulos, Hinsdale resident and parent of three children who graduated from Hinsdale Central High School.

The board returned to the cafeteria around 1 a.m. with announcements, starting with the statement that Gallo and Casini would take over negotiations.

The Oct. 6 board meeting ran from 7 p.m. to 1:12 a.m.

“I would like to thank each and every one of you for staying this evening — this morning,” Gallo said. “This is quite important to all of us here we’re all involved in this.”