Release Of Hinsdale Central Complaint Draws Criticism

DARIEN, IL – Like other government entities, Hinsdale High School District 86 is often encouraged to be more open with its records.

However, at Thursday's school board meeting, officials took heat for releasing too much information.

Residents referred to the online posting of documents involving Hinsdale Central's baseball team. Those records included a complaint that Hinsdale Central baseball players used racial and other slurs against Lyons Township High School players during a game.

The school announced last week it found no evidence to support the allegations.

Near the end of Thursday's board meeting, Kim Notaro took the district to task for "hiding" information from its online log.

At the same time, she criticized the district for posting the complaint.

"It was unacceptable the baseball team was named in a (Freedom of Information Act request), an accusation that hasn't been vetted," Notaro said. "Was that fair to any of those kids? They should have been protected, but you guys didn't do it."

Resident Angela Sartori noted an official's comment that the district "ties a bow" when conflicts arise.

"Is the way we tie a bow to release these letters to the press?" she said. "Is that the way to tie a bow — if a white person decides that they're going to say something about a colored person, then it gets released to the press? Is that the way to tie a bow? I don't think that's culturally responsive to the baseball team because it's not even a corroborated situation."

That prompted board member Kathleen Hirsman to say, "A colored person? Excuse me–"

Board President Erik Held said it was Sartori's time to speak, letting her resume.

The use of the word "colored" fell out of favor decades ago.

In May, District 86 received a request for correspondence involving the superintendent and the board that included references to Lyons Township High School.

Most of the documents referred to a recent attack in a Lyons Township hallway. But the search also picked up the complaint about the alleged slurs against Lyons Township players.

No specific players were identified in the complaint. Sartori and Notaro did not suggest an exemption under state law in which the district could have kept the complaint secret.

Also in public comments, board member Terri Walker spoke, getting three minutes like everyone else.

"We need to remember we are the adults here," Walker said. "(Students) need our help, they need our guidance, they need direction, they need direction in terms of how they need to deal with issues. My own child has had issues that I have had to address with administration."

She said board members care about students.

"I want them to be successful," Walker said. "I don't appreciate being told that I don't care."

In Illinois, school board members are unpaid.