Will Elmhurst D-205 Policy Lessen Tensions?

ELMHURST, IL — Elmhurst School District 205 on Thursday announced a policy that apparently seeks to avoid a confrontation between public commenters before school board meetings.

The divide is between residents who maintain that teachers are indoctrinating children with Marxism and critical race theory and teachers' defenders who say that's not true.

Previously, the district's policy has been first-come, first-serve when it comes to speaking during the board's half-hour public comment period, with up to three minutes per speaker. The sign-in sheet for commenters has been made available at 5:45 p.m. for a 7 p.m. meeting.

At a board meeting last month, the teachers' defenders all signed up first, and no one from the other side was heard. Near the end of the comment period, the teachers' critics realized they were shut out. As a group, they got up and interrupted a speaker, saying all viewpoints should be heard.

In an email blast Thursday, the district said it would use a numbered sign-in sheet for all speakers. Then a random number generator would determine the order of public commenters. The generator, the district said, would be visible on a screen in the boardroom.

Without the new policy, it was possible both sides would have arrived at 5:45 p.m. or earlier for next Tuesday's meeting, jockeying for position to sign in.

The new policy did not satisfy Tom Chavez, a resident who contends critical race theory and Marxist indoctrination takes place at York High School. In an email to Patch, he said a two-thirds board majority is supposed to approve changes to its policies, which he said did not happen in this case.

"The latest communication from D205 suggests that the Board isn't interested in hearing all parents' points of view about bad school practices and improving curriculum transparency," said Chavez, who is considering a 2023 run for school board.

Chavez said it was time for the board to delve deeply into issues and give their full attention to parents.

"The Board doesn't want to hear these issues at their regular meetings," he said. "They won't schedule a Special Board meeting on the topic, or even a town hall to actually engage with the residents they serve. Elmhurst residents should be asking why not?"