Hinsdale 86 Science Debate Shut Down

HINSDALE, IL — Three Hinsdale High School District 86 board members last week wanted to reopen the discussion about changes to the science curriculum, which appeared to have been settled in July.

But the board's president, Terri Walker, would allow no such debate during Thursday's school board meeting.

At a meeting last month, the board seemed to have found common ground on the science curriculum, one of the district's most controversial issues. Members appeared to support a compromise, rather than major changes to the new curriculum approved in late 2019.

At last week's meeting, member Jeff Waters proposed the board revisit the topic, saying he would like members to provide further guidance to the administration. He got support from members Debbie Levinthal and Peggy James.

They, along with Walker, joined the board after the April election to form a new majority. Their victories were believed to have been powered by anger over the previous board's changes to the science and math curriculums.

But Walker argued against a new discussion, noting the administration would provide details on the compromise option in October. The administration, she said, was moving forward with the direction that members gave last month.

"At this point, we are not in a position, according to our board protocols, to bring this topic back up for discussion," Walker said.

Levinthal, who campaigned with Walker for the board, said the board would just need a five-minute discussion to clarify its direction.

Waters said, "It would only be for discussion."

"I will not agree to a discussion," Walker said. "I think we have to move to the next agenda item."

"I disagree," Waters said.

Later in the meeting, the board discussed putting the science curriculum on the next meeting agenda. But Walker and the three holdovers from the previous board — Erik Held, Kathleen Hirsman and Cynthia Hanson — made up a majority opposed to revisiting the issue.

In late 2019, the old board voted to reverse the traditional sequence of science classes, following Hinsdale South High School's longtime practice. Under the changes, students would take physics as freshmen, chemistry as sophomores and biology as juniors, with each class including earth science concepts.

At last month's meeting, the administration offered a compromise option, which would give students a few more options — for instance, AP Physics 1. The cost increase would be negligible.

Some board members proposed providing both sequences of science classes, but the administration said it would be far too expensive.

Although no vote was taken at the meeting, members directed the administration to explore the compromise proposal.

The new curriculum is set to start in 2023.