Hinsdale South Defends Against 'Steering' Allegations

HINSDALE, IL – Hinsdale South High School's principal on Thursday defended his school against allegations that it was dissuading students from taking biology as freshmen.

Some Hinsdale High School District 86 board members seemed unconvinced at a meeting.

Three years ago, the board struck a compromise that both South and Central high schools would offer two science pathways. One sequence is biology for freshmen, chemistry for sophomores and physics for juniors. The other is the reverse.

South Principal Patrick Hardy said his school's guidance counselors do not "steer" students into one pathway or the other.

"The danger of those accusations coming from the community is impacting how much guidance that guidance counselors are giving because they fear being accused of steering," Hardy told the board.

But board member Terri Walker said she found it perplexing that of 300 freshmen, only three chose biology.

"I've never been able to get an answer," she said. "There is a view that people are steered toward physics vs. biology."

Hardy, however, said South had a long tradition of one pathway, with freshmen taking physics first. Central has done the opposite.

"Hinsdale South families are very well-informed about our school, and they know our school has had huge success with the physics-first pathway," the principal said. "To devalue that knowledge in the Hinsdale South community is a disservice to the people who know their school."

Board member Jeff Waters said he believed South was steering freshmen to physics. He said he had heard it from families. (One father related such a story at a board meeting two weeks ago.)

Waters read from a document given to students about the two pathways. According to the document, the physics-first pathway meets all state learning standards within three years, while biology-first meets most standards in that time.

Waters challenged anyone to disagree with him on whether steering is happening, adding the school's marketing is poor.

Hardy said he was uncomfortable disagreeing with a board member in such a public forum. But he said he was "very confident" that guidance counselors were not steering freshmen away from biology.

"I wasn't talking about a piece of paper," he said.

Jason Markey, the district's assistant superintendent for academics, said officials could always review the materials about courses.

But he said the document on science pathways is given to students at both schools.

Later in the meeting, Waters told Hardy, "To the extent an apology is necessary, I was not opposing your viewpoint about the counselors. I was simply referencing that literature."

The science issue was part of a larger discussion over which low-enrollment courses to offer next school year. Because of the low number of students interested, these classes were set to be canceled.

Board members, however, agreed the school should make exceptions to its usual class enrollment rules in four cases – Biology Honors at South (three students), Latin 1 at South (seven students), German 1 at South (14 students) and Advanced Placement Music Theory at Central (nine students).

Officials said the district had enough money to run those classes, despite the low enrollments.

Some board members suggested inviting all students for the opportunity to take the low-enrollment courses. But administrators said that could have a snowball effect, affecting the numbers in other classes.

Board President Catherine Greenspon said the district could simply let the public know of the courses in its regular board meeting summary that it sends families.

Other low-enrollment courses would remain canceled – Orchestra at South (five students), Lifeguarding at South (15 students), Aquatics and Water Games at South (13 students), Early Bird Strength and Conditioning at Central (16 students) and Chef and Restaurant at Central (three students).