Leaving LTHS A Sacrifice, But Right Call: Ex-Teacher

LA GRANGE, IL – Tom Stukel, a former English teacher at Lyons Township High School, made his reasons clear last year for leaving his job and moving to Miami Beach, Florida.

These days, he says part of it was the weather. On Monday, it was nearly 50 degrees warmer in Miami Beach than in La Grange.

But Stukel last spring laid out his case to the public for his resignation. The basic reason was the school's grading policies.

He joined many parents in his opposition, saying the policies no longer drove students to do their work.

In an interview Monday, Stukel said it was a sacrifice for him and his wife to leave their teaching jobs. But he said it was ultimately the right decision.

"In the end, I think it's important to have a moral ground," said Stukel, who worked at the high school for 17 years. "Money shouldn't get in the way of that."

In a public message last May on Patch, Stukel said he would resign at the end of the school year because of the grading policies.

One of his major objections was the policy in which homework no longer factored into grades.

Stukel also opposed the policy of giving more flexibility when major assignments are due, contending it reinforces a lack of discipline and focus.

He also criticized the policy of giving students 50 percent, rather than zeroes, for assignments that they fail to turn in.

After he left, the school rolled back some of its policies, but it wasn't enough in Stukel's view.

"There were little changes here and there," Stukel said. "It didn't affect the overall problem. There is no discipline for kids to do the work. It seems the teachers' hands are still tied on the autonomy they need to educate well. Who is going to suffer? The kids will suffer."

Stukel's announcement on Patch got the attention around the suburbs. Former Republican gubernatorial candidate Jeanne Ives joined other conservatives in praising Stukel.

The vocal reaction of conservatives surprised him, he said. At the same time, he said he received support from across the political spectrum.

"My stance was apolitical," he told Patch. "I would like your readers to know that. It was nothing political."

In his announcement, Stukel acknowledged the board issued a "notice of remedy" against him in 2021. But he said it was retaliation for his speaking out against the school's grading policies. (Patch covered the "notice of remedy" issue in a story last June.)

In the interview, Stukel said he missed teaching but that the academy would help with that.

"Educating students is something I'm deeply connected to," he said. "I can't let that go."