What Happened To Critics Of LTHS Board?

LA GRANGE, IL – The angry commenters at Lyons Township High School's board meetings seem to have disappeared – at least for now.

During the four meetings in August and September, the board heard from a grand total of two commenters.

One woman told the board that she was "totally impressed with your hard work." Another woman, who lives near South Campus, complained about loud music from sports practices.

This is a far cry from the comments over the last couple of years.

Much of the reason for the quiet is likely the ending of pandemic regulations: School is in person, and no one is required to wear a mask.

In 2021, one man opposing mask mandates denounced board members as "worse than pedophiles."

In February, at the height of anti-mask protests, a few residents approached the stage and yelled at board members, demanding they let a mother of three speak. A year ago, a woman compared the mask policy to Marxism and fascism.

"By the way, the Black Lives Matter movement is a Marxist movement," the woman said to a cheering audience.

As in many places, commenters accused Lyons Township High of pushing critical race theory. They found no evidence the traditional theory was being taught. But they said the school's equity efforts were proof of the theory in action.

"However it's named, critical race theory is a reformulation of cultural Marxism," a woman said.

Also in 2021, commenters questioned content in books at the school. During public comments, one woman read steamy passages from books that she said were on the school's library shelves, one of which was recommended on the summer reading list.

She asked how the school could go against its policies and approve "this pornography for our children to read and to what end."

School boards across the country heard similar comments. The phenomenon became so prevalent that Saturday Night Live lampooned it.

The next school board election is in April.