Community High School District 99 Board of Education met June 6.
Here are the minutes provided by the board:
The Board of Education, Community High School District 99, met in Workshop Session with Action Item at 6:30 p.m. at the Administrative Service Center.
Upon the Secretary's roll call, the following Board members answered present: Nancy Kupka, President; Mike Davenport, Vice President; and Members Christopher Espinoza, Sherell Fuller, Jennie Hagstrom, Terry Pavesich and Joanna Vazquez Drexler.
Also present were Hank Thiele, Superintendent; Gina Ziccardi, Associate Superintendent for Student Learning; Scott Wuggazer, Assistant Superintendent for Student Services; Jill Browning, Director of Communications; Courtney DeMent, North High Principal; Ed Schwartz, South High Principal; and Juli Gniadek, Secretary.
There were seventeen visitors.
1. INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS CHALLENGE
Dr. Thiele provided an overview of the process and timeline for the Instructional Materials Challenge of the book Gender Queer. He stated the recommendation of the Ad Hoc Curriculum Reconsideration Committee was to not remove the book from the collection. Dr. Thiele stated his recommendation was to accept the recommendation of the Ad Hoc Committee and take no removal action of Gender Queer from the District 99 libraries.
President Kupka asked Dr. Thiele to explain how the Ad Hoc Committee was formed. Dr. Thiele explained thirty parent leaders from the parent and booster organizations in both schools, who had not had any contact regarding Gender Queer, were invited to serve on the Committee. He stated seven individuals volunteered and all seven participated.
2. RECEPTION OF VISITORS – PUBLIC COMMENT
Bobby Arms stated he read the book and was not in favor of banning it. Don DeCleene advocated for including the book A Child is Born in the school libraries and offered to donated the books. Ilene Briner stated she provided a list of pro-life books to the Board and no pro-life books had been added to the District's collection. Stephen Magnusson advocated for keeping Gender Queer in the District's collection, noting it would have helped him with his mental health struggles. Barb Allen stated Gender Queer was inappropriate and sexually explicit.
Dr. Thiele stated the librarians did respond to Ms. Briner and one of the books she recommended will be in the library.
3. INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS CHALLENGE - GENDER QUEER
Member Espinoza moved and Member Vazquez Drexler seconded the motion that the Board of Education accept the recommendation of the Ad Hoc Curriculum Objection Committee and the Superintendent and take no removal action on the book Gender Queer.
Upon the Secretary's roll call, Members Espinoza, Vazquez Drexler, Davenport, Fuller, Hagstrom, Pavesich and Kupka voted AYE. The President declared the motion carried.
4. ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business or discussion, Member Davenport moved and Member Pavesich seconded the motion that the meeting be adjourned.
Upon the unanimous voice vote of the seven members in attendance, the President declared the motion carried. The meeting adjourned at 6:52 p.m.
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