By Andrea Arens
A Peotone High School student addressed the school board at the May 20 board meeting. In that address, she stated racist and sexist comments occur daily and, while it was reported and administration was responsive, she felt like there was more that could be done.
Board President Tara Robinson asked if it was discussed with the principal, because the board members weren’t involved in daily actions in the schools. The student replied she had discussed it, and consequences were being issued but that consequences weren’t enough.
Board member Tim Stoub thanked the student for speaking and suggested there were things the board could do.
Robinson shared concerns she had not heard the same sentiments currently, directly from administration.
“The first line of defense, and we want you to feel comfortable addressing the board, but those have to be addressed first at a building level. While I commend you for coming here and speaking because it is not easy, in all my years of doing this, sometimes I still get nervous up here, so I totally get that. But my concern is that while the board can support those things going on in a building, it still takes a facilitator to change that culture and climate, and what I took from your reading is the culture and climate is poor.”
The student would not blame the administration and said there should be more education. DEI only had one assembly. She said the district could do more to educate kids, and she didn’t think it was all about discipline.
Robinson reiterated that students attending a board meeting to tell the board issues aren’t being addressed in the building makes her concerned that issues aren’t being addressed at a building level.
Robinson said, “Our number one priority is that the climate feels safe, and it’s a nice place to spend your time and a good place to learn.”
The student suggested the advisory committee be added to agendas rather than to sign-in as visitors to speak.
Board member Stoub suggested if there was a disconnect between administration and students that having a student advisory committee give reports to the board eliminates the disconnect.
Robinson said she was concerned if Stoub thought we needed to hear from the students, if that’s our line, that something is wrong with administration, then the district is in trouble. She said she enjoys student engagement but isn’t convinced bypassing administration, when administration isn’t bring things to them, is a conversation.
“You have to link what goes on in the building to the people who run the building,” Robinson noted.
New administration will be taking over after the school year, and Robinson shared she expected this to be a concern at the top of the list.
In other news, the Fiscal Year 2024 amended budget was approved, along with the district depositories, school calendar, SOWIC payment, PES and PIC handbooks, a job description for Technical Support Specialist, and employments.
Also approved was an increase in paid school lunches. Student lunches were $3.30 and will increase to $3.50, while adult lunches will increase from $3.80 to $4. Students who qualify for free/reduced lunch will continue to receive their lunches accordingly. The cost of lunches is calculated by a state board of education tool, but the district reserved the right to increase it beyond the recommendation due to inflation. The purchasing cooperative indicate pricing increases are well above 10 percent for next school year, necessitating the increase. The cost of milk will stay the same.