I am writing to urge the board to engage in open meeting discussions now about the serious problems in OPRF High School’s Special Education Division and the proposed upcoming re-appointment of OPRF’s special education director.
Last March, despite ongoing reports of serious problems in District 200’s special ed division, Board members quietly voted to extend the contract of the current Special Ed director for another year. There was no public discussion in open session of this decision to maintain the status quo, no recognition of your constituents’ very serious concerns about this re-appointment. Worst of all, there appears to have been no independent judgment exercised by individual board members regarding this contract renewal-just another rubber-stamp decision, and another year of serious special ed problems at OPRF.
And now we appear to be on track to have this happen again in a few weeks, when the special ed director’s contract comes up for renewal. This is appalling. Although the Illinois Open Meetings Act allows personnel decision issues to be discussed in closed sessions of a public school board, this is not required. What’s more, the problems in Dist. 200’s special ed division are systemic problems and issues that can and should be discussed in open session-without addressing the specific personnel decision regarding the current special ed director.
There is plenty to discuss. For nearly four years, special ed parents at Dist. 200 have repeatedly begged the board to do something about these problems. I and other parents of students with disabilities have made regular appearances at board meetings to complain of egregious misconduct and retaliation by special ed personnel; systemic violations of special ed laws; and egregious misspending of public funds for outplacements and legal fees. Yet not once have I heard the board respond to or discuss any of these issues in a public meeting, though this is required by law. Not once have I heard board members do anything but deny these problems. Not once have I observed board members show any recognition of their responsibility to their constituents to do something about these serious problems.
Instead, the problems continue with no open discussion. In fact, virtually all special ed-related business at Dist. 200 nowadays appears to be conducted in secret by the school board, in closed and/or off-site meetings or on the telephone, in violation of the Open Meetings Act. And so special ed parents at Dist. 200 continue to have no genuine access to the board members they elected to represent their interests and their children’s interests.
This isn’t for want of trying. Month after month, year after year, special ed parents have trudged to board meetings to voice their concerns in allotted 3-minute “visitor comment” time slots, while board members sit in stony-faced silence, some going so far as to grimace and roll their eyes while parents describe their difficulties with special ed.
Where is the fairness in this? Where is the accountability? Why are these administrators and the special ed director allowed to discuss these issues freely in closed session with board members while constituents have no meaningful access at all? Why are parents’ serious concerns about special ed practices at OPRF repeatedly disregarded and discounted? Why are these administrators and the special ed director allowed by the board to freely hire legal counsel at taxpayer expense?
I challenge Board members to do what is right on special ed in Dist. 200 and discuss these issues openly in front of and with your constituents. Exercise independent judgment. Act with conscience. Or do us all a favor and leave the board and make way for someone who will do what’s right. This community deserves better. Taxpayers deserve better. Special ed students and families deserve solutions, not more of the same.