The Examiner U-46 News Feed

Dist. U-46 School Board rebuked for not listening

By Seth Hancock
  Teachers are getting the cold shoulder from the School District U-46 administration according to Barb Bettis, the teachers’ union president.
  Bettis addressed the Board of Education at its meeting on Monday, Sept. 13. It ended with teachers in the audience saying “shame on you” as they left after the board refused to have a discussion at the meeting.
  Sue Kerr, board president, said they wouldn’t ask “questions because we’re in bargaining, or we’re about to go into bargaining.” Board member Dawn Martin asked if she could email questions, but Kerr said “be careful.”
  “I don’t believe I’ve touched on any bargaining issues. I am trying to deal with the moment,” Bettis said. As the board signaled there would be no discussion, that’s when teachers left the meeting.
  Bettis described how the excitement at returning to school waned quickly as the district has been confusing and contradictory in its communications. She said teachers who try to address concerns are spoken down to.
  There have already been resignations and talks of early retirement that are not common for this early in a school year, Bettis said.
  Three teachers spoke during public comments concerned with class sizes, being evaluated by outside consultants and confusing quarantine rules. Some said students lost a lot from distance learning while there is no collaboration with the district which is not listening to them.
  Two other public comments were made as parents and students also feel they are not being heard.
  Ariana Oldenburg, a fourth grader, asked why students were not allowed to wear face shields instead of masks and addressed medical issues resulting from the masking, like headaches, stomach aches and sore throats. She also said there’s a climate of fear if they take their mask down for a moment.
  “You may think we’re ok because we’re not saying anything,” Oldenburg said. “It’s hard to speak against people sometimes. It’s hard to do, even for my health.”
  Agnieszka Bajorek, a parent, said she has two children who have medical mask exemptions. Despite having doctor’s notes on record, the district keeps harassing her to get updated notes while the district is also teaching her students, who are exempt, how to properly wear masks.
  “Nothing has changed for my kids,” Bajorek said. “They still have the same condition. The previous note from the doctor should be sufficient.”