The Examiner U-46 News FeedU-46 strips Sabres coach of honor due to policy By Seth Hancock
Questions go unanswered on School District U-46’s decision to strip an honor bestowed on Streamwood girls basketball coach George Rosner.
Rosner had announced this would be his final season coaching the team after a 41-year varsity coaching career, including 37 years in U-46. During that career he had amassed 461 victories.
At a Nov. 30 game, Streamwood High School surprised Rosner by renaming the gym George Rosner Arena. It was a packed crowd with family and friends surprising him, including the first player to ever score for him during his grade school coaching.
“It’s beyond words. I didn’t expect it. I never deserve these things, but it was an eventful night in people coming from everywhere,” Rosner said at the time.
“He always looks out for us,” said senior Sayuri Ishikawa. “If we have a test together, he’s always texting us, making sure we’re good, sending pictures of his grandkids and stuff like that. In school, he’s always making sure our grades are straight and everything.”
However, during Christmas break while classes were not in session, U-46 removed the sign dedicating the gym. Under board policy 4.076, it states the “Board of Education is responsible for the naming of school facilities and any portions of facilities, such as… gymnasiums,” and anyone still alive “shall not be considered.”
A process for naming requires public meetings, thus removing Streamwood’s ability to surprise Rosner.
The Examiner learned that a compromise was offered asking the district to keep the sign up through the remainder of Rosner’s final season which the district refused.
Despite multiple attempts, the district did not respond to confirm the compromise. U-46 also did not respond about whether or not there is a process for Streamwood to seek an exception to the board policy.
A petition on change.org has been started with 1,700 signatures seeking to change the board policy and reversing the district’s decision.
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