The Examiner U-46 News Feed
Parents, students seek review at U-46 meeting
By Seth Hancock
For the second straight time, the Board of Education meeting in School District U-46 featured an overflow crowd of citizens addressing their public officials, this time for U-46 educational issues on Monday, Feb. 22.
There were nearly 40 people who spoke during public comments, 19 of whom were asking for a reconsideration of a decision not to grant physical education waivers for the majority of students who requested one at Bartlett High School made by that school’s administration.
Illinois State Code requires gym class for graduation but does offer exemptions for juniors and seniors, one of which is the need to take a course as a requirement for admittance into the college or university of their choice. According to speakers, only one or two students received the waiver while over 40 did not.
For junior twin sisters Kayla and Marina Filipek, they would appear to not only meet that requirement but also the exemption based on athletic participation.
“In my opinion, these are the last children who need 40 to 50 minutes a day of public school PE,” said the twins’ mother Miriam Filipek, who said both have over a 4.7 GPA and participate in sports at Bartlett.
Kayla Filipek took fifth place at state this season in girls swimming in both 50- and 100-yard freestyle races, and she will be competing for a spot on the U.S. Olympic team. Marina Filipek plays both soccer and tennis.
“Evidence shows that their decisions are blatantly subjective as there were many applicants but only one or two approvals even though about 90 percent of applications contained the exact same information and/or criteria,” Miriam Filipek said.
Marina Filipek asked: “Why allow us to apply thus perpetuating a treacherous illusion as to our futures when you are simply going to dismiss our documentation and valid evidence?”
She added: “It is clear where your priorities lie. Administration needs to put aside personal agendas and provide us with the educational opportunities we deserve.”
Kayla Filipek said the district is “denying a student to their right to education and are destroying their chances at admittance to some of the highest nationally ranked universities.”
Most of the students who spoke were in AP courses and/or in academy programs, and many said they received a waiver their junior year but were denied one for next year despite providing the same evidence they can receive another waiver.
However, U-46 CEO Tony Sanders interjected midway through the public comments to say the problem was not with the district but rather the state.
“In order to grant a PE waiver, you must be able to submit to your school and to your councilor evidence that if you are not able to take a specific sequence of courses in your junior and senior year [and] you will not be able to be admitted into the college of your choice,” said Sanders who added: “I appreciate the comments, and we’ll keep listening, but I want you to be aware that this is a state of Illinois issue, not a U-46 issue.”
That didn’t go over well with the audience, one person saying from her seat “he’s making it seem like you’re going to sit here and you’re not going to listen.” Donna Smith, the board’s president, had “to call this out of order” as audience members said the district is interpreting the code wrong and other districts are still offering waivers.
“It is completely injustice to force kids to do the bare minimum when they want to strive higher,” said student Dhruti Desai who is looking at Harvard.
Student William Blovnt, who wants to go to UCLA, said “our issue isn’t with necessarily the law, it’s with the interpretation of the law that is given out by U-46” and “I would just like to ask for some transparency in how these decisions were made and what factors were considered and how these decisions will be reviewed” in the future.
Ivana Bozic, also a student, said “there is a big difference between intent and impact.”
“I understand that your intentions are good, that you care about our education. But in order for me to well-represent U-46 tomorrow, you need to give each and every one of us the chance to succeed today,” Bozic said. She also said she contacted the Illinois School Board of Education and read a reply that stated the code is left up to interpretation by school districts.
Student Mirage Modi said the reason for being denied the waiver on his slip was vague and “all it says is courses selected favors room for PE,” and Jayam Shah said he received the notification slip during class.
“Getting this information in the middle of class made me feel… distraught and it kind of distracted me during class,” Shah said. “Really, what this tells me is my school doesn’t care about my education.”
Parent Slavica Bozic said the students are willing to give a chance for a correction to be made, but legal action could come if nothing is done.
Wayne resident Rick Newton spoke on a separate topic but opened by saying: “I would just like to say to these Bartlett students that I think that probably most of the people in this room today will empathize with what you are pursuing and admire you in the way that you’re going about it and taking ownership.”
Sanders said he “will follow up with the administration at Bartlett High School” and schedule meetings with parents. He said it’s been a longtime issue and, in contrast to what Ivana Bozic said, he’s spoken with the ISBE and there is “specific language in the statute” that is not open for interpretation.
Board member Sue Kerr asked that what is required be made clearer in the future and Traci Ellis said if it is up for interpretation, the district should “interpret it liberally.”
Board members Phil Costello and Jeanette Ward said they appreciated hearing from the students, and Ward suggested those in attendance also contact their legislators.
“This law is having very real consequences for you as a community and for you as students,” Ward said. “It’s an example of top-down legislation that doesn’t consider the consequences to the people who have to obey the law.”
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