LGIS News Service Stories | Dupage Policy Journal

Fenwick H.S. President Peddicord affirms student mask mandate-- from mask-free fundraising weekend at Naples Yacht Club

By LGIS News Service | Feb 7, 2022

Fenwick High School President Richard Peddicord was himself maskless and in Naples, Florida as he informed his 1,200 students he would continue to require them to cover their own faces in class, and to wear masks while playing indoor sports like basketball at the school.

Oak Park Health Director Chapple email: Schools have discretion on masks

By LGIS News Service | Feb 2, 2022

Village of Oak Park Public Health Director Theresa Chapple said state rules governing K-12 schools allow them to individually decide how restrictive to be on masking students.

River Forest "racial healing" speaker tells whites: stop longing for Mayberry

By LGIS News Service | Jan 24, 2022

Crime, anonymity and discord among neighbors and racial polarization are inevitable and River Forest residents shouldn't "long" for a community without them.

Oak Park Health Director Chapple: women who have children are "birthing people," not "mothers"

By LGIS News Service | Jan 23, 2022

Village of Oak Park Public Health Director Theresa Chapple says females who give birth to children aren't "mothers," but rather should be called "birthing people."

Oak Park Health Chief Chapple: K-12 schools should be closed

By LGIS News Service | Jan 5, 2022

Village of Oak Park Health Department Director Theresa Chapple-McGruder says she believes K-12 schools should be closed.

In new book, OPRF H.S. Superintendent Johnson describes "wrestling with the powerful presence of whiteness and white racism" in Oak Park and River Forest

By LGIS News Service | Jan 3, 2022

School Leaders and Sociopolitical and Racial ContextsJohnson previously worked for nine years as an English teacher at Urbana High School in Urbana, Illinois (1997-2006) before being promoted to associate principal (2006) and principal (2010).

OPRF bans winter sports, extracurriculars, cancels winter concert citing "17 new cases" of COVID-19

By LGIS News Service | Dec 4, 2021

Oak Park & River Forest H.S. has banned all student participation in winter sports and extracurricular activities, citing “17 new COVID-19 cases,” according to school principal Gregory Johnson.

River Forest school board member: "How much do we want parents determining how kids are educated?"

By LGIS News Service | Nov 19, 2021

A River Forest District 90 Board of Education member Katie Avalos The River Forest District 90 board includes Avalos, Cal Davis, Sarah Eckmann, Barb Hickey, Rich Moore, Nicole Thompson and Stacey Williams. All seven members are democrats.

Western Springs Junior High "social justice" club encourages students to discuss parent issues with teachers

By LGIS News Service | Nov 17, 2021

McClure Junior High in Western Springs is encouraging its seventh and eighth grade students to confide in teachers to "discuss topics" of "concern"-- including their parents.

Lyons Township H.S. teachers to participate in Black Lives Matter book study group

By LGIS News Service | Nov 10, 2021

Teachers at Lyons Township High School will participate in a book study organized by a Black Lives Matter group, "Teaching for Black Lives."

Oak Park District 97: Yes, we are teaching the 1619 Project and “critical race theory” to 7th and 8th graders

By LGIS News Service | Nov 10, 2021

Oak Park Elementary District 97 is teaching students so-called “critical race theory,” which argues that racism is to blame for differences in racial group performance, such as lower test scores by black students, or higher violent crime rates for blacks than whites.

Fenwick, Nazareth, St. Patrick advance to IHSA football quarterfinals

By LGIS News Service | Nov 9, 2021

Of the 64 teams advancing to the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) quarterfinals next weekend, three are from West Cook County.

OPRF school board votes unanimously, 7-0, to ban honors classes

By LGIS News Service | Oct 29, 2021

Oak Park and River Forest High School freshmen will no longer have the option to take honors classes in history, foreign languages, English or science.The high school board voted 7-0 to ban honors classes

Ahead of honors ban vote, OPRF school board ponders how to measure its impact

By LGIS News Service | Oct 28, 2021

Oak Park and River Forest High School Director of Student Learning Laurie Fiorenza says she’s certain that her plan to ban freshman honors classes will be successful, if she isn’t quite sure yet how she’ll prove it.

Rep. Hernandez supported removing protections for COVID-19 vaccine foes

By LGIS News Service | Oct 28, 2021

Rep. Elizabeth Hernandez (D-Cicero) voted in favor legislation that would remove legal protections now available to opponents of COVID-19 vaccine mandates through Illinois’ Health Care Right of Conscience Act.

Analysis: Pledge of Allegiance no longer recited by five of 27 West Cook school boards

By LGIS News Service | Oct 26, 2021

Of 27 school boards in West Cook County, five no longer recite the Pledge of Allegiance before their meetings. That's according to an analysis of school board agendas by West Cook News.

Community group: OPRF leaders misrepresenting research to sell honors ban

By LGIS News Service | Oct 20, 2021

A community group says Oak Park and River Forest High School administrators are misrepresenting academic research and state test score data, claiming it shows a proposed honors class ban won't hurt top students, when it shows the opposite.

On eve of honors ban debate, OPRF School Board President moves to limit parent comment

By LGIS News Service | Oct 14, 2021

Oak Park and River Forest High School District 200 Board of Education President Sarah Spivy wants fewer parent comments during meetings-- even virtual ones.

"Honors for all:" OPRF leadership demands ban on grouping students by academic performance; High achievers should take classes with low achievers

By LGIS News Service | Oct 13, 2021

Oak Park and River Forest High School (OPRF) school leaders want a ban on allowing top freshman students to take more advanced classes in history, foreign languages or English, according to a memo sent to the school board on Tuesday.

Most west suburban schools still celebrating Columbus Day, not "Indigenous Peoples"

By LGIS News Service | Oct 12, 2021

Three of thirty West Suburban public schools surveyed were in session on Monday October 10th, 2021, a day frequently used to honor Christopher Columbus and more recently Indigenous People.

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