It’s strange how attitudes can change when you are on the winning end of a vote.
Two months ago, the DuPage Regional Board of School Trustees voted 2-1 against dismissing a petition from residents who were seeking to switch from Westmont School District 201 into Hinsdale’s school districts.
At the time, the attorney representing the school districts–which had come out on the losing end of the vote–complained that only four of seven board members were present.
He asked trustees to reconsider the issue when more members might show up.
They agreed, and Monday, when more members were present, the board reversed itself and voted 5-1 to dismiss the suit.
Needless to say, that decision made the school districts very happy and prompted a change in attitude for the attorney, Todd Faulkner, who just after the vote had nothing but praise for trustees.
And Faulkner didn’t stop there.
He offered stiff criticism for the Tribune, which ran a story pointing out that three trustees have had less than stellar attendance records. That anemic commitment by trustees had even forced the board to cancel a meeting this month when it couldn’t muster a quorum to discuss the District 201 issue.
“I think the criticisms were unfair,” Faulkner told the board Monday night, just moments after they had voted in his favor. “I know you work hard.”
Perhaps Faulkner is setting the table with flattery in case the issue comes up again?
Elmhurst survey: School officials in Elmhurst School District 205 have often asked parents to fill out surveys measuring what they think of the schools, but it’s rare that they also ask the students.
But this month, the district’s roughly 6,800 students will be given surveys to fill out.
The purpose of the community-wide opinion poll is to find out exactly what the district should be doing to address the needs of students, parents, teacher and staff.
The goal, officials said, is to improve the quality of education, according to Supt. Joel Morris.
“Survey results will be used by the staff and the Board of Education in order to plan future programs in District 205,” Morris said.
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Some of the questions the students will be asked range from whether or not the bathrooms are clean to how good is the food served in the lunchroom.
Students also are being given the unusual opportunity to rate their teachers.
Survey results are expected sometime near the end of November or early December.
Charter schools, pro and con: The League of Women Voters of Elmhurst is offering to educate people about charter schools. League members have been studying charter schools for more than six months in an effort to develop a position paper on the often controversial state law that allows certain groups to form their own school using tax dollars.
State law allows for 15 charter schools in the suburbs but there are only three and none of them are in DuPage County. Six DuPage school districts, however, are studying the idea of creating a charter elementary school with specialized curriculum.
The purpose of the charter school study is so the League of Women Voters can take a stand on the issue. A decision is expected in January. Meanwhile, league members are willing to share their research with the public at a free forum at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Community Bank, 330 W. Butterfield Rd., Elmhurst.
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The education column is scheduled to appear Wednesdays during the school year in TribWest. If you have ideas for the column, please submit them by e-mail to [email protected] or [email protected] or by fax to 630-368-4266.