The Department of Justice is launching an effort to combat what it said is an “increase” in “threats of violence” against school officials and teachers across the country. Here in Bloomington, a District 87 school board member is calling for a Town Hall meeting.
“I think a Town Hall meeting would be very helpful,” said District 87 school board member Fitzgerald Samedy. “In a board meeting we can only hear public comment but in a Town Hall meeting we could have a Q&A.”
Community member Shane McCurdy’s frustrations were expressed through some language at the last D87 meeting. McCurdy has been sent two letters, one by the district and the other from Bloomington High School. Both letters address his language and ban him from the grounds of all D87 schools.
“I am aware of the DOJ announcement but at this time have not received a meeting request. We have not experienced any act of violence at school board meetings in Normal. As with any of our local, county, state and federal partners, we are always willing to sit down to hear concerns and discuss how we can work more effectively together,” said Normal Police Chief Rick Bleichner.
Has the temperature at these board meeting reached the level of “threatening” or even “domestic terrorism”?
“Not here in Bloomington-Normal I don’t know about anywhere else but we didn’t go any further than cussing and yelling at them,” said McCurdy. “I think it’s a waste of my time to request a hearing I admit I said everything they accused me of. And I refuse to apologize.”
Page 1 of the letter sent to Shane McCurdy, a frustrated community member.
Page 2 of the letter sent to Shane McCurdy by District 87.
The frustration and temperature extends to the student population. There hasn’t been an expulsion brought to the board this year, but currently Unit 5 is facing their first expulsion hearing. Details on that hearing cannot be released due to the student being a minor.
Curt Richardson, Unit 5 District Attorney, is the expulsion hearing officer and reports back to the board of education and then they decide the extent of that expulsion and duration.
Superintendent Kristen Weikle said there are plenty of proactive measures taken by the district before expulsion takes place.
“We have a lot of conversations with students about, ‘What’s going on? Why did that happen?’ If it involves another student we might need to have a restorative conservation. ‘Hey there needs to be some fences that need mending.’ So everybody feels heard, valued and then we can move forward,” said Weikle.
Unit 5 Board member Jeremy DeHaai tells Cities that students are following their parents’ leads.
“People are frustrated. In general people are frustrated…in board meetings, with vaccination rules and masking. On both sides of the fence. If you go on social media…it is hard to not see the messages of people just being angry and frustrated and I think that carries over with the students,” said DeHaai. “Kids mirror their parents. I get frustrated with things that are being done with society and the mask and the kids see that. How we fix that? I don’t know the answer. We are all ready for it to be over.”
