thedrifter
07-13-05, 10:29 AM
Board accused of meeting illegally
By Bob Susnjara Daily Herald Staff Writer
Lake County's top law-enforcement agency says Warren Township High School's board held an illegal closed-door discussion before passing a policy that allowed two students to wear their Marine uniforms at graduation instead of mandatory caps and gowns.
Chief Deputy State's Attorney Meg Marcouiller filed a civil complaint in Lake County circuit court Monday. It contends the Gurnee-based Warren District 121 board should not have discussed any aspect of the uniform request in private under the pretense of "confidential student issues."
Marcouiller, who launched an investigation in response to a Daily Herald inquiry, said she listened to tape recordings of two closed-door discussions from a May 10 board meeting before taking Warren to court. She said the board never discussed matters involving the personal privacy of students, and didn't mention the Marines by name.
She's asking a judge to find Warren violated the Illinois Open Meetings Act. If that occurs, the complaint asks that District 121 be ordered to make public the tapes or transcripts of the private talks.
"The intent of the Open Meetings Act is to ensure that the actions of public bodies be taken openly, and that their deliberations be conducted openly," according to court papers filed by Marcouiller.
District 121 Superintendent Phil Sobocinski declined to comment until he receives a copy of the complaint. Board President Roberta Pfeiffer didn't return messages seeking comment Tuesday.
Warren board members voted 6-0, with one abstention, to allow seniors to bypass the cap-and-gown rule at the Memorial Day weekend graduation ceremony if they were in a U.S. military-issued uniform and active in the armed forces.
District 121's decision came in the wake of a request made on behalf of students Brenten Kostner and John Shymanik.
Before holding the public vote, the seven Warren board members were behind closed doors discussing public perception of the policy, media coverage of the Marines' request and other issues unrelated to the privacy of Shymanik and Kostner, according to court documents.
Marcouiller said she hopes the case she filed against Warren leads to a tighter Open Meetings Act definition of what a board may discuss in private on matters pertaining to individual students.
"I think it could be a very important case," she said.
Shymanik and Kostner graduated early in December to join the Marine Corps. They wanted to wear their dress blue uniforms at the commencement to show pride in their accomplishments.
Warren officials initially denied a request for the teenagers to wear their dress blues to graduation without caps and gowns. The mothers of Shymanik and Kostner went public with the issue at an April school board meeting.
"This wasn't a private matter for the two Marines," Marcouiller said. "In fact, it was their objective to make a public statement."
Issues relating to individual students aren't the only reason school boards may go behind closed doors for discussion. Private sessions may be held for student disciplinary cases, land purchases, litigation and personnel, according to the Open Meetings Act.
Ellie
By Bob Susnjara Daily Herald Staff Writer
Lake County's top law-enforcement agency says Warren Township High School's board held an illegal closed-door discussion before passing a policy that allowed two students to wear their Marine uniforms at graduation instead of mandatory caps and gowns.
Chief Deputy State's Attorney Meg Marcouiller filed a civil complaint in Lake County circuit court Monday. It contends the Gurnee-based Warren District 121 board should not have discussed any aspect of the uniform request in private under the pretense of "confidential student issues."
Marcouiller, who launched an investigation in response to a Daily Herald inquiry, said she listened to tape recordings of two closed-door discussions from a May 10 board meeting before taking Warren to court. She said the board never discussed matters involving the personal privacy of students, and didn't mention the Marines by name.
She's asking a judge to find Warren violated the Illinois Open Meetings Act. If that occurs, the complaint asks that District 121 be ordered to make public the tapes or transcripts of the private talks.
"The intent of the Open Meetings Act is to ensure that the actions of public bodies be taken openly, and that their deliberations be conducted openly," according to court papers filed by Marcouiller.
District 121 Superintendent Phil Sobocinski declined to comment until he receives a copy of the complaint. Board President Roberta Pfeiffer didn't return messages seeking comment Tuesday.
Warren board members voted 6-0, with one abstention, to allow seniors to bypass the cap-and-gown rule at the Memorial Day weekend graduation ceremony if they were in a U.S. military-issued uniform and active in the armed forces.
District 121's decision came in the wake of a request made on behalf of students Brenten Kostner and John Shymanik.
Before holding the public vote, the seven Warren board members were behind closed doors discussing public perception of the policy, media coverage of the Marines' request and other issues unrelated to the privacy of Shymanik and Kostner, according to court documents.
Marcouiller said she hopes the case she filed against Warren leads to a tighter Open Meetings Act definition of what a board may discuss in private on matters pertaining to individual students.
"I think it could be a very important case," she said.
Shymanik and Kostner graduated early in December to join the Marine Corps. They wanted to wear their dress blue uniforms at the commencement to show pride in their accomplishments.
Warren officials initially denied a request for the teenagers to wear their dress blues to graduation without caps and gowns. The mothers of Shymanik and Kostner went public with the issue at an April school board meeting.
"This wasn't a private matter for the two Marines," Marcouiller said. "In fact, it was their objective to make a public statement."
Issues relating to individual students aren't the only reason school boards may go behind closed doors for discussion. Private sessions may be held for student disciplinary cases, land purchases, litigation and personnel, according to the Open Meetings Act.
Ellie