LTHS Students' Equity Ideas Kept Under Wraps

La Grange IL

07 December, 2021

1:03 PM

Description

LA GRANGE, IL — For two days in October, Lyons Township High School brought together 80 students to discuss equity and belonging. The students gave their ideas, with the school saying it compiled their feedback. At a recent school board meeting, officials said they asked students about what the school should start doing to honor students' dignity and create a sense of belonging. The students also were asked what the school should stop doing. If you want to know about the students' ideas, you'll have to keep wondering: The school has decided to keep their feedback under wraps. Recently, Patch filed a public records request for the compiled feedback that an official mentioned during the board meeting. But the school responded with a denial that appeared to have been written by a lawyer. The school's response cited a number of determinations by the attorney general that stated such records are considered "pre-decisional" — in other words, documents used in creating policy. "In coming to its determinations, (the attorney general's office) has emphasized that the surveys are internal records used by school districts to make decisions regarding the operations of the school districts," the letter said. "That is the case here. The survey is an internal predecisional record that the district is utilizing in its various deliberations." The school also did not include the names and titles of those who took part in the decision to deny the records, which is required by the state's open records law. Asked about this, the administrative assistant who signed the letter noted her name was on the document. She did not say she was responsible for the decision. Often, higher-ups make the call on denying records requests. Superintendent Brian Waterman could not be reached for comment. During the school board meeting, Principal Jen Tyrrell said she was excited about the workshop with the 80 students, a group she said represented the school demographically. She said the students were introduced to the critical concepts of dignity honored and dignity violated, among other items. "We can't wait to see the impact these workshops have as we continue to create a sense of belonging at LT," the principal said. Tyrrell said the compiled feedback will be brought to a group of student leaders. The school, she said, is developing plans of action for measures it will carry out.