A town hall meeting at Germantown Hills School District 69 Wednesday is open only to parents.
A statement on the district’s website says, “PARENTS ONLY discuss the situation that has developed in the upper grades.” It concerns a letter sent December 12th that covers middle school students, and a conversation on sexual orientation and identity. But the students at the heart of the conversation are ages 10 to 14.
Superintendent Dan Mair (MAY-ihr) says the meeting was closed “at the request of parents to protect their children’s privacy,” and that a maximum of two school board members will be present. That means holding it as a closed meeting is legal.
But the intent of the closed meeting has some, including Peoria Pride and the ACLU of Illinois, worried. Both groups are concerned students’ First Amendment rights are being curtailed.
Mair says his goal is the opposite. He says the goal is to make sure all students have a safe, healthy environment to learn and develop. But he says that must be free from bullying and harassment.
The meeting will address the letter and the policy scheduled to be implemented in January. Mair says he will take limited questions after that, and will offer a statement to news outlets after tonight’s meeting, which starts at 6:00 p.m.