IASB Journal September October 2022 by IASB Publications

September/October 2022 Vol. 90 No. 5 Civil Discourse in Troubled Times Reconnect with Community Engagement AmplifyingVoiceStudent Listen & Speak

And how does this help us meet ourCivilgoals?discourse, as defined for our purposes, is “conversation intended to improve understand ing.” Read more about the contin uous course of civil discourse in “From Boardroom, to Classroom, and Back,” starting on page 16.

Discover more on student voice by reading “ Amplifying Student Voice with a Seat at the Table,” by Jadon A. Waller from CUSD 308 in Oswego, starting on page 10. If your district has an experience with student voice that you’d like to share, please reach out. We hope to continue this conversation in a future issue of the Journal  Theresa Kelly Gegen is Editor of the Illinois School Board Journal and can be reached at tgegen@iasb.com

You can view the “Student Voices” webinar via the resources link at iasb.com/journal/.

This issue of the Illinois School Board Journal aims to improve conversa tions. In these pages you will find encouragement and methods to lift your own voice, and also discover ways to better listen to the voices of others — students, peers, and the community.Acrossthe nation, conversation is in crisis. Boards of education are fac ing conflict: during public comment, on social and traditional media, at the proverbial but unavoidable “grocery store conversations,” during student protests, parent protests, and com munity protests. Issues that boards of education have previously found rou tine have been contorted and mag nified. Issues that have never before been board work are on the table. And tensions run high. If you, as a board member, are feeling this, you are not alone. Remember why you started, remember your goals, and understand that it’s not personal.

A 2022 IASB webinar, “Student Voices on K-12 Education in Illi nois,” featured members of the Stu dent Advisory Council of the Illinois State Board of Education. The group of impressive students and IASB staff discussed, among other things, their engagements with their boards of education. As the students discussed appreciating the ability to contribute to the conversation, one student took the next logical step.

2 • Illinois School Board Journal Front Page

When presented with a conver sational challenge, deploy critical thinking skill questions: Who is most directly affected? What is another perspective? Where can we get more information? When would this be a solution, and when would it cause a problem? Why is this relevant to our work?

On page 20, learn about how “the landscape continues to shift for elected officials and the public insti tutions they oversee, and the public taxpayers they represent,” in a piece by Patrick Mogge entitled “A Time to Reflect and ConversationReconnect.”maybein crisis, but today’s students are more adept at this than we give them credit for — indeed, they are better at this than we are. We can learn from them in unexpected ways.

“Hearing voices is not the same as implementing ideas,” said Araha Uday, then a senior at Schaumburg High School in Township HSD 211.As thoroughly as we encourage listening, Uday is correct. Hers is a next-step lesson in conversation that students bring to the table. Uday and her cohort were able to bring their voices to the table, contribut ing valid ideas, and the district used their ideas to respond to challenges within the schools. Uday wasn’t talking about board work, but we can apply her com ment to the governance team.

By Jadon A. Waller Oswego CUSD 308 provides opportunity for student voice on a larger platform.

14 Amplifying Their Voices

COVER STORIES 10 A Seat at the Table: Amplifying Student Voice

20 Engaging with the Community: A Time to Reflect and Reconnect By Patrick Mogge How do boards facilitate their engagement with the community as well as their communications as individuals and as an entity?

By Jadon A. Waller Comments on the importance of listening to the student voice, shared by student leaders.

By Theresa Kelly Gegen Boards of education are experiencing firsthand the difficulties of civil discourse in today’s polarized climate.

The JOURNAL is supported by the dues of school boards holding active membership in the Illinois Association of School Boards. Copies are mailed to all school board members and the superintendent in each IASB member school district.

Non-member subscription rate: Domestic $20 per year. Foreign (including Canada and Mex ico) $25 per year.

16 Civil Discourse: From Boardroom, to Classroom, and Back

Publication Policy

September/October 2022 • 3 Table of Contents REGULAR FEATURES 2 Front Page 4 Leadership Letter IASB Continues on Its Equity Journey 5 From the Field Which Type of Goal Setting Works for Your School Board? 7 Legal Matters First Amendment Decisions Impact Public Schools 23 In Case You Missed It (ICYMI) Student Involvement in the DecisionMaking Process 24 Practical PR Steps for Reducing Incivility at Board Meetings 30 Milestones 31 Insights

IASB believes that the domestic process func tions best through frank and open discussion. Material published in the JOURNAL, therefore, often presents divergent and controversial points of view which do not necessarily represent the views or policies of IASB.

Copyright © 2022 by the Illinois Association of School Boards (IASB), the JOURNAL is published six times a year and is distributed to its members and subscribers. Copyright in this publication, including all articles and editorial information contained in it is exclusively owned by IASB, and IASB reserves all rights to such information. IASB is a tax-exempt corporation organized in accordance with section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

July/August 2019 Vol. 87 No. 3 Kara Kienzler, Associate Executive Director Theresa Kelly Gegen, Editor Bridget Kusturin, Advertising Manager Jennifer Nelson, Copy Editor Katie Grant, Design and Production Jeff Armbruster, Typesetting ILLINOIS SCHOOL BOARD JOUR NAL (ISSN-0019-221X) is published every other month by the Illinois Association of School Boards, 2921 Baker Drive, Springfield, Illinois 62703-5929 (217) 5289688. The IASB regional office is located at One Imperial Place, 1 East 22nd Street, Lombard, Illinois 60148-6120 (630) 629-3776.

LetterIASB Continues on Its Equity Journey

4 • Illinois School Board Journal Leadership

In 2021 the Association launched its own inter nal plan to support equity, diversity, and inclusion. The plan, developed with input from IASB staff and approved by the Board of Directors, outlines goals and strategies for continuing to build a workforce that will deliver outstanding service to members. It includes these goals.

◦ Cultivate a supportive, welcoming, safe, and inclusive work environment that allows employees to feel connected to the organi zation’s mission and contribute to their full potential.

(IASB Strategic Plan Priority: 6a)

Thomas E. Bertrand, Ph.D., is Executive Director of the Illinois Association of School Boards.

◦ Demonstrate leadership commitment and accountability through policy and practices, messaging, and behavior that advances diver sity, equity, and inclusion priorities. (IASB Strategic Plan Priority: 6a, 6b)

IASB’s commitment to promoting diversity, inclu sion, and equity is critical to allowing the Associa tion to attract and retain employees with the skills, expertise, diversity of thoughts and backgrounds, and experiences needed to effectively serve its members. This commitment also ensures that IASB’s programs and services meet the needs of diverse boards of edu cation that rely upon the Association in service to nearly two million public school children in Illinois.

The Illinois Association of School Boards (IASB) depends on an effective, highly skilled workforce to carry out its mission — to Light the Way for its members by developing their competence and confidence through a robust toolkit designed to build excellence in local school board governance.

“This commitment also ensures that IASB’s programs and services meet the needs of diverse boards of education that rely upon the Association ... ”

This plan will advance the strategic priorities of IASB by increasing the Association’s collective capac ity through this commitment to promoting diversity, inclusion, and equity. We recognize that every organization may be at a different point in this important journey as we move forward. I look forward to celebrating our progress. 

By Thomas E. Bertrand

The tumultuous past three years underscored the importance of flexibility and adaptability. With conditions changing — sometimes rapidly — orga nizations were forced to be nimble while facing the challenge of delivering vital services in new and innovative ways. Schools proved this could be done — and so did organizations like IASB. Meeting the challenges would not have been possible without a capable, dedicated staff.

◦ Pursue a comprehensive strategy to recruit, retain, and develop a high-performing staff drawn from all segments of society. (IASB Strategic Priority: 1b, 6a)

September/October 2022 • 5 From the Field

“Both approaches demand that the school board weigh community standards and priorities to make decisions beneficial for the district-at-large as well as the general public good. ”

The governance team — partic ularly the school board — serves as an initiating entity for any goal-set ting session. Coupled with this responsibility, the tasks necessary to derive relevant “ends” outcomes (i.e., core values, mission, vision, goals) involve widening team perspectives to pinpoint varied community standards as well as local education priorities. Such a widening of perspectives entails the school board intentionally and stra tegically engaging the community through two-way communication.

Some boards may employ engagement options such as sur veys, forums, ad hoc committees, and other options outside of the regular board meeting. Many school boards couple these engage ment options with the use of a goal-setting session referred to as “inclusive goal setting.” This involves identifying all com munity groups and selecting a repre sentative from each group who will be invited to a special board meeting addressing the task of goal setting.

By Perry Hill IV Goal setting stands as an early act in which a governance team (i.e., a school board and superintendent collaborative) should engage. This act and its outcome ensure a uni lateral direction for the governance team as it pursues alignment and excellence for the school district.

Which Type of Goal Setting Works for Your School Board?

At this board meeting, an IASB Field Services Director will facilitate a workshop session that enables the governance team to join each invited representative in detecting communi ty standards and priorities for educa tion in pre-selected district areas. Regardless of the number of attendees, and inclusive of the governance team, these activities will yield key deliverables befitting the ends outcomes sought by the governance team. Inclusive goal setting is one of two types of goal-setting sessions available to a governance team/district. The second goal-setting type available is called “exclusive goal setting.” This session involves a school board opting to initiate goal setting with only governance team members, and perhaps select dis trict personnel, in attendance. This is the only distinction between an exclusive and an inclusive goal-setting session. The session is still facilitated by an IASB Field Services Director, and both session processes and activities are designed to yield ends outcomes, same as the inclusive goal-setting option.

Notably, the school board rationale for an exclusive session versus an inclusive session should not stem from a hope of swifter completion, a belief in simpler exe cution, or a desire to elude levels of public transparency. After all, goal setting sessions — exclusive and inclusive — must transpire within open school board meetings in full

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As of August 15, 2022 compliance to all Open Meetings Act requirements. The school board rationale for exclusive goal setting versus inclusive goal setting mostly hails from a school board’s determination that ongoing and/ or recent engagement communi cation with all community groups has already equipped the school board with sufficient information to accurately develop district ends without direct public participation in session activities. Both goal-setting approach es have merit. Both approaches reflect a board acting on an early responsibility of governance. Both approaches take into con sideration community standards and priorities. Both approaches demand that the school board weigh community standards and priorities to make decisions ben eficial for the district-at-large as well as the general public good. A school board must weigh which approach best works. Is the best approach inclusive goal setting, which offers community engagement and in-the-moment feedback with the governance team working alongside the com munity to devise a direction for the district? Is the best approach exclu sive goal setting, which involves retrieval/utilization of community feedback by the governance team to devise a district direction with indirect public participation? Each school board must decide its own preferred approach.  Perry Hill IV, Ph.D., is a Field Services Director for the Illinois Association of School Boards for the Egyptian, Illini, Shawnee, and Wabash Valley Divisions.

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A Christian group sued the City of Boston after it denied its request to fly the group’s flag for a community event on a flagpole outside of Boston’s City Hall. The city denied the request because it was concerned it would be promoting religion in violation of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. The case turned on the question of whether the private group’s flag was govern ment speech. If so, then the city could control the content or viewpoint of the flag. However, the Court held the flag was not government speech because the city had a well-es tablished history of allowing groups to raise flags for vari ous events on a third flagpole outside City Hall (including a pride flag, local bank flag, and many more), and it had never denied a group’s request before the Christian group. The city also had no policy regarding the content of flags. Based on these facts, the Court found the city had opened a “public forum” for outside groups to engage in private speech by displaying flags, therefore, it could not discrimi nate against flag applicants based on religious viewpoint. Although this case did not involve a school, the same principle applies to boards that decide to open their facilities for use by outside groups. If a school board allows community organizations to use school facilities, state law requires the board to adopt a policy that prohibits the use of the facilities if the use will “interfere with any school functions or the safety of students or school personnel or affects the property or liability of the school district.” (105 ILCS 5/10-20.41). Including this standard in a policy creates what is known as a “limited public forum,” which allows a board to exercise some control over access, but like the City of Boston in this case, a board cannot deny a group use of school facilities based upon its viewpoint. Boards that subscribe to PRESS can learn more about outside group access to school facilities by consulting sample policy 8:20, Community Use of School Facilities, and the information in its footnotes.  Debra Jacobson is Assistant General Counsel for IASB.

8 • Illinois School Board Journal member is “behaving badly.” Boards should work with their board attorneys in crafting any sort of censure reso lution. Board members also need to keep in mind that this case was limited to censure of public officials, and that, depending upon the facts, a board reprimand issued in response to the speech of an employee or student may be a violation of that individual’s First Amendment rights. Shurtleff v. Boston

VICE PRESIDENT Mark Harms IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT omas Neeley TREASURER Tim Custis

• Networking opportunities for mutual support;

The vision of the Illinois Association of School Boards is excellence in local school board governance supporting quality public education.

The mission of the Illinois Association of School Boards is to Light the Way for its members by developing their competence and conﬁdence through a robust toolkit designed to build excellence in local school board governance, including

• A platform for a strong collective voice on common interests and concerns.

NORTHWEST Chris Buikema SHAWNEE Sheila Nelson SOUTH COOK Joyce Dickerson SOUTHWESTERN Mark Christ

• Valuable beneﬁts, pooled services, information, and expertise;

• Advocacy on behalf of public education; and

ABE LINCOLN Christopher Gordon BLACKHAWK David Rockwell CENTRAL ILLINOIS VALLEY Tim Custis CORN BELT Nick Sartoris DUPAGE omas Ruggio EGYPTIAN Lisa Irvin ILLINI Michelle Skinlo KASKASKIA Linda Eades KISHWAUKEE Robert Geddeis LAKE Marc Tepper NORTH COOK Alva Kreutzer

STARVED ROCK Jim McCabe THREE RIVERS Liz Campbell TWO RIVERS Tracie Sayre WABASH VALLEY Mandy Rieman WEST COOK Carla Joiner-Herrod WESTERN Sue McCance

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As of August 15, 2022

IASB Board of Directors

ASSOCIATESSERVICE Mark Jolicoeur

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Many school districts in Illinois have created opportunities for stu dents’ voices to be heard. We know that students’ voices are imperative to the work that we are doing, so we must hear from them. More often than not, teachers are encouraged to solicit feedback from students so that teachers can reflect on their practices to best meet the needs of their students. In Oswego CUSD 308, our students’ voices are given a seat at the table with school board members and district administra tors. Many students throughout the school district have lived expe riences and opinions about how we can improve to make the school district more inclusive and equitable for all students. Superintendent John Sparlin, Ed.D., along with the school board, developed a Superin tendent Student Advisory Commit tee. The Committee includes three seniors and two juniors from Oswe go and Oswego East High Schools, with two Student Ambassadors attending, reporting, and partici pating in each school board meet ing. Colton Sannito, a senior from Oswego High, and Aanya Roy, a junior from Oswego East, carefully and thoughtfully conveyed the desires and recommendations of all high school students throughout the school district. Trusting the Process The Superintendent Student Advisory Committee began last school year with the purpose of determining the best way to learn the desires and priority concerns of CUSD 308’s high school stu dents. The five members created a student survey that asked students to rank areas that heavily impacted their quality of life in school. The survey was broken down into four categories: Academic Focus, School Structure, Social Climate, and A Seat at the Table: Amplifying Student Voice

10 • Illinois School Board Journal Cover Story

By Jadon A. Waller M

Student-to-Student Interactions. The results of the survey were then disaggregated and from there, the students found impactful informa tion. Here are the top results that aided in the committee developing a focus for the 2021-2022 school year:•Academic

• School Structure: Clarity from administration on how disci pline is handled based on race, identity, and sexual harassment

Many students felt heard and seen because of the committee’s sur vey. For the committee, it height ened the importance of following through for their peers.

Focus: The amount of homework and how it impacts mental health

Taking Action The Superintendent Advisory Committee decided to focus on the priority student-to-student interaction concern of sexual harassment. There was much conversation about students’ mental health and how the com mittee could contribute to the

September/October 2022 • 11

In addition to learning about the students’ priority needs, the survey also helped the district learn that out of the nearly 3,000 students who participated in the survey, almost 20% indicated that they are a part of the LGBTQIA+ communi ty. The results of the survey sparked discussion within and between the committee, district administration, and school board. It was clear that students know what they need and they also recognize another need: For the educators and leaders guid ing them to listen. One student, Jayla Poindexter, now a senior at Oswego East and member of The Student Coalition, expressed that “it’s important to lis ten to students’ voices because stu dents know themselves better than the adults making decisions do. We know what we need best. It’s espe cially important to listen to voices from historically marginalized groups because they are underrepre sented most of the time. Their voic es are going to be heard less because there are less of them around.”

• Social Climate: Increase in representation of LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC cultures within the schools • Student-to-Student Interac tions: Sexual harassment needs to be addressed

12 • Illinois School Board Journal

“I made it a priority to speak for my school,” Franklin continued, “Because voices from my walks of life have been overshadowed in the past. I am so excited to witness the platform be given to other students with interest in making a change and using their voice.”

Why choose IASB for your next Superintendent Search? 9 Current IASB Consultants have over 65 years of search team experience and have been involved with over 280 searches, which includes your part of the state. 9 Experience in Illinois from 2009-2022: 333 Searches throughout 78 counties. Contact IASB, your local search professional, today: (217) 528-9688 or (630) 629-3776, ext. www.iasb.com/about-us/executive-searches1217

Many students from histori cally marginalized groups utilized each inquiry as an opportunity to be heard. The Student Coalition Not only did District 308 create space for students’ voices at the school board level, but the dis trict was also challenged to create a student committee for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion to amplify students’ voices.

• Expanding social worker sup port through increase of edu cational awareness via Google classroom; use of QR codes throughout the school to provide information and support; and a student brochure covering safety, education, and reporting

• Creating a Safe Space Ambas sador Teacher Committee for both high schools, with indica tors for their classroom doors

improvement of that through this focus on sexual harassment. The committee began the YPAR (Youth Participatory Action Research) process. The students researched articles and qualita tively determined patterns and themes, but realized they still needed to hear more from their peers. Thus, they developed a second survey broken down into three categories: Student Educa tional Awareness About Sexual Harassment, Student Safety and Reporting, and Sexual Harass ment and Mental Health. The results of this survey allowed the committee to develop a Sexual Harassment Action Plan that will be implemented in the 2022-2023 school year. Plus, the students were able to review the current Sexual Harassment Policy to add additional language that is stu dent-friendly. Here are highlights from the Sexual Harassment Action Plan:

• Working with Student Services building and district admin istrators to collaborate and communicate to support the increases in structures put in place

• Providing, to all students, an opening message led by the social workers in each building Arriyana Franklin, a senior from Oswego High School, shared “My time serving on the Superintendent Student Advisory Committee for Oswego CUSD 308 was nothing short of an honor. At first, I did not recognize that my role on the com mittee came with so much empow erment for my community until I saw how many of my peers, mostly Black and Brown, came to me with their concerns within their high schools in hopes that I could make a change.

• Developing a Staff and Parent University to train and provide important information regard ing sexual harassment and how to support students

Browse members, or search by Company Name or Category at www.iasb.com/serviceassociates See the Service Associates Directory on page 27. • Appraisal Services • Architects/Engineers • Building Construction • Computer Software, Supplies, Services • Consulting • ServicesEnvironmental • Financial Services • Human ConsultingResource • Insurance • O ce Equipment • SearchesSuperintendent IASB Service Associates provide quality products and services for schools. The CUSD 308 Superintendent Student Advisory Committee. Photo courtesy of the author.

September/October 2022 • 13

As the Director of Diversi ty, Equity, and Inclusion, I felt it imperative to create a space for stu dents’ voices to be heard throughout the community; especially voices from marginalized groups that might not typically be heard. The Student Coalition is composed of 22 students from different cultur al backgrounds, religion, gender identity, access to academics, and socio-economic status. This group of students was recommended by teachers, engaged in an application process, and then began meeting in early 2022. The students came together to share their experiences; engage in training on diversity, equity, and inclusion; and to ultimately find their voice as co-conspirators for each oth er. The students put together an event called “Amplify.” This group participated as a panel by develop ing questions they always wanted to share their answers to. In addi tion to the panel, many students, including a “True Colors” club for LGBTQIA+ students, shared their stories through skits, poetry, speeches, music, and art. Through Amplify, The Coalition touched educators, building and district administrators, school board members, peers, and community members. Their stories pressed the importance of being a part of a school community, being seen in the classroom, and being valued though their needs do not always align with the societal standards

– Faryal Imtiaz “It is necessary that we listen to students’ voices, especial ly those from historically marginalized groups because I found that in many instances when schools, companies, etc. try to be more diverse and ‘celebrate’ other cultures/ identities it usually ends up backfiring. Many times, the people trying to make these changes are not a person of color or a part of the culture they are trying to ‘cel ebrate’ and end up portraying them in a stereotypical and negative manner. These celebrations embody white societal norms rather than the actual culture and identity. Listening to student voices from all backgrounds guaran tees that the inclusion is accurate and makes a positive difference.”

“As a young Pakistani-Muslim child, I felt like it was diffi cult for me to fit in with the rest of my classmates. Joining the AMPLIFY Committee gave me a chance to speak about my feelings and meet others with similar back grounds. It made me realize that I am not alone and hope fully my experiences help others feel more comfortable about themselves too.”

learners. They want to learn and have an understanding of how the world works so they can be civically responsible. They want the oppor tunity to be an essential part of how we make decisions for our students. They deserve all of the seats at the table. 

– Fayrouz Abdelmaguid

14 • Illinois School Board Journal and norms that are historically in place. Our district has learned so much from our students. They have shown us that they know what they need and they want to work together with all of us to make sure that structures are in place to ensure student safety, that classrooms are rigorous and provide access to vari ous perspectives, that who they are and who they desire to be is seen as valuable and important, that their gender, identity, socio-economic status, culture, race, and aptitude for learning is intentionally recognized by the community, board members, district and building leaders, their teachers, peers, and their families. Our students are courageous and ready to tackle issues together. They see how policies and practices impact them and they want to be heard so they can be successful life

“Acknowledging student voices ensures a more successful attempt at accomplishing what needs to be done. If there is action to be taken in a school setting, listening to those who are active in such settings allows the process to go smoothly. School administrators’ knowledge can only go so far. A student’s perspective can offer different mind sets on certain issues. Each student is unique, and some can offer different views depending on their experiences, specifically marginalized groups. Their insight can be incredibly helpful due to being exposed to different cul tures and the knowledge that comes along with such. In a school environment, you will find individuals with varied backgrounds and needs. In order to ensure a perfectly accommodating environment, listening to and getting the opinions of those in historically marginalized groups will achieve an accepting and powerful community.”–LailaAbouhaiba

– Mihira Krothapalli

Comments on student voice, shared by student leaders from CUSD 308 and collected by Jadon A. Waller.

Amplifying Their Voices

“It is important to always be listening to student’s voices, especially those from marginalized groups, because most of the time these voices are rarely heard. We need to strive to change this, and listen to those in need, and we will also be able to understand everyone’s perspectives on many different issues. I also think listening is just as important as speaking out in a lot of situations because we are able to address/see multiple perspectives, including those of marginalized groups, that some haven’t consid ered before.”

“Amplify made me realize how feeling misheard or unseen in a district is normal. I think our district has made strides with trying to listen to the students, but Amplify made me realize that we still have a lot of a way to go.”

– Naima Morris

Jadon A. Waller, Ed.D., is Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Family Engagement at CUSD 308 in Oswego.

Order online and preview the index for a detailed list of content www.iasb.com/bookstorecovered: Illinois School Law Survey Includes access to keyword-searchable digital version. $53 IASB Members / $66 Retail Companion Resource: Illinois School Code Service Includes the 2022 School Code and additional statutes pertinent to public schools available to purchase in print or USB format. A printed 2023 Supplement will automatically be shipped to customers. $65 IASB Members / $75 Retail Indispensable Law References

From Boardroom, to Classroom, and Back

“Civility isn’t just an optional aspect of our system of government — it is an essential component of democracy,” wrote Lawrence S. Feinsod, Executive Director of the New Jersey School Boards Associ ation in a column for the Newark Star-Ledger.

The simple, sunshiny, semi-spir itual All I Needed to Know I Learned in Kindergarten is a list of rules to live by, written by Robert Fulgham in the 1980s. It started as a blurb in a church bulletin, grew into a bestselling book, and became an international phenomenon. Times have changed — and certainly kindergarten has changed — since the book was published in 1986. But some of the rules are more apt and necessary to civil discourse in school board work today than they were when we were in kindergar ten, or even three very short, yet extremely long years ago.

“Play fair,” we learned in Kin dergarten. “ Clean up your own mess. Don’t take things that aren’t yours. Say you’re sorry when you hurt somebody. When you go out into the world, watch out for traffic, hold hands, and stick together.” Further along in the academic career of an Illinois public school student are mandated civics cours es. Since 2016 for high schoolers, and as of 2020 for middle-grade students, every public school in Illinois must include at least one semester of civics education, “which shall help young people acquire and learn to use the skills, knowledge, and attitudes that will prepare them to be competent and responsible citizens throughout their lives,” according to Public Act 099-0434, which continues, “Civics course content shall focus on government, institutions, the discussion of cur rent and controversial issues, service learning, and simulations of the democratic process.” Here we see

Once upon a time, school boards could typically sidestep hot political topics by focusing on the needs of students and the commu nity. Today, even at the local level, just about anything is a political topic. In Illinois and throughout the nation, boards of education are experiencing firsthand the diffi culties of civil discourse in today’s polarized climate. The firestorm of political battles reaches into coping with coronavirus, educating with equity, and plenty of questions of curriculum, has the education community on edge. Boards of education are on alert. When differences happen within the board, conversation to improve understanding is critical. Civil dis course as a skill is vital to public edu cation. When differences happen between the board and its commu nity, there is even more at play.

By Theresa Kelly Gegen

These days, dialogue across differences can often be difficult to navigate. A board of education is expected to adopt and enforce all policies necessary for the manage ment and governance of the public schools of the district. The board studies the needs of students and the community and bases its deci sions on those needs.

The civility aspect of civil discourse starts with the idea of politeness, but if it’s only politeness, discourse stalls. If it’s only impoliteness, discourse stalls. Civil discourse calls for discussion and deliberation. Back to School

Civil discourse is, practically speak ing, a conversation intended to improve understanding. When we engage in civil discourse, we study a problem, examine for understanding the arguments on all sides, and dis cuss and deliberate to seek solutions. Civil discourse is, philosophically speaking, a conversation intended to promote the greater good.

16 • Illinois School Board Journal Cover Story

C Civil Discourse

This will sound familiar to members of effective school boards. The lessons students learn in the classroom — to get along, to be competent and responsible citizens, and to engage in civil discourse — are applicable everywhere in the education arena. Bridging the Divide in the Boardroom Especially for school boards, civil discourse for understanding and finding solutions requires mutual respect, the ability to listen, and the wisdom to know what can and can’t be done in the moment.TheCode of Conduct for School Board Members states “I will respectfully listen to those who communicate with the board, seek ing to understand their views, while recognizing my responsibility to represent the interests of the entire community.”Notingthat

• A time limit on how long any one individual can speak. These procedures are meant to ensure that board meetings run smoothly and permit the board to conduct the business that is on the agenda for that meeting. An effective board applies its policies consistently.Inaperfect world, stakeholders wishing to speak before the board of education would familiarize themselves with the board’s stan dards for public comment, and the board will acknowledge that speaking before the board is not in a comfort zone for most indi viduals. All parties, from board members to parents stepping into

conflict is inevi table, Amanda Ripley, author of High Conflict: Why We Get Trapped and How We Get Out, discusses “looping for understanding,” which means re-wording and reflecting what someone says back to them, and asking if that was correct.

Boards develop policies and proce dures for public input. These poli cies can include

For this to work in the board room, the parties need to be aware of the role of the board.

• When, on the agenda, the pub lic comment period appears;

“Listening and checking for understanding is probably the single best way to keep conflict healthy,” Ripley says. “That’s why it is practiced by everyone who navigates high conflict with grace. Wherever you find a wise minister, psychologist, salesperson, or hos tage negotiator, you will find some one who knows how to loop, even if they don’t call it that.”

• What an individual must do to participate (e.g. signing in prior to the meeting);

• A time limit on the public comment period and/or;

September/October 2022 • 17 what we learned in kindergarten developing into a foundation for civilChicagodiscourse.Public Schools builds further upon this foundation through the Department of Social Science and Civic Engagement, which oversees resources to pro mote civic life across the district. The department has an element of coursework titled “Structured Academic Controversy: Delibera tion in a Democracy,” which calls for “deliberation, not debate.” Stu dents first define deliberation and are presented an issue. In groups, students consider the issue from one perspective, then switch. They form their own opinions, then share them. If there is agreement, they develop a policy. If there is disagreement, “… they should work to build consensus and find a com mon ground on which they might agree and create a policy from that” according to the summary for teachers. “This is very difficult and can be frustrating for students. Remind them that our democracy needs to find a way to deal with important issues even when people have very different and very strong opinions -- otherwise our govern ment would never work.”

One key is this: Not every mat ter is a board of education matter. Governance — setting goals and direction, establishing policy — is the work of the board. Manage ment is the work of the administra tion. More often than not, a school board member will redirect ques tions and concerns to an appropri ate point in the chain of command. This presents challenges, both to community members who wish to be heard, and school board mem bers who wish to be responsive. A second key is to take care. Don’t worry if the board seems to be giving away time, attention, and “oxygen” to issues you would rath er not. This is the point of public comment.Athird key is this: Public com ment at a school board meeting is not for debate. The public speaks and the board listens. This, too, presents challenges to community members who wish to be heard and school board members who wish to be responsive. Public comment is required by law in Illinois and “subject to reasonable constraints.”

Plan for the Challenges of the Times Disruption has been a facet of public education for decades, and many boards of education are fac ing it now. A focus on the issues as they pertain to the school district is wise, although difficult these days. Remember, that the loudest voices aren’t necessarily representative of the full community. Be prepared to listen to all the voices and make it clear that you are listening. To help board members with keeping discourse civil, the IASB Online Learning Center offers a course called Managing Difficult Public Comment: How to KEEP CALM. Members taking the course will, through a series of hypothetical scenarios, learn how boards can effectively manage difficult public comment periods. KEEP CALM is an acronym for eight principles for boards to keep in mind if public comment turns difficult. These include planning ahead, enforcing the meeting rules, and empowering fellow board members.Tohelp community members understand civil discourse and the board, IASB has a new pub lication, “How School Boards Work: The Role of the Board of Education in the Community,” for districts to share with their com munities. It covers the work of the board of education and how com munity members “can help ensure local decisions about education programs align with your commu nity’sRipleyneeds.”notes in times of conflict, many people just want to be heard. She says, “When people feel under stood, they trust the other person to go a little deeper and keep trying to get it Civilright.”discourse expects everyone to play fair and to be competent and responsible citizens. It requires practice. At its best, there aren’t winners and losers. There is listen ing, empathy, and understanding. There are potentially, ideally, and hopefully solutions. Thinking intentionally about civil discourse, to build consensus and find a com mon ground, is vital to local educa tion communities.  Theresa Kelly Gegen is Editor of the Illinois School Board Journal

Said IASB Executive Director Thomas Bertrand in the Sep tember 2021 Leadership Letter, “Impassioned community members sometimes try to engage the board in debate involving a contentious topic. It is generally not produc tive to debate attendees about a topic during the public comment portion of school board meetings. ... Instead, at the appropriate time provide information and correct misinformation.”

18 • Illinois School Board Journal the space for the first time, must realize that public comment is the time for the board to listen, not debate or decide. In these times, it can be an emotional challenge for a board member to not reply. It can be equally challenging for a mem ber of the public to not receive a reply at the meeting.

DIVISIONMarkMEETINGSyourcalendars now! Visit www.iasb.com for a complete list of events and locations. Invest one evening, gain benefits throughout the year for yourself, your school board, and your district. Attend an IASB Division Meeting at a location near you! Division Meetings provide opportunities for networking, professional development, peer recognition, participation in Association governance, and learning about IASB resources. R

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81 Facebook 69 Instagram 40 Pinterest 31 LinkedIn 28 Snapchat 25 Twitter 23 WhatsApp 23 TikTok 21 Re ddit 18 Nextdoor 13

20 • Illinois School Board Journal Cover Story

Many school districts have communications or family and community engagement staff members assigned to produce a district communication and community engagement pro gram. But how do boards facil itate their engagement with the community as well as their com munications as individuals and as an entity?

By Patrick Mogge T

Defining Roles

Note: Respondents who did not give an answer are not shown. Pre-2018 telephone poll data is not available for YouTube, Snapchat, and WhatsApp; pre-2019 telephone poll data is not available for Reddit. Pre-2021 telephone poll data is not available for TikTok. Trend data is not available for Nextdoor. Source: Survey of U.S. adults conducted Jan. 25-Feb. 8, 2021. “Social Media Use in 2021,” Pew Research Center ‘12 ‘13 ‘19 ‘21

‘20

Growing share of Americans say they use YouTube; Facebook remains one of the most widely used online platforms among U.S. adults % of adultsU.S.who say they ever use ...

When viewing community engagement through the lens of school public relations, there are dif ferent levels of potential ownership regarding who communicates what information, when, and to whom.

The past several years have brought a new level of engagement by the pub lic with Boards of Education and oth er public institutions and governing bodies. From tense discourse and res ignations by elected officials to a new level of attention and advocacy by passionate parents and others focused on what they believe is suitable for the students, the landscape continues to shift for elected officials and the pub lic institutions they oversee, and the public taxpayers they represent.

100%80604020 YouTube

Engaging with the Community: A Time to Reflect and Reconnect

‘14 ‘15 ‘16 ‘17 ‘18

Teachers and building-level admin istrators and staff; superintendents and district-level administrators and staff; individual board members, and the board of education itself all send and receive communications to various audiences. Each group holds a specific role in who does the communicating and connecting and what the message is to ensure their particular stakeholder group is felt, heard, and connected with the organization. Traditional school communications and community engagement programs may include websites, newsletters, social media channels, and media relations to convey messages to various audienc es. Parents may engage through the traditional means of advisory com mittees and parent organizations that support the aims of the school, district, or extracurricular program.

September/October 2022 • 21

A Broader Reach and Context Social media and other online platforms have enabled new constit uencies to form and translate into direct advocacy and action. No lon ger are the individuals that impact locally elected boards only from the community, but potentially the state and nation. Single-issue groups can form instantly and begin to influence the dialogue and work of a public body. The exponential growth across all social media platforms will con tinue as new technologies emerge, which can create opportunities. According to the “Social Media Use in 2021” report by the Pew Research Center, approximately seven in ten Americans use at least one social media site. YouTube and Facebook lead with 81% and 69%, respectively but use by age and other demographics varies. For example, the majority of those age 18 to 29 use Instagram and Snapchat, while approximately half use Tik Tok. Half of those 65 and older use Facebook and YouTube. Beyond the traditional communication and community engagement tactics, governing bod ies can consider what messages are generally received depending on the platform. For example, in addition to providing remote access to watch their proceedings, live-streamed meetings can create viral moments, and online communities can thrive by creating their niche media to share thoughts and ideas with like-minded individuals.Thispresents an opportunity to reflect on what has been occurring in the broader community and examine the roles of individual board mem bers and the board as an entity. It can review current community engage ment activities and analyze what they might be able to do differently to facilitate two-way communication in this new, ever-changing environment.

Individuals and organizations can use various tools to analyze the environment in which they operate. For example, a SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weakness, Opportuni ties, Threats) is traditionally utilized to analyze an organization’s internal operations to understand better how it can improve. Likewise, a PES TLE analysis (Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal, Envi ronmental) tool can be used by an organization to analyze the external factors impacting and influencing its operations and decision-making. The findings of these types of tools can help individuals, boards, and the organization as a whole review what works and what doesn’t, as well as begin to anticipate what might be over the horizon as local, state, and national community dynamics con tinue to change and evolve. Constituencies, Communities, and Categories of Connecting As part of the analysis, it is useful to identify the potential constitu encies of the communications and community engagement program to design the goals to improve two-way communication and overall engage ment. Using common definitions of audiences, stakeholders, and the various publics the organizations are attempting to engage can provide clarity. For example, parents, stu dents, staff, and community mem bers are typically the initial audiences

22 • Illinois School Board Journal and stakeholders that school districts consider engaging. By defining and reviewing each of the categories of a board’s commu nity engagement program, it could potentially develop new or refreshed strategies to engage not only with parents, students, and staff but com munity members and those with a vested interest in a specific topic or issue of mutual concern. Upon review and reflection, the board could then prioritize its tactics into several cat egories, including, but not limited to, board meetings and workshops; traditional and social media presence and engagement; visits with students, staff, and classrooms; engagement at school and district events; advisory committees and councils established to inform and solicit feedback; engagement with the broader com munity such as serving in local civic organizations or meeting with other elected officials; and the overall com munications program. Integrating these strategies and tactics with the district- and school-level communi cations and community engagement program provides a fuller picture of how the board, district, and schools are connecting with the various com munity members and the potential outcomes of the engagement. Board members volunteer time and talent to serve the communi ty, and the past several years have brought unforeseen challenges and opportunities. When individual board members and the board as a whole engage the community, it ben efits the district and supports its over all goals. One of the six foundational principles of effective board gover nance in Illinois, as outlined by the Illinois Association of School Boards, is that the board “connects with the community.” What that connection looks like will continue to evolve as new technologies and issues enable renewed dialogue among the gov erning body. Reviewing the board’s engagement goals and the current environment it is operating in allows it to develop a plan to move forward in proactive ways to serve the com munity and create new opportunities for open communication about what is best for the students, staff, parents, and the public they serve.  Patrick Mogge is a communications and community engagement professional who holds a master’s degree in public policy from the University of Chicago and master’s degree in school business management from Northern Illinois University. He is licensed to teach and as a CSBO in Illinois.

The school ambassadors hear perspectives of a diverse body of students by organizing high school leadership council meetings with other students, presidents of the var ious clubs, and captains of various athleticSchoolteams.administrators meet with the student ambassadors once a month to discuss ideas shared by the students and determine the next steps, if any, for implementation. The ambassadors periodically meet with the school board as well. The Student Ambassadors shared that they like to be able to voice their concerns or the concerns of other students so that the district can make informed decisions. They also shared that they like to have two-way com munications between their school administrators, board members, and students. CCSD 202 board mem bers shared that they feel that it is important to hear from students and understand their perspectives.

September/October 2022 • ICYMI23

Student Involvement in the Decision-Making Process

The district plans on increasing the number of students involved in the student ambassador program. They would also like to increase the diversity of the student ambassadors to get perspectives from various aca demic achievement levels. Through the implementation of the Student Ambassador program, School District 202 has demonstrat ed its commitment to actively seek ing input from its student body and factoring those inputs into the deci sion-making process. The school dis trict’s actions show its commitment to the district’s mission — preparing learners for the future.  Astrid Rodrigues, Ed.D., is Principal of Queen Bee School District 16 and was a participant in the Educational Administrator Internship program at the 2021 Joint Annual Conference.

The student ambassadors rep resent the student voice to district leadership, but decisions are made by the school administrators.

ICYMI ICYMI (In Case You Missed It) features panel reports from the 2021 Joint Annual Conference. Reporters are participants in the Educational Administration Intern program, a collaboration of IASB and the Illinois Council of Professors of Educational Administration.

By Astrid Rodrigues, Principal, Queen Bee School District 16 Presenters: Lane Abrell, Ed.D., Superintendent; Kathy Baxter, Ed.D., School Board Member; Treasa HowardCollins, School Board Member; and Kevin Kirberg, School Board President, Plainfield CCSD 202

Plainfield CCSD 202 serves approx imately 25,000 PK-12 students from the communities of Boling brook, Crest Hill, Joliet, Lockport, Naperville, Plainfield, Romeoville, and unincorporated Will and Ken dall counties. The district strives to ensure that all students learn, achieve, and grow to their maximum potential.Thedistrict has initiated a Stu dent Ambassador program, where students share their perspectives with administrators and board members. Administrators and board members then factor these perspectives into the decision-making process on learning initiatives in the district. The Student Ambassador pro gram began in 2018 with the goal of improving the school district’s qual ity of decision-making by providing student insight and perspective to the school board and district admin istration. The district also wanted to develop leadership skills in its stu dents, build lifelong commitment to the role and responsibilities of community citizenship, and teach students the complexities of politi cal decision-making.Duringthefirstyear of the program’s implementation, one stu dent from each of the district’s four high schools was selected to be the student ambassador for the school. The student ambassadors focused on projects such as transition of students who are English Language Learners and assisting freshman students as they integrated into high school. In the next school year, the student ambassadors advocated for bringing test preparation classes to the school and waiving final exam inations for all students during the coronavirus pandemic.

• Create a code of conduct

• Practice active listening

How do we keep these issues from turning into skirmishes at Board meetings? How do we keep community discourse civil?

According to a recent report from the national League of Cities, more than 80% of local government officials have experi enced some form of harassment, abuse, or violence while in office over the course of the pandemic. Sadly, this type of discourse in public meetings has far-reaching effects. Negative comments and hostile environments can derail or prolong school board meetings and discourage other community engagement. This incivility may cause boards to shorten public comment time, shut down speak ers, and drop a second public comment time. All that does is inflame the public and create more mistrust. Further, it impacts the ability to attract high-quality administrators, teachers, and staff.

Model civility Civility at the board table always matters.

• Show respect

Public education is facing a crisis unlike anything in decades and it’s not going away soon. Fanned by the pandemic, enrollment is down, absences are up, and many students are facing academic and social deficits. There aren’t enough teachers, aides, or bus drivers. Students are anxious, parents are angry, and who knows what the next phase of COVID will bring. Sadly, much of this turmoil ends up in the Board room.

• Demonstrate honesty and integrity in every action

Common elements could include:

• Focus on the issues and avoid personalizing debate

Steps for Reducing Incivility at Board Meetings

• Disagree agreeably and profes

By Faith Behr

The board presi dent should read a similar state ment about expectations for public comment, including explaining the purpose of the meeting and why the board doesn’t always respond to questions during the meeting. It’s also beneficial for boards to tell a speaker at the dais that an administrator will follow up with them, if possible, in oneto-two days about their question or concern.

• Give consideration to all view points

• Treat everyone courteously

Explain the boundaries and expectations for public comment at the start of the meeting. Most who attend board meetings aren’t familiar with local government and how it works. Create a hand out or a video to explain how your board operates, the rules for pub lic comment, and why civility is important to model (our children are watching!).

• Always follow public comment rules equally for everyone

Thesionallynorms can include provi sions against behavior by commen tors or attendees that provoke violent behavior or disturb the orderly man agement of the meeting. Adopting

24 • The Illinois School Board Journal Practical

I also recommend that boards create a set of norms, a code of conduct, or rules of decorum for themselves and attendees at public meetings. These documents set expectations for how school board members and attendees should conduct themselves at meetings.

• Collaborate and operate as a team

• Model civility and kindness to fellow board members

• Take responsibility

So how do we maintain civil discourse while maintaining pub lic access and ensuring the safety of board members and staff? Most of the work is in planning ahead.

PR Columns are submitted by members of the Illinois Chapter of the National School Public Relations Association

• Be inclusive

Create Expectations for Public Comment

Philip G, “Bud” Spies, 78, died May 30, 2022. He was a former member and president of the school board for Bond Co CUSD 2.

Clarion E. Swenson, 96, died July 10, 2022. He served on the Sandwich CUSD 430 Board of Education.

Harry E. Vonholt, 89, died July 14, 2022. He served on the Central CUSD 3 in Camp Point.  The Illinois Association of School Boards appreciates contributions to the Milestones section of the Journal. Please send Milestone information communications@iasb.com.to

Thomas Lewis Scott, 82, died June 28, 2022. He served on the Decatur SD 61 Board of Education.

Lynn L. Parker, 69, died July 1, 2022. She served on the Pawnee CUSD 11 school board.

Anne Stevens Martin, 86, died May 19, 2022. She had served on the boards of education for Glencoe SD 35 and New Trier THSD 203.

Elizabeth A. Thompson, 92, died June 6, 2022. She served on the Central CUSD 4 in Ashkum.

26 • Illinois School Board Journal ContinuedMilestonesfrompage

Barbara Guy Rinnan, 92, died December 27, 2021. She was a past member of the school board for Oak Park ESD 97 and was honored for her service by the Illinois State Board of Education.

Gerald Duncan Runyon, 86, died July 24, 2022. He served on the school board for Deer CreekMackinaw CUSD 701.

Rodney L. Rogers, 65, died July 7, 2022. He was a past member of the Clinton CUSD 15 school board.

Colette Sawyer, 61, died July 1, 2022. She served on the Wood River-Hartford ESD 15 Board of Education.

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September/October 2022 • 29

Janet Mary Hardwick, 67, died July 24, 2022. She served on the board of education for the Virginia CUSD 64 district.

Millard J. “Bud” Devine, 93, died July 19, 2022. He served for many years on the Rockford CUSD 205 Board of Education.

Sarah E. Emerson, 86, died July 8, 2022. She served on the Marshall CUSD 2C Board of Education.

continued on page 26

Alma “Louise” Garner, 83, died July 25, 2022. She served on the board of education for the Divernon school district in Sangamon County.

30 • Illinois School Board Journal

Kenneth LeRoy “Ken” Hill, 91, died May 30, 2022. He served on the school board for Dixon Unit SD 170.

Gerald Dean Liggett, 86, died July 19, 2022. He was a member of the board of education for the Caitlin school district in Vermillion County.

Don Erickson, 95, died June 24, 2022. He was a past member of the school board for ROWVA CUSD 208.

Edwin M. Gerber, 80, died June 22, 2022. He was a past member of the school boards for Yorktown Township and Annawan CUSD 226.

Warren Eugene Borchers, 96, died July 2, 2022. He was a member of the board of education for Washington SD 52.

Ed Behrens, 86, died June 16, 2022. He served on the board for the Western school district in Bureau County.

William J. “Bill” Doyle, 75, died June 24, 2022. He served on the school board for the Kelvin Grove school district in Will County.

Alfred E. Arnold, 91, died June 1, 2022. He was a past member of the school board for Brimfield CUSD 309.

Gerald B. “Jerry” Harweger, 85, died June 4, 2022. He served on the Buckley school board in Iroquois County and was involved in consolidation to PaxtonBuckley-Loda CUSD 10.

Cynthia Joan Brown, 79, died June 12, 2022. She served on the McHenry HSD 156 Board of Education.

MilestonesInMemoriam

Christy Genzel, 92, died June 18, 2022. He served on the board for the Buckley-Loda High School district in Iroquois County.

Bernard “Bert” Martin Clark, 78, died July 18, 2022. He was a member of the board of education for Morrisonville CUSD 1.

George Andrew Dallmier, 90, died July 25, 2022. He served on the school board for the Sainte Marie school district in Jasper County.

Robert J. Butler, 85, died July 13, 2022. He had served on the school board HomewoodFlossmoor CHSD 233.

Derwood L. “Woody” Derickson, 85, died July 10, 2022. He was a past member of the O’Fallon CCSD 90 school board and also served on the McKendree University Board of Trustees for 16 years.

Ramona Mae Bauman, 93, died June 16, 2022. She served on the board of education for Harvard CUSD 50.

Glenn Estensen, 76, died June 11, 2022. He served on the Newark CHSD 18 school board.

Charles W. Foster, 85, died June 8, 2022. He served on the board for the Shabbona school district in DeKalb County.

September/October 2022 •

“During these tumultuous times, priority should be given to building bridges and relationships. Provide opportunities for community engagement and input outside of school board meetings. ... It’s important that families and com munity members feel heard, espe cially during difficult times.”

– Julie Sickel, Senior Content Strategist, OnWrd & UpWrd, The Association 100, July 2022

– A Conversation with Nathan Eklund, Vital Network, July 7, 2022

“Steps for Reducing Incivility at Board Meetings,” Practical PR by Faith Behr. See page 24

– Mihira Krothapalli, as quoted in “Amplifying Student Voice with a Seat at the Table,” by Jadon A. Waller. See page 10

“The best way to protect your organization’s reputation is to build up a foundation of trust and transparency over time. That’s fine pre-crisis — but what about after the damage to your image has already been done? First step: Get organized. Unite key stakeholders early and identify the problem before you rush to solve it. Not all crises demand immediate action. Some do. Bringing your people together can prevent impulsive behaviors from making the prob lem worse. Don’t be afraid to get support, either. A trusted outside advisor can provide clarity for you and your team members during a stressful, confusing time.”

“These times are not easy, and they probably require more thought and deliberation into what we have done naturally for a while. Collaboration was a clear function when things were good. It is probably a more necessary endeavor now that things are stressed. … Collaboration is more than cooperation … For it to rise above cooperation, we must have taken part in the development of the action or desired solution, from its conception, as a group, with joint ownership and com mon-owned desire for success.”

“Any increase in hope is a decrease in burnout.”

– “How Do We Collaborate When Tensions Are Running High?” by Sean Slade, Education Week Opinion, August 4, 2022

“[L]istening is just as important as speaking out in a lot of situations because we are able to address/see multiple perspectives, including those of marginalized groups, that some haven’t considered before.”

Insights31

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