September 07, 2024
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Yorkville School District releases recording of closed discussion about book removal

Illinois Attorney General found violation of Open Meetings Act

By David Petesch
Four newly elected members of the Yorkville School District Y115 Board of Education prepare to take the oath of office on May 8, 2023 at the Yorkville High School library. They are, from left, Jason Demas, Darren Crawford, Michael Knoll and Michael Houston.

Four newly-elected members of the Yorkville School District Y115 Board of Education prepare to take the oath of office on May 8, 2023 at the Yorkville High School library. They are, from left, Jason Demas, Darren Crawford, Michael Knoll and Michael Houston. (Mark Foster)

Community members can now hear the discussion that led to the controversial decision to remove a book from a Yorkville High School English class curriculum.

The Illinois Attorney General ordered Yorkville School District 115 to release the minutes and recording of an Aug. 7 closed session meeting after finding that the district had violated the state’s Open Meetings Act.

'Just Mercy' by Bryan Stevenson is being used in the Yorkville High School English II Rhetorical Analysis course.

"Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson was being used in the Yorkville High School English II Rhetorical Analysis course. (Mark Foster)

The closed session discussion on Aug. 7 addressed the book “Just Mercy” by Bryan Stevenson, which was then removed from the class curriculum by a vote in open session during the same school board meeting.

The book was once considered an anchor text of the Yorkville High School English II Rhetorical Analysis course curriculum, and its removal sparked controversy among Y115 students, teachers and parents. A complaint was filed with the Attorney General’s Office.

The board received the Attorney General’s binding opinion on Dec. 27, which found the board in violation of the Open Meetings Act and ordered the district to release the minutes, transcript and recording of its Aug. 7 closed session discussion. The school board voted to comply with the Attorney General’s orders at their Jan. 22 meeting.

Shaw Media sent a Freedom of Information Act request for the minutes and recording in question on Jan. 10, and received the recording on Jan. 29.

During the closed session discussion, Board President Darren Crawford and board members Jason Demas and Mike Knoll argued that the book was too controversial, led to highly polarizing conversations and bullying, and wanted the text removed.

Board members Leslie Smogor and Shawn Schumacher fought for the book to stay. Smoger argued that the text was for a rhetorical analysis class, and students were to study the rhetoric and argument style, not the subject matter.

The book takes a critical look at America’s criminal justice system, which several board members said pushed the agenda of systemic racism, and at several times argued that it was a slippery slope towards indoctrination. Those against the book worried that removing the book sets a precedent that any book a parent deems controversial will be banned by the board.

Demas said the students who were not in support of the book reported that they were bullied and stifled by the majority of students whom he said were in support of the book.

Listen to the full recording of the Aug. 7 closed session meeting here:

After the board adjourned their closed session meeting, they returned to open session and voted to remove the book from the course curriculum, but allow it to remain on library shelves.