Monday, May 6, 2013
The man who was picked to replace Dennis Brennan as board president Monday night said efficiency is one of his top priorities and that he's not a "one-issue board member" defined by last year's Hinsdale South movie controversy.
The new District 86 Board of Education took its first actions Monday night and among them was the appointment of a new board president. Victor Casini was elected by a unanimous board vote to take over the body’s leading role that for the last six years has been filled by Dennis Brennan, whose four-year term ended Monday night along with those of DeeDee Gorgol and Dianne Barrett. Casini, a Hinsdale South parent and Burr Ridge resident, is among the three new board members elected along with incumbent Kay Gallo on April 9. The attorney and former Gower School District 62 board member said he does not see himself as above the other six board members, and one of his main goals as president will be to make board meetings more efficient. “I like…
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Challengers Victor Casini, Ed Corcoran and Claudia Manley all won spots on the District 86 Board of Education Tuesday after a contentious campaign.
Claudia Manley called it “unbelievable.” Ed Corcoran was “elated.” Victor Casini said it was “a pleasant surprise.” Following the election of all three “Friends for District 86” candidates Tuesday in the race for District 86 school board, Manley, Corcoran and Casini all said the sweep was unexpected, but also symbolic. “I think it sends a message that the platform that we ran on resonated with District 86 citizens,” Casini said. “Namely, fiscal responsibility, transparency and community involvement.” Corcoran agreed that the community showed its support for the substance of the “Friends” slate’s platform. He also said he thought voters reacted to the group’s campaign approach. “We tried to have a positive campaign, talking about what we’re…
Sunday, March 31, 2013
The following letter to the editor was sent to Patch by Darien resident and former District 86 school board candidate Jennifer Babbington.
- ELECTIONS
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Sunday, March 31
People are already talking about the Hinsdale Township High School District 86 school board election, and asking how a new slate such as Claudia Manley, Victor Casini and Ed Corcoran plan to change District 86. Why introduce conservative values into our "non-partisan" high school board? Because we need to replace the current board and its in-fighting, overspending, and lack of basic project management. What is best for District 86 is a community-oriented board collaborating with students, parents, teachers and taxpayers, running the district efficiently and in a more transparent manner, serving the community better. A school's purpose is to provide curriculum and competent teaching staff so the school's customers—the students—achieve …
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Victor Casini, Ed Corcoran and Claudia Manley make up the slate, which has a website detailing its candidates backgrounds and its pledge to the community.
- ELECTIONS
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Tuesday, February 12
By Joe O'Donnell Three would-be newcomers to the District 86 Board of Education have joined together as a slate for this spring's municipal election. Victor Casini, Claudia Manley and Ed Corcoran make up the "Friends for District 86" slate that has launched FriendsforDistrict86.com, which Corcran listed as the slate's campaign website in a Patch candidate questionnaire, detailing the candidates' backgrounds, skills, and pledge to the community. According to its pledge, the slate's primary goals are to "maintain and improve" the educational excellence, "revitalize" the board, consider future tax levies publicly, and promote fiscal responsibility. Additional goals include increased community access to board documents online, and improved …
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
The board voted 5-2 in favor of upholding the superintendent's decision to continue allowing 'Brokeback Mountain' and 'American Beauty' to be shown as part of a Hinsdale South class.
Two District 86 school board members questioned whether the board was violating its own policies Monday night. At issue was an appeal of Superintendent Nick Wahl's decision to continue allowing the movies "Brokeback Mountain" and "American Beauty" to be shown as part of a Hinsdale South literature class. A Hinsdale South parent filed the district's first curriculum objection in eight years, saying the movies contained sexual content and obscenities of which he did not approve. On October 3, Wahl made a decision that the school acted according to policy and followed proper procedures in allowing the principal to approve all R-rated movies shown. The decision delivered to the parent, Victor Casini, read in part: "After careful review of the …
Friday, October 5, 2012
Patch has compiled many of the opinionated comments left on the site regarding the showing of "American Beauty" and "Brokeback Mountain" in a Hinsdale South Film as Literature course.
As Patch has reported the controversy surrounding the showing of "American Beauty" and "Brokeback Mountain" in a Hinsdale South Film as Literature course, Patch readers have not hesitated to voice an opinion, whether it's in support of the curriculum objection filed by Victor Casini or in support of the curriculum and District 86 leadership.. Below are a few interesting comments left on our stories. The names are those provided by the commenters. Some of the comments were shortened, but none of the text was edited for style or grammar. What's your opinion of these opinions? Chime in on this story's comment section! Caring Citizen: "A movie that glamorizes a grown man smoking pot and fantasizing about sex with a teenage (underage/illegal) …
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
After more than 25 public comments, board members decided Monday night to not temporarily suspend showings of "American Beauty" and "Brokeback Mountain" in a Film as Literature class.
Four hours into Monday's meeting of the District 86 Board of Education, numerous audience members got what they wanted: a vote on whether to temporarily suspend the showing of two movies, “American Beauty” and “Brokeback Mountain,” in a Film as Literature class at Hinsdale South. The result of the vote, on the other hand, was likely not what many of those audience members were hoping for. Board members voted 5-2 to table a motion made by board member Richard Skoda that would have temporarily kept the movies from being shown while a curriculum objection filed by a Hinsdale South parent was processed. READ: D86 Board Does Not Suspend Showing of 'Brokeback,' 'American Beauty' More than 25 parents, students, and teachers spoke during a 75-…
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
The two racy films will be shown as planned in a Hinsdale South 'Film as Literature' class.
The Hinsdale Township High School District 86 Board Monday night turned down a board member’s request to temporarily suspend the showing of two films, “American Beauty” and “Brokeback Mountain,” that are being shown in a Film as Literature class at Hinsdale South despite being the subject of recent curriculum objections from community members. The school board voted 5-2 to table a motion by board member Richard Skoda to stop showing of those films temporarily. Dianne Barrett voted with Skoda. The motion to suspend could be brought up again by any of the five who voted to table it, though that appeared unlikely. About 40 people spoke during a 75-minute audience communication portion of the meeting. Most spoke against the films said were …
A recent curriculum objection over the showing of sexually suggestive movies in a high school class should get a response from the superintendent within 15 days of the objection's filing.
Since a recent curriculum objection in District 86 over the showing of racy films in a high school class was the first that’s been filed in at least eight years, it’s likely the community doesn’t know how such objections work and what it can expect in terms of when and from whom a response will come. Here are the basics: According to District 86 Board Policy 2:260, its "Uniform Grievance Procedure," once a curriculum objection is filed by a community member with the superintendent, one of the district’s two complaint managers—who are director of human resources Troy Courtney and director of student services Joyce Powell—has 10 school days to conduct an investigation of the curriculum in question, or "appoint a qualified person to undertake…
Monday, September 24, 2012
Victor Casini, who disapproves of students watching "American Beauty" and "Brokeback Mountain" in a high school class, filed the first District 86 curriculum objection in at least eight years on Sept. 12.
After becoming the first District 86 community member to file a curriculum objection in at least eight years, Victor Casini said he wasn’t sure why it had been so long since someone went through the process. He said it could be that the process is onerous, that busy parents just don’t have time. Or perhaps, he said, there hasn’t been anything to object to in recent years. “Maybe mine will open the door,” Casini said. Casini, a Hinsdale South parent and Burr Ridge resident of 18 years, filed his objection on Sept. 12 to the showing of “American Beauty” and “Brokeback Mountain,” two racy and R-rated films, in a Film as Literature course for juniors and seniors. READ: 'Highly Controversial' Movies Being Shown in Class Have D86 Parent …
Steve Woodward
10:15 am on Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Finally, stewardship and accountability in District 86. What a concept! more ›