May 14, 2024
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After open meetings violation Yorkville School Board votes to comply with AG orders

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)

Yorkville School District 115 board members, at their Jan. 22 meeting, voted to comply with orders from the Illinois Attorney General’s Office to release the closed session minutes and recording from an Aug. 7 meeting, after the district was found to have violated the state’s Open Meetings Act.

The closed session discussion on Aug. 7 was in regards to the book “Just Mercy” by Bryan Stevenson, which was subsequently removed from the district’s curriculum by a vote in open session.

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

'Just Mercy' by Bryan Stevenson was removed from the Yorkville High School English II Rhetorical Analysis course. (Mark Foster)

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.

On Sept. 28, Marseilles resident Mary Grzywa filed a complaint with the Attorney General’s Office, accusing the school board of violating the Open Meetings Act by discussing the book in closed session.

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 district issued a statement on Jan. 11 which acknowledged the Attorney General’s findings. It stated that the Open Meetings Act violation does not change the validity of the board’s decision to remove the book, which the district intends to uphold.

At its Jan. 23 meeting, the board met in closed session to discuss the binding opinion. After returning to open session, the board approved the release of the revised minutes and closed session recording from Aug. 7 in an unanimous vote.

After the vote, board President Darren Crawford said though residents have requested a response from the board in recent months, the board intentionally refrained from making public comment about the complaint filed with the Attorney General’s Office against the district in order to respect the process of the Attorney General’s Office.

“Now that that process is completed, and the board has decided to comply with the Attorney General’s binding opinion, we wish to thank those of you who have come to participate in our meetings by voicing your opinions,” Crawford said. “The board and the Attorney General’s Office now consider this matter closed, and we look forward to the exciting work we have ahead.”

Crawford said after the meeting that the revised minutes and recording of the closed session would be released on Jan. 23.

Shaw Media sent a Freedom of Information Act request for the minutes and recording in question on Jan. 10, and received a notice of extension from the district on Jan. 19, which said that a response would be received by Jan. 25. Shaw Media did receive on Jan. 25 a partial response from the school district with revised minutes of the closed session.