Letter: Park districts are running unlicensed preschools

To the Editor:

Preschools are considered part-day child care facilities by the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services. They are required to be licensed by DCFS or show reason to be exempt from licensure if they are run by certain organizations that DCFS deems proper.

Park districts are operating preschools that are not licensed by DCFS. DCFS seems to be ignoring its own rules and turning a blind eye to this situation. You have to ask why DCFS would allow park districts to operate part-day child care facilities when they are supposed to have a DCFS license or exemption of licensure.

DCFS has even given a park district permission to operate a preschool as a part-day child care facility under section 377.4 of the DCFS administration code. This section allows churches, religious organizations and social service agencies, which must be 501(c)(3) charitable organizations and prove they are with documentation, to apply for this exemption of licensure.

This exemption of licensure was given to the Lindenhurst Park District because the park district submitted a notice to DCFS that it was a 501(c)(3) social service agency. Why would a park district go out of its way to say it is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization? I guess it is because the park district cannot claim it is a church or religious organization very easily.

You have to ask why is DCFS allowing this? You have to ask are they allowing unlicensed part-day child care facilities to operate in your park district?

Call DCFS and find out. Call your park district and find out. Get involved. These are our park districts and we need to make sure they operate within the laws that govern us and them. Even if the ones that are supposed to protect our children don’t.

George Weckbacher

Lindenhurst