Post by doctorwho on Mar 4, 2009 23:25:04 GMT -6
I attended this hearing along with JB and a number of others I recognized - and all I can say is that I am likely too angry to properly explain some of what happened so I will wait until morning - other than it was one of the most disgusting displays of Chicago politics I have seen in a while.
I will also say that of those who presented - my hats off to the father for once again giving his testimony, to Darlene Senger for her support and her discourse today with the committee- and to Curt Bradshaw who did an outstanding job representing this school district. They were all exemplary and deserved better today...
I will say more on this tomorrow when I've had time to let the disbelief over some of the comments made by the Chicago elected officials.
www.suburbanchicagonews.com/napervillesun/news/1461489,Senger-bill-stalls-in-House_na030409.article
March 4, 2009
By PAIGE WINFIELD pwinfield@scn1.com
SPRINGFIELD — The father of a Gregory Middle School student who was allegedly tied up and sexually assaulted by two fellow students paused briefly to regain his composure.
He was testifying at a House committee hearing Wednesday in favor of a bill written by state Rep. Darlene Senger (R-Naperville) in response to the incident. In the end, the bill garnered only four of the five votes needed to pass out of committee, with three Democrats withholding their approval.
"What if the victim were a young teacher just starting her career, what if the victim were a staff member?" said the father of the alleged victim, who asked to remain unnamed to protect the anonymity of his 11-year-old son. "That student would already have been expelled."
Conflict and outrage has boiled over at school board meetings and gatherings of parents for the last month, ever since news broke about the attack, which allegedly occurred Nov. 11 at a private residence. Despite repeated pleas by the alleged victim's parents, the school board is legally prohibited from removing the two students charged with the act since it didn't occur on school property. However, students who attack teachers or staff members may be placed in alternative schools, no matter where the attack is initiated.
Senger's bill would have closed what supporters say is a loophole in the law by giving school boards the ability to place students charged with violent crimes, called forcible felonies, in alternative schools.
Rep. Kenneth Dunkin, a Chicago Democrat who sat as chairman of the Juvenile Justice Reform Committee, opposed the proposal, saying several times that it would expand the power of school boards to make judgments outside of their purview.
"We are having a school reach outside of its district's jurisdiction and make a decision about whether a child stays or is expelled or goes to a different school," he said.
Rep. Monique Davis, another Chicago Democrat who voted against the bill, said she's opposed to removing any child from school, although she later asked why the students were not placed in a juvenile detention facility.
"Kids are kids, and I don't like the idea of throwing any of them away," she said. "And I think it's so important that we realize their behavior can change."
But the change allowed for in Senger's bill would be discretionary, not mandatory, emphasized Rep. Jim Durkin, R-Countryside, who sat on the committee to fill in for an absent member. He said it would be up to school boards whether or not to remove the student, and the option would only apply to students charged with violent crimes — not smaller offenses involving drugs, theft or property damage.
"This is not mandatory for the school board," Durkin said. "This would have problems if it wasn't discretionary. (But) the school has an opportunity to provide a safe environment for everyone. In a sense, you're protecting students by placing them in a program that will separate them from the school population."
In a press release, Senger pointed out that alternative schools provide troubled students with the attention and protection they need. "Every child is worth saving. My bill provides both the victim and their aggressor the chance to succeed."
Senger was livid with her Democratic counterparts on the committee.
"I am outraged that the Democrats on this committee would block legislation that was simply intended to empower school districts with an option to keep their students safe," she said in the press release. "After listening to a heart-wrenching story by the victim's father, they showed no compassion to this devastating situation."
The mother of the alleged victim sat a few feet away from her husband, who sat at a small table with Senger and two other men who testified in favor of the bill: school board member Curt Bradshaw and John Glimco, assistant regional superintendent for alternative services for the DuPage Regional Office of Education.
Bradshaw said the bill would give victims the best opportunity to recover by allowing school districts to separate them from their aggressors.
"As it stands today, a student may commit heinous crimes outside of a school setting," he said. "School officials today have no tools to fully address the situation. Worse yet are situations when the student aggressor keeps attending the school. Victims walk around the school not knowing when they're going to see an aggressor around the corner."
Senger says she fully intends to keep working on the bill and will try a second time to get it through committee.
"This is way too important and way too serious to turn away," she said.
I will also say that of those who presented - my hats off to the father for once again giving his testimony, to Darlene Senger for her support and her discourse today with the committee- and to Curt Bradshaw who did an outstanding job representing this school district. They were all exemplary and deserved better today...
I will say more on this tomorrow when I've had time to let the disbelief over some of the comments made by the Chicago elected officials.
www.suburbanchicagonews.com/napervillesun/news/1461489,Senger-bill-stalls-in-House_na030409.article
March 4, 2009
By PAIGE WINFIELD pwinfield@scn1.com
SPRINGFIELD — The father of a Gregory Middle School student who was allegedly tied up and sexually assaulted by two fellow students paused briefly to regain his composure.
He was testifying at a House committee hearing Wednesday in favor of a bill written by state Rep. Darlene Senger (R-Naperville) in response to the incident. In the end, the bill garnered only four of the five votes needed to pass out of committee, with three Democrats withholding their approval.
"What if the victim were a young teacher just starting her career, what if the victim were a staff member?" said the father of the alleged victim, who asked to remain unnamed to protect the anonymity of his 11-year-old son. "That student would already have been expelled."
Conflict and outrage has boiled over at school board meetings and gatherings of parents for the last month, ever since news broke about the attack, which allegedly occurred Nov. 11 at a private residence. Despite repeated pleas by the alleged victim's parents, the school board is legally prohibited from removing the two students charged with the act since it didn't occur on school property. However, students who attack teachers or staff members may be placed in alternative schools, no matter where the attack is initiated.
Senger's bill would have closed what supporters say is a loophole in the law by giving school boards the ability to place students charged with violent crimes, called forcible felonies, in alternative schools.
Rep. Kenneth Dunkin, a Chicago Democrat who sat as chairman of the Juvenile Justice Reform Committee, opposed the proposal, saying several times that it would expand the power of school boards to make judgments outside of their purview.
"We are having a school reach outside of its district's jurisdiction and make a decision about whether a child stays or is expelled or goes to a different school," he said.
Rep. Monique Davis, another Chicago Democrat who voted against the bill, said she's opposed to removing any child from school, although she later asked why the students were not placed in a juvenile detention facility.
"Kids are kids, and I don't like the idea of throwing any of them away," she said. "And I think it's so important that we realize their behavior can change."
But the change allowed for in Senger's bill would be discretionary, not mandatory, emphasized Rep. Jim Durkin, R-Countryside, who sat on the committee to fill in for an absent member. He said it would be up to school boards whether or not to remove the student, and the option would only apply to students charged with violent crimes — not smaller offenses involving drugs, theft or property damage.
"This is not mandatory for the school board," Durkin said. "This would have problems if it wasn't discretionary. (But) the school has an opportunity to provide a safe environment for everyone. In a sense, you're protecting students by placing them in a program that will separate them from the school population."
In a press release, Senger pointed out that alternative schools provide troubled students with the attention and protection they need. "Every child is worth saving. My bill provides both the victim and their aggressor the chance to succeed."
Senger was livid with her Democratic counterparts on the committee.
"I am outraged that the Democrats on this committee would block legislation that was simply intended to empower school districts with an option to keep their students safe," she said in the press release. "After listening to a heart-wrenching story by the victim's father, they showed no compassion to this devastating situation."
The mother of the alleged victim sat a few feet away from her husband, who sat at a small table with Senger and two other men who testified in favor of the bill: school board member Curt Bradshaw and John Glimco, assistant regional superintendent for alternative services for the DuPage Regional Office of Education.
Bradshaw said the bill would give victims the best opportunity to recover by allowing school districts to separate them from their aggressors.
"As it stands today, a student may commit heinous crimes outside of a school setting," he said. "School officials today have no tools to fully address the situation. Worse yet are situations when the student aggressor keeps attending the school. Victims walk around the school not knowing when they're going to see an aggressor around the corner."
Senger says she fully intends to keep working on the bill and will try a second time to get it through committee.
"This is way too important and way too serious to turn away," she said.
