Post by sleeplessinnpvl on Mar 6, 2008 10:03:12 GMT -6
This was in today's Sun. Also, if anyone wants to hear audio of Tues night's FSFOC meeting, it is somewhere on the napersun website.
Will D204 be sued?
Attorney continues research, waits on decision to hire him
By Tim Waldorf and Britt Carson twaldorf@scn1.com bcarsbn@scn1.com
A decision could come at the end of this week on whether a lawsuit will be filed against Indian Prairie School District 204 by residents uppset over the recent boundaries for a third high school.
A group of residents calling themselves Neighborhood Schools for Our Children met Tuesday to discuss the possibility of filing a lawsuit against District 204. The group wants the district to slow down and perform more "due diligence" before buying land and building Metea Valley High School on the recently selected property at Eola and Molitor roads. The group still wants the district to build the school on the Brach-Brodie property.
"In looking at this solution, it seems like it is an act of desperation," said Todd Andrews, a member of the group. 'They got a negative judgment in the condemnation lawsuit. So all of a sudden two years of deliberate strategy has turned on a dime, and one week later we're on a site that the board itself declared two years ago shouldn't even be looked at to put a school on for children."
Andrews said the group, which is seeking non-profit status, will form an official board made up of people for a cross section of the district, and that it plans to hold more meetings in various locations. The group also raised some money with which it intends to fund its legal battle, he said. He did not know an exact amount, but said the majority of the people who attended the meeting contributed to the cause.
"From what I heard it was a very impressive amount and a very good demonstration of support from the folks that were there," Andrews said.
Attorney Shawn Collins, who was invited to speak at Tuesday's meeting, said Wednesday he has not been officially hired by the group and is still researching the feasibility of a lawsuit. He said he expects to find out later this week whether the group wants to hire him.
Collins said he didn't hear any new facts during Tuesday’s meeting, but it helped him understand how some residents are feeling.
"People don't like how things are right now and how they feel they are not properly treated by the school district," Collins said.
Superintendent Stephen Daeschner and District 204 board President Mark Metzger declined comment on the matter.
During the 2006 referendum campaign, the school board identified the BrachhBrodie parcel as the site for the third high school, and it approved a set of boundaries. Residents approved the referendum, but a DuPage County jury determined a price per acre for the site that was much more expensive than the district expected. The district then sought out other sites and recently announced the 3,00o-seat school will be built at the Eola site, which is currently owned by St. John's African Methodist Episcopal Church and Midwest Generation.
The district wants to open the school in the fall of 2009 with freshmen and sophomores.
Will D204 be sued?
Attorney continues research, waits on decision to hire him
By Tim Waldorf and Britt Carson twaldorf@scn1.com bcarsbn@scn1.com
A decision could come at the end of this week on whether a lawsuit will be filed against Indian Prairie School District 204 by residents uppset over the recent boundaries for a third high school.
A group of residents calling themselves Neighborhood Schools for Our Children met Tuesday to discuss the possibility of filing a lawsuit against District 204. The group wants the district to slow down and perform more "due diligence" before buying land and building Metea Valley High School on the recently selected property at Eola and Molitor roads. The group still wants the district to build the school on the Brach-Brodie property.
"In looking at this solution, it seems like it is an act of desperation," said Todd Andrews, a member of the group. 'They got a negative judgment in the condemnation lawsuit. So all of a sudden two years of deliberate strategy has turned on a dime, and one week later we're on a site that the board itself declared two years ago shouldn't even be looked at to put a school on for children."
Andrews said the group, which is seeking non-profit status, will form an official board made up of people for a cross section of the district, and that it plans to hold more meetings in various locations. The group also raised some money with which it intends to fund its legal battle, he said. He did not know an exact amount, but said the majority of the people who attended the meeting contributed to the cause.
"From what I heard it was a very impressive amount and a very good demonstration of support from the folks that were there," Andrews said.
Attorney Shawn Collins, who was invited to speak at Tuesday's meeting, said Wednesday he has not been officially hired by the group and is still researching the feasibility of a lawsuit. He said he expects to find out later this week whether the group wants to hire him.
Collins said he didn't hear any new facts during Tuesday’s meeting, but it helped him understand how some residents are feeling.
"People don't like how things are right now and how they feel they are not properly treated by the school district," Collins said.
Superintendent Stephen Daeschner and District 204 board President Mark Metzger declined comment on the matter.
During the 2006 referendum campaign, the school board identified the BrachhBrodie parcel as the site for the third high school, and it approved a set of boundaries. Residents approved the referendum, but a DuPage County jury determined a price per acre for the site that was much more expensive than the district expected. The district then sought out other sites and recently announced the 3,00o-seat school will be built at the Eola site, which is currently owned by St. John's African Methodist Episcopal Church and Midwest Generation.
The district wants to open the school in the fall of 2009 with freshmen and sophomores.
