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Heads up! Our parent watchdogs have scanned the upcoming agenda for Hawthorn CCSD 73. We found 5 items that need your immediate attention before the vote.
| HIGH CONCERN (LEVEL 8) |
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Major Policy Overhaul Includes SEL and ‘Controversial Issues’
Under Action Item 8.1, the board is set to vote on a large bundle of policy updates from the Illinois Association of School Boards (PRESS). The included agenda from the policy committee shows this bundle contains policies on “Student Social and Emotional Development” (6:65) and “Teaching About Controversial Issues” (6:80), which can open the door to politically charged classroom content. It also includes changes to “Public Participation at Board of Education Meetings” (2:230), which could impact parents’ ability to speak out.
Recommended Action Plan
DEMAND TRANSPARENCY: Email the school board at schoolboard@hawthorn73.org: ‘I demand that policies 6:65, 6:80, and 2:230 be pulled from the PRESS policy bundle (Item 8.1) for separate discussion and individual roll-call votes. Parents deserve to know where each board member stands on these critical issues.’
💰 Taxpayer Impact: Parental Oversight
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| HIGH CONCERN (LEVEL 8) |
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Agreement Creates ‘Alternative’ Program with SEL Focus
The board is approving an agreement (Item 8.4) for an “Alternative Learning Opportunities Program” (ALOP) for students deemed “at-risk.” The program description explicitly includes “social-emotional” support and “social services,” and relies on a “Student Success Plan” that assesses a child’s “social functioning.” This creates a pathway for intensive SEL intervention and data collection on students, outside the traditional classroom and with reduced parental visibility.
Recommended Action Plan
DEMAND OVERSIGHT: Email the school board at schoolboard@hawthorn73.org: ‘Regarding the ALOP agreement (Item 8.4), what are the specific parental consent and opt-out procedures for the “social-emotional” and “social services” components? Parents must have full control over this type of intervention for their children.’
💰 Taxpayer Impact: Your Child’s Privacy
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| NEEDS REVIEW (LEVEL 7) |
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Budget Funds SEL Vendor Under ‘Evidence-Based Funding’
The final budget (Item 8.2) includes an “Evidence-Based Funding Spending Plan” that allocates $67,023 in new state “Tier Funding” to an “Imagine Learning Digital Resource.” While presented as a tool for Multi-Lingual Learners, Imagine Learning is a major vendor whose products often embed significant Social Emotional Learning (SEL) content, potentially introducing these concepts into the classroom under the guise of academic support.
Recommended Action Plan
VERIFY THE VENDOR: Email the school board at schoolboard@hawthorn73.org: ‘Regarding the FY27 Budget (Item 8.2), does the $67,023 contract with Imagine Learning include Social Emotional Learning components? I request that the board provide a full list of the SEL topics covered by this curriculum for parental review before the budget is approved.’
💰 Taxpayer Impact: $67,023 (State Tier Funding)
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| NEEDS REVIEW (LEVEL 6) |
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Vague Vendor Payments Require Investigation
The expenditure report under the Consent Agenda (Item 7.3) lists payments to several vendors with ambiguous names that could be related to consulting or curriculum, including “Embrace Education” (totaling over $13,500) and “With Partners LLC” ($3,600). These vendors are not clearly defined and could be providing DEI, SEL, or other ideological services without parental knowledge.
Recommended Action Plan
PULL FROM CONSENT: Email the school board at schoolboard@hawthorn73.org: ‘I request that the payments to “Embrace Education” and “With Partners LLC” in the Expenditure Report (Item 7.3) be pulled from the Consent Agenda. The board must publicly explain what services these vendors are providing to our students before approving payment.’
💰 Taxpayer Impact: Undisclosed
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| MONITOR (LEVEL 5) |
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District Goals and Staffing Prioritize ‘Whole Child’ Ideology
The district’s official goals, presented in the enrollment update (Item 4.1), include ensuring the success of the “whole child.” This is a common euphemism for Social Emotional Learning (SEL) which can shift focus from academics to subjective emotional programming. The district’s compensation report (Item 4.2) also lists a “Director of Social, Emotional & Behavior,” confirming this is an administrative priority.
Recommended Action Plan
ASK QUESTIONS: Email the school board at schoolboard@hawthorn73.org: ‘Regarding the district goals in item 4.1, what specific curriculum and metrics are used to measure the “whole child” goal? How does the district ensure these programs prioritize academics and respect parental authority on values and emotional development?’
💰 Taxpayer Impact: Focus on Academics
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