Several members of the District 86 Board of Education said they want to have a formal discussion at their next meeting about the board’s role in approving curriculum materials.

The reason: A Hinsdale South parent voiced concern at Monday night’s meeting over two R-rated movies being shown in one of his son’s classes.

Burr Ridge resident and father of two Victor Casini said he was shocked when he looked at his son’s Film as Literature course syllabus recently and saw that students in the class would be viewing, among other films, “American Beauty” and “Brokeback Mountain.”

Casini called the two films “highly controversial” for their sexual imagery and obscenity.

“There are thousands of movies that could be utilized to achieve the teaching objective without venturing into this area that has a good number, if not a majority, of parents upset,” Casini said Friday on the phone.

Read Superintendent Nick Wahl's take on the situation here.

At Monday’s meeting, Casini said high school kids these days are “relentlessly bombarded” with such material throughout their day-to-day lives and that schools should be a place where controversial issues are not ignored, but presented responsibly.

“We should choose texts and films that fairly address controversial issues, but do so in ways that inspire and edify and point students in the direction of truth and motivation,” he said.

Casini said he had not seen the course syllabus prior to or during class registration. If he had, he said, he would not have let his son take the class. 

Two weeks into the class, Casini said, "We're in a no-win situation."

The Film as Literature class, according to district officials, is open to both juniors and seniors.

Board members did not take any direct stances on the two movies in question beyond Jennifer Planson's point that 16-year-old juniors in the class would not be allowed to see the R-rated films in a theater on their own. Three members did, however, say they want to have a discussion about the board’s role in approving non-textbook curricular materials like movies.

“This board every year approves textbooks,” said board member Richard Skoda, who asked that a discussion item be placed on the next board meeting’s agenda. “And if we are responsible for approving textbooks, we are also responsible for approving additional materials that are brought in, and movies.”

Kay Gallo said in addition to movies, summer reading books and non-textbook reading materials are also items that should be up for board discussion.

Planson said, “I think that’s a good discussion to have.”

The next board meeting is Sept. 24 at Hinsdale Central. Casini said he’s contacted a lot of fellow parents who were as shocked to hear about the films as he was, and he said he expects more to show up at that meeting.

District 86 board agendas are typically are released the Friday before the meeting.

If you enjoyed this article, you might also want to read these ones:

• D86 Board President's Request to Go After Controversial Website Will Get Vote
• D181 Board Member Does Not Make Motion to Eliminate ACE Program
• D181 Board Turns Away Plan to Replace Desktop Computers with iPads
• D86 Board President Again Going After Website Critical of District
• Class in Session, But Landscaping Not Complete at Hinsdale Central, South

Sign up for Hinsdale-Clarendon Hills Patch’s email newsletter and Burr Ridge Patch's email newsletter to get all the top headlines in your inbox each morning. And then like Hinsdale Patch and Burr Ridge Patch on Facebook!