Tuesday, October 23, 2012
The board voted 5-2 in favor of upholding the superintendent's decision to continue allowing 'Brokeback Mountain' and 'American Beauty' to be shown as part of a Hinsdale South class.
Two District 86 school board members questioned whether the board was violating its own policies Monday night. At issue was an appeal of Superintendent Nick Wahl's decision to continue allowing the movies "Brokeback Mountain" and "American Beauty" to be shown as part of a Hinsdale South literature class. A Hinsdale South parent filed the district's first curriculum objection in eight years, saying the movies contained sexual content and obscenities of which he did not approve. On October 3, Wahl made a decision that the school acted according to policy and followed proper procedures in allowing the principal to approve all R-rated movies shown. The decision delivered to the parent, Victor Casini, read in part: "After careful review of the …
Monday, October 22, 2012
Victor Casini has appealed the decision made by Superintendent Nick Wahl that all district policies were followed in the showing of two R-rated movies in a Hinsdale South film class.
The District 86 Board of Education at its regular action meeting Monday night will discuss and possibly act on a Hinsdale South parent's appeal of Superintendent Nick Wahl's decision on a recent curriculum objection related to the showing of two R-rated movies in a Film as Literature course. Victor Casini, the Hinsdale South parent who filed the first District 86 curriculum objection in at least eight years over the showing of American Beauty and Brokeback Mountain, alerted the district earlier this month that he is appealing Wahl's decision, which concluded that all district policies were followed by the course's teacher and department. READ: D86 Parent Appealing Superintendent's Ruling on Objection to Sex-Heavy Movies Monday night's …
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Superintendent Nick Wahl's decision supported the Hinsdale South English department.
District 86 Superintendent Nick Wahl last week ruled in support of the Hinsdale South English department on a curriculum objection to the showing of two R-rated movies in a Film as Literature course, but that doesn't mean the issue's dead. Victor Casini, the Hinsdale South parent who filed the first District 86 curriculum objection in at least eight years over the showing of American Beauty and Brokeback Mountain in the film class, has alerted the district that he is appealing Wahl's decision, which concluded that all district policies were followed by the course's teacher and department. Casini's appeal maintains that the films are not appropriate for a class of juniors and seniors in high school, that his family was not treated as …
Friday, October 5, 2012
Patch has compiled many of the opinionated comments left on the site regarding the showing of "American Beauty" and "Brokeback Mountain" in a Hinsdale South Film as Literature course.
As Patch has reported the controversy surrounding the showing of "American Beauty" and "Brokeback Mountain" in a Hinsdale South Film as Literature course, Patch readers have not hesitated to voice an opinion, whether it's in support of the curriculum objection filed by Victor Casini or in support of the curriculum and District 86 leadership. Below are a few interesting comments left on our stories. The names are those provided by the commenters. Some of the comments were shortened, but none of the text was edited for style or grammar. What's your opinion of these opinions? Chime in on this story's comment section! Caring Citizen: "A movie that glamorizes a grown man smoking pot and fantasizing about sex with a teenage (underage/illegal) …
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Richard Skoda said he wants to avoid future issues by having the board review course outlines in advance of classes getting underway.
As the first curriculum objection from a district parent in at least eight years is reviewed, one District 86 Board of Education member says he wants the elected body to have more oversight of learning materials in district classrooms. Richard Skoda said at last Monday’s board meeting that he wants the board to see and approve in advance outlines for every course going forward so that controversies like the one stemming from the showing of “American Beauty” and “Brokeback Mountain” in a Hinsdale South Film as Literature course, the subject of the current curriculum objection and an example of “poor judgment” according to Skoda, don’t happen in the future. “I think it’s unfair to put the teacher, the department chair, the principal, and the…
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
After more than 25 public comments, board members decided Monday night to not temporarily suspend showings of "American Beauty" and "Brokeback Mountain" in a Film as Literature class.
Four hours into Monday's meeting of the District 86 Board of Education, numerous audience members got what they wanted: a vote on whether to temporarily suspend the showing of two movies, “American Beauty” and “Brokeback Mountain,” in a Film as Literature class at Hinsdale South. The result of the vote, on the other hand, was likely not what many of those audience members were hoping for. Board members voted 5-2 to table a motion made by board member Richard Skoda that would have temporarily kept the movies from being shown while a curriculum objection filed by a Hinsdale South parent was processed. READ: D86 Board Does Not Suspend Showing of 'Brokeback,' 'American Beauty' More than 25 parents, students, and teachers spoke during a 75-…
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
The two racy films will be shown as planned in a Hinsdale South 'Film as Literature' class.
The Hinsdale Township High School District 86 Board Monday night turned down a board member’s request to temporarily suspend the showing of two films, “American Beauty” and “Brokeback Mountain,” that are being shown in a Film as Literature class at Hinsdale South despite being the subject of recent curriculum objections from community members. The school board voted 5-2 to table a motion by board member Richard Skoda to stop showing of those films temporarily. Dianne Barrett voted with Skoda. The motion to suspend could be brought up again by any of the five who voted to table it, though that appeared unlikely. About 40 people spoke during a 75-minute audience communication portion of the meeting. Most spoke against the films said were …
Thursday, September 20, 2012
The Hinsdale Police Department wants to make sure nothing threatening is being sent to district officials.
The Hinsdale Police Department is keeping its eye on emails being sent to District 86 administration regarding the Hinsdale South movie controversy and making sure they don't "venture into the realm of threatening," Deputy Chief Kevin Simpson said this week. Simpson summed up the situation in an emailed statement to Patch: "The police department has been working closely with [District 86] administration following the receipt of many emails from the public regarding the content of movies that were being shown within the classroom," Simpson said. "There is on-going investigation regarding the content of the emails which precludes my discussion of its details; however, I can confirm that there is no imminent threat to the safety of the school…
Cathy
1:55 am on Tuesday, April 9, 2013
What I find so interesting in the attacks toward Mr. Casini and others who protested the R rated movies at Hinsdale South, is that everyone is calling this "censorship". i call it responsibility. What would stop a teacher from showing pornography to the students. if we did not censor anything and had no limits to what could be shown to our kids at school. Where does that end? Believe it or not, … more ›