Fellow Concerned Students Last night at the board meeting recognizing the top 2% of high school students, Mrs. Ward attacked the AVID program (more specifically, a conference for AVID teachers that U-46 would like to host that would benefit everyone) by accusing it of dividing people by having the audacity to touch on such things a race, class, gender, and accountability, and disagreeing with its idea of “culturally relevant teaching”. Her statement (found on her facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/wardschoolboard/?fref=nf) proceeded to question “How are social, emotional, and political empowerment applicable to getting more students to apply and succeed in college…?” (because we can’t have empowered students now, can we?), and politicize the issue by accusing AVID of “Vague Leftist-Speak”, further showing how Mrs. Ward is far too partisan and self-interested to speak for the common good of U-46. As some of you may be aware, the counter-petition pushed by Mrs. Ward and her supporters has more signatures than ours, and is currently sitting over 120 signatures above us. We can’t give up because a petition peddled over Tea-Party radio talk shows is beating one circulated solely by students to represent student voices. Like always, we cannot be bullied into silence by a group who wishes to devalue our voices. Please continue to share this petition to show them that us students will not be be repressed. Finally, our plan to go to the May 16th Board Meeting (starts at 7:00, located at 355 East Chicago Street, Elgin) to address Mrs. Ward in person still stands. But Mrs. Ward is currently trying to rally supporters to come out and stand with her. Because of this, we need as many people to come as possible. If you don’t want to speak, please consider coming to show solidarity. We need to make a statement to Mrs. Ward that she doesn’t represent what we want for our education. Mrs. Ward and her supporters will not walk all over us. Thank you all once again for your support. Thank You, Brendon Culloton