Throughout this year, the D128 administration has been pushing forward with its initiatives. With its initiatives all set to take place simultaneously next school year, we, as a united community, have seen an exponential growth in momentum challenging these implementations. It is disheartening that D128 has chosen to ignore these valid concerns; this petition serves to question who is truly leading our administration. 

On multiple occasions, community members, parents, and students have spoken to the Board, advocating for them to rethink their plan. As of now, they have come to no avail. 

At the end of last year, the Board decided to move into an operational calendar. This means that previous holidays, such as Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and Eid, would no longer be non-attendance days; Good Friday would remain a non-attendance day. During this time, the community, specifically students who attend Vernon Hills High School and Libertyville High School, spoke against this initiative. Despite a rise in community concerns, D128 leadership continued to push through. 

With the recent passing of the Accelerated Placement Act by the State of Illinois, many students will be ‘diagonal’ movers, taking AP classes for the first time next year. At multiple board meetings, our teachers have bravely spoken out about the lack of support and preparation for this new initiative. The board's response is that they will start developing a plan in the spring. This is unacceptable. 

Teachers don’t have the support needed with the new implementation of diagonal movers. Parents are not being given the resources to truly understand the initiatives. Students are constantly welcomed to speak up, but they are ignored and brushed off as if their concerns don’t matter. 

It is not enough to ask the District to reconsider its actions. It is time to reconsider who is leading. The last Board meeting of the school year, a crucial opportunity for us to voice our concerns, is scheduled for Monday, May 20th. Let’s unite as a community to support our teachers and students by showing up in large numbers. 

“Make every effort to change things you do not like. If you cannot make a change, change the way you have been thinking. You might find a new solution.” -- Maya Angelou 

-From a Student at D128