I am petitioning the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services as well as our local state representatives and senators on behalf of Petra Limbrunner and the many parents of Mrs. Limbrunner's students to amend the Illinois General Assembly's Administrative Code Title 89 Section 407.140 which outlines the qualifications for early childhood teachers.  I am petitioning for a grandfather clause that would allow Petra Limbrunner to continue her work as a preschool teacher.  I am also petitioning for provisions in the law that consider extensive experience when determining the competency and eligibility of an individual to hold the position of an early childhood educator.  I am also petitioning the Bartlett Park District to make some sort of concessions for Petra Limbrunner so that she can at least finish out the school year with our children.

Petra Limbrunner was a preschool teacher at the Bartlett Park District Preschool in Bartlett, Illinois.  She had been teaching there for the last eight years.  Over Christmas break of 2013, she was informed that she could no longer teach and she was relieved of her duties.  The reason being was that her qualifications were suddenly deemed deficient according to the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services based on an evaluation of her academic profile by a private agency.    Petra Limbrunner's qualifications had been deemed sufficient prior to this time as the Bartlett Park District Preschool was reportedly exempt from DCFS licensing since it was considered a government agency.  Therefore, the park district outlined educator qualifications that they deemed sufficient for their staff and Petra Limbrunner exceeded the criterion based on her education and experience .  Recently DCFS reportedly demanded licensure for the park district preschool and this led to a harsh, unforgiving and rigid assessment of the park district preschool's policies and procedures and its employees' qualifications.  Petra Limbrunner's academic profile fell under immediate scrutiny as she had been educated abroad.

Petra Limbrunner was educated in Germany.  The educational system there differs greatly from the educational system here.  After grade 10, one can opt to attend a two year vocational school.  Petra did this and her area of study was early childhood education.  This involved a very comprehensive, intense two years of study.  It was required that she attend school for 40 hours per week with a 4 week break during the summer, at which time she was required to take an internship.  The coursework consisted of a wide array of early childhood educational classes and covered an exhaustive range of topics.  After graduating from this vocational school, she began work in that field and eventually worked her way up to becoming the director of a Kindergarten.  She continued to work in the field for upwards of 20 years before she immigrated to the United States.  Once she established herself here, she went to work with the Bartlett Park District preschool.  Here she quickly became a favorite of students, parents and co-workers alike.  Petra Limbrunner goes above and beyond with regard to her teaching approach.  She loves the children and I know that she misses them dearly right now.  She has spent much of her own hard earned money to furnish her classroom and to provide her students with props, visual aids, toys, etc. She is considered a team player by her co-workers and she is very respected by parents who hold her in high esteem.  In fact, many parents, myself included, have jumped through hoops in order to assure that their children are enrolled in her classes.

The Department of Children and Family Services follows an administrative code that sets forth strict qualifications for early childhood teachers.  I am not alleging that these qualifications are unfair, but there is absolutely no provision for "grandfathering" someone into the system.  There is no provision that allows for a grace period for a successful, working teacher to satisfy requirements.   There is no provision for talent nor merit.   There is no wiggle room for the ever-present "gray" areas that distinguish one situation from another. There is no accounting for circumstances that will inevitably characterize an individual's case and make it unique.  Instead, the letter of the law trumps the spirit of the law and as a result the rug has been pulled right out from under a well-respected educator who has earned the trust of students, parents and co-workers.  This is someone who has provided such a positive, caring and nurturing educational environment for so many children, and the very entity that is purported to be responsible for being an advocate for children in general has taken this incredible asset away from them. 

Furthermore, the Bartlett Park District did not allow for a transition period for Petra Limbrunner's students - when they came back from Christmas break, she was no longer there.  There were no "good-byes" and very limited explanations.  Under the circumstances I would have expected the park district to do the right thing and work out a situation that would allow Petra Limbrunner to finish out the year with her students.  It is unfortunate that "business decisions" overshadowed the status and the life-long career of a loyal, respected, hard working employee.