School administrators in Batavia, Illinois will punish social studies teacher John Dryden with a letter of remedy, which outlines certain probationary actions he must compete or else face more consequences. Only one board member, according to the Chicago Daily Herald, voted not to punish Dryden, citing only his “feelings” against doing so. Members of the Batavia community and social media users previously rallied around Dryden, who advised three of his classes that the Fifth Amendment to the US Constitution guarantees them the right to avoid self-incrimination before they took a survey regarding drug and alcohol use, as well as their emotional tendencies. Every survey was marked with an individual student’s name and was intended, the school says, for review by counselors and psychologists who were trying to screen students that may need therapy or extra help. Parents were uncomfortable with the school’s decision to share the results of the survey with the private corporation that sold the questionnaires. Dryden previously admitted it was “dumb luck” he was able to review the questionnaires before passing them out, and that he would have consulted administrators if given more time. “Somebody needs to remind them they have the ability not to incriminate themselves,” Dryden said, adding that the real issue was not his conduct but the aims of the questions. “I have asked people to talk about the survey. I think I am a sideshow. I’m not a martyr.” Superintendent Jack Barshinger told reporters there was no Fifth Amendment issue at stake because once students’ names were on the forms the documents became subject to student records and, consequently, student privacy laws. An admission of underage alcohol or drug use is not a punishable offense, Barshinger continued, saying police would only arrest a student if they are harming other students. School board president Cathy Dremel, after a closed-door meeting where Dryden and several supporters spoke, said the social studies teacher “mischaracterized” the intention of the survey, which was not to invade students’ privacy but to determine how the school could focus attention on specific students. “The board will not support any employees giving students false impressions about those who come here every day” to work in the best interest of the students, Dremel told the Chicago Daily Herald. At least some parents – some of which signed the petition to support Dryden, which attracted more than 4,000 signatures – stood by their previous assertion that Dryden was right to remind the students of their Constitutional rights. “I was not made aware a survey was going to be issued to my son, and basically was not given any opportunity to protect his privacy rights,” said one mom, who also works at Batavia High School. But Dryden was joined in his stance that the entire conversation should have been shifted from himself to the goals of the survey, which he previously said was “rushed and wasn’t vetted.” Scott Bayer, a wrestling coach at the school who also teaches social studies, said when the issue surfaces again both sides need to communicate better, with each other and the community. “We as teachers were put in a situation where we were forced to react,” he said. “Things were not communicated very well, students were apprehensive and had questions, and we couldn’t give answers.” … Read More
Illinois Seeks to Diminish Raw Milk, Prohibit ‘Herd-sharing’
Heavy regulations and surveillance don’t seem to alleviate any potential public health risk – and no complaints in IL. These measures appear to be a desperate attempt to fund coffers, exert control, and hamper access to food choice. … Read More
Chicago teacher suspended for showing tools to students
The Rutherford Institute has filed a civil rights suit on behalf of Doug Bartlett, a Chicago public school teacher who was suspended for four days during the 2011-2012 school year for bringing wrenches, screwdrivers, a pocket knife and other tools into the classroom.During an August 8, 2011 class, Bartlett led a group of second graders through a curriculum-mandated “tool discussion” that went over the basics of elementary implements. To assist, Bartlett brought what his attorney call several “garden-variety tools,” including a box cutter, a 2.25″ pocketknife, wrenches, screwdrivers and pliers.“The visual aids were used in an effort to facilitate student understanding and remembrance of the curriculum,” his attorney told a United States District Court judge in a legal filing last month. “As he displayed the box cutter and pocketknife, [Bartlett] specifically described the proper uses of these tools. Neither of these items was made accessible to the students.”Bartlett thought he was just being a good teacher, but word of that day’s lesson plan soon got out. A week later an observer made a complaint about the instruction, and Bartlett was in turn charged with possessing a weapon, negligently supervising children, inattention to duty and violating school rules.According to the student handbook used to discipline Bartlett, “Any object that is commonly used to inflict bodily harm, and/or an object that is used or intended to be used in a manner that may inflict bodily harm, even though its normal use is not as a weapon.”For bringing the tools into school, Bartlett was suspended without pay for four-days. His attorneys say as a result their client “suffered humiliation, embarrassment, mental suffering and lost wages,” and are now asking a judge in the Northern District of Illinois for “nominal and compensatory damages” and for the suspension to be expunged from the teacher’s record.”This school district’s gross overreaction to a simple teaching demonstration on basic tools such as wrenches and pliers underscores exactly what is wrong with our nation’s schools,” Rutherford Institute President John Whitehead said in a statement.”What makes this case stand out from the rest is that this latest victim of zero tolerance policies run amok happens to be a veteran school teacher,” Whitehead said.Bartlett’s counsel has filed the complaint against the City of Chicago School District and Valeria Newell, the elementary school principal that approved of his suspension. They are asking for a trial by jury. … Read More
Fourteen-year-old’s iPad and piggy bank stolen by woman he hired for sex
Police in Prospect Heights, Illinois arrested a Milwaukee woman Thursday who allegedly pepper sprayed and robbed a 14-year-old boy who tried to hire her for sex. According to the Chicago Tribune, 22-year-old Dareka R. Brooks is set to be arraigned in Cook County Circuit Court on Friday on charges…
Google Earth as art
;OAK PARK, Illinois — You’re driving to a suburb that you don’t know well, and you whip out your iPhone to quickly punch an address into Google Maps. In this case, that address is 704 Highland Avenue, home of Sabina Ott and John Paulett, who run Terrain Exhibitions, a once-a-month-ish, home-turned-cozy gallery experience. Every artist who shows work here must wrap it around the concept of the artist-writer couple’s home. Jeroen Nelemans, Higher Definition – QR Code (all photos by the writer unless otherwise noted) Continue Reading… … Read More
Six dead after Illinois massacre
MANCHESTER, Ill. (AP) — The nephew of a small-town Illinois mayor shot and killed five people, including two boys, before leading police on a chase that ended in an exchange of gunfire that left him dead, authorities said Wednesday.Illinois State Police said they believe Rick O. Smith, 43, entered the Manchester home through the back door and shot the victims at close range, leaving two women, one man and the boys dead. Two people were found in a bedroom, two in a second bedroom and the man in the hallway. A sixth victim, a 6-year-old girl, was injured and taken to a Springfield hospital.”The offender took the 6-year-old out of the residence and put her in the hands of a neighbor,” State Police Lt. Col. Todd Kilby said.Officials have not revealed a motive for the killings. Police said the victims are related and they believe Smith and the victims were acquainted but they didn’t provide details of the relationships.A bystander called police and told them that Smith fled the home in a white sedan. A car chase ensued, leading authorities to the nearby town of Winchester, where Smith and officers exchanged gunfire. Officers shot Smith, and he later died at a hospital.Continue Reading… … Read More
Five people killed, one injured in Illinois shooting
Multiple people were shot during the incident, which happened in the town of Manchester.A child has been taken to a hospital in Springfield, Illinois, as a result of a gunshot wound.The murders happened inside a public housing complex, the pastor of Manchester Baptist Church told NewsChannel 5.Several nearby schools are on lockdown.The incident has been confirmed by Illinois state police and the mayor of Manchester.Manchester is located 85 miles north of St. Louis. … Read More
