Peace group allowed back in Elgin High School

A Fox Valley peace group banned in March from distributing pamphlets at Elgin High School has been allowed to return.

South Elgin resident Bettina Perillo, a member of Fox Valley Citizens for Peace, since 2006 had passed out pamphlets from a booth in Elgin High School's cafeteria.

The pamphlets aim to educate students about options other than enlisting in the military, Perillo said. Her group chose Elgin High because of its high military recruitment rate.

In March, school administrators asked Perillo to leave. That day, Perillo was accompanied by members of the American Friends Service Committee, a larger, more prolific peace group.

School administrators charged she was "bashing the military," Perillo said. Elgin Area School District U-46 said Elgin High School administrators received complaints about her activities that day.

"I asked what materials of mine were offensive -- I wouldn't bring them back to the school," Perillo said in May. "No one returned my calls."

Titles of Perillo's pamphlets include "Delayed Entry Program: The real story" and "Thinking about joining the military? Do you know enough to enlist?"

She also provides information about the AmeriCorps volunteer program and college scholarships, she said.

At an April 28 school board meeting, Perillo was flanked by representatives from the American Friends Service Committee, a lawyer representing the group, several veterans and community members.

"If you permit military recruiters to come in to your schools, you must allow other groups," Friends lawyer Jeff Frank told the board.

Under the federal No Child Left Behind law, military recruiters have the same access to high schools as colleges or prospective employers.

Peace groups aren't considered "potential employers" unless they specifically show they're helping students enter the work force, according to the American Civil Liberties Union.

The U-46 policy on visitors to schools allows principals to admit groups other than college and job recruiters into schools, district spokesman Tony Sanders said.

According to the policy, a school principal can seek the removal of a person who either refuses to provide requested identification or "interferes with, disrupts, or threatens to disrupt any school activity or learning environment."

Sanders said the group was allowed in because it claimed it was offering employment options and promoting college readiness.

Sanders also said Elgin High officials had never received complaints about the group until March.

"On this particular day, there were students and staff members that complained about their presence," Sanders said.

When those concerns were brought to school administrators' attention, Perillo was asked to leave, Sanders said.

Perillo, Elgin High administrators and U-46 attorney Pat Broncato met on May 21, Broncato said.

"We did have a very good conversation about their access to the schools being consistent with military access," Broncato said.

Perillo was allowed to set up in a booth in the cafeteria again May 29, she said.

"Students thanked us for information. We felt welcome," she said. "We're looking forward to having a constructive relationship again with the school in the fall."