District 214 did not limit free speech

Jack Redding makes the argument that District 214 is restricting the information presented to students in order to further their own cause. This is very true, but the entire purpose of supporting something like the Ring Road alternative is, of course, to convince others to do so as well.

This decision was not made by just anyone, either; rather, it was made by the District 214 Board of Education, a representative, governing body, duly elected by the people it serves.

The decision is intended to help the school district retain as much as $4.2 million - money that ultimately is used to support student activities, build and maintain student facilities, fund scholarships, and pay teachers. Is it not, then, in the best interest of the students, or at least a majority of them, to support the Elk Grove-backed Ring Road alternative? If so, why does Mr. Redding believe the school must present the side of the issue which is not only detrimental to their bottom line, but to the entire student population of District 214.

Jack presents the argument under the premise that students were somehow forced to sign off on a comment card or ordered to ignore their own opinions. This is simply false, as any student in District 214 would know, had they watched the address by Superintendent David Schuler. The District asked, not ordered, students sign the cards. The district also recommended that students take the cards home and discuss the matter with their parents.

To the best of my knowledge, after asking several fellow students, nobody had their grades, or their graduation status, or their extracurricular eligibility affected by simply refusing to sign the card. No student was given a detention, or suspended, or expelled. They simply had to say "no", and some did.

Dustin Sneath

Elk Grove Village