District 300 board member criticizes teaching proposal

A Community Unit District 300 school board member lashed out at teachers Monday over a proposal that would enable them to teach less but spend more time improving their lessons.

The proposal would more than double the amount of time teachers at all three district high schools spend on professional development from the current 13.5 hours to 30 hours each year.

Board member Monica Clark was skeptical of the plan, calling it an excuse for teachers to spend less time teaching.

"I don't think it has to do with professional development. I think it has to do with professionalism toward their career," Clark said. "There is no professionalism."

Board member Chris Stanton was met with whispers of affirmation from the audience when he defended teachers, saying, "I don't agree with a blanket statement that all teachers are nonprofessional."

But Clark accused Stanton of twisting her words and said she did not characterize all teachers as unprofessional.

Hampshire High School Principal Chuck Bumbales, responding to Clark's concerns, said contract issues and extracurricular activities made it impossible for him to schedule staff development outside of regular school hours.

"That's truly not an option running a comprehensive high school," Bumbales said.

The board did not vote on the plan Monday but may do so next month.

The proposal, supported by the principals of Dundee-Crown, Jacobs and Hampshire high schools, would allow all freshman biology teachers, for example, to meet during early-release days and share lessons plans and teaching strategies.

"We have to create opportunities for our teachers to teach each other reading strategies," Jacobs Principal Michael Bregy said at Monday's board meeting, calling reading an area where all of the district's high schools are struggling.

Although all three high schools failed to meet state standards last year, they also recorded gains in every subject tested on the ACT.