Parents Claim Racial Tensions and Segregation Affecting District 205

Parents of Conrad Fischer students laid some serious claims before District 205 School Board members last week, including concerns about gangs, segregation, racial tension and loss of quality teachers at the school. 

All who spoke—about eight parents of current and former students—said the school is changing, and the future of the school and the neighborhood is at stake.

Jerome Cote said his son "was threatened by a gang-banger" at Fischer.

"I'm disgusted," he said. "How is that protecting his safety?"

He said having students from many different cultures at Fischer used to be a benefit, but any benefit has been replaced with racial tension.

"Many of us are invested in this neighborhood, and our house values are going down because of this," he said. "Put some faces on your decisions. Fischer has always been an island, and you're making it more so."

For the first time, Fischer will have all-ELL classrooms. Experienced teachers were moved to other schools to "make way for bilingual teachers," said Anita Postawa, a Fischer parent for 12 years. District administrators have said they are following state mandates for ELL and special education classrooms.

But the result has been an increase in students fighting and name-calling due to segregation, Postawa said.

"I am very concerned about our kids, our school, our teachers, our community," she said.

Servando Cedillo appeared to be holding back tears. A Hispanic American, Cedillo said he came to this country when he was 1. His parents didn't speak English, but he still managed to earn honors in high school, enter the military, earn a bachelor's degree and have a successful career, he said. He and his three daughters and wife are "living the American dream," he said. But others are not playing by the rules.

"There has been an increase of 80 students in kindergarten to second grade," he said. "Why such a big increase? Why when the bus drops them off at the apartment complex, the parents come and pick them up in a car and drive away? I'd rather have (taxpayer money) go to better enhance children's careers."

He said more and more non-English speaking families are coming to Fischer.

"You're not doing a good job of making sure those families really live in our community," Cedillo said. "I feel like we are being disrespected."

Michelle Doherty said she doesn't like confrontation or speaking in public, but her concern for her first-grade daughter made her put her fears aside.

"When I used to hear people speak negatively about Conrad Fischer, I'd say, 'Yes, but the teachers are amazing.' Now you're taking them all away," she said. "Maybe everybody was right. Maybe the north side is worse than the south side. I know we need to help English language learners, but at what cost?"

Jennifer De Bosschere said the students at Fischer "used to be color blind, with a high social intelligence."

"Now I question it like everybody else," she said. "Please consider all the kids that go to Fischer. Segregating them is not helping at all."

She said relationships between families have changed, as well.

"We knew the value in Fischer. We knew the parents love their kids just as we did. We'd always smile and get along. That's not the case anymore and that concerns me greatly."

Some parents said they have moved their kids—or are considering moving them—out of the district.

"I had three students there, and I feel like I'm abandoning the parents and students, but we took my kids out (of District 205) and put them into private school because of the lack of communication," Joe Jones said. "I just don't know what to expect there for my kids."

Tatiana Repelin said she has a son and daughter at Fischer, she attended Fischer, herself, and one of her sisters teaches at Fischer. She said she is Latina and grew up with Spanish spoken in the home.

Today, if students check a box stating Spanish is spoken at home—even if its just Grandma speaking Spanish—they will likely end up in ELL, she said. And, the ELL classrooms take in more students with special needs than other classrooms in the district.

Her first-grade daughter doesn't have any special needs and is assigned to a non-ELL classroom, but Repelin said the education, social development and self esteem of students in all classes still could suffer due to the attention paid to ELL, and segregation of students.

"I know what segregation can to do to the culture of a school and what it can do to the personal images and self esteem of the children in those classrooms," she said. " 'That's the brown classroom. Is that because you are not as smart?' 

"I know we have to deal with demographics and compliance," she said. "But there are choices in how you comply. This was heavy-handed and unnecessary, and it completely changed our school."

She said she chose Fischer for its diversity and the experiences she had growing up here, but she is considering taking her children out of the school.

"I don't know what I'm going to do," she said. "Thankfully, my son's career (at Fischer) is almost ending. This impacts the entire school. Something has to change." 

She said morale also is suffering at the school.

"We used to have a beautiful culture from a morale standpoint. It's a lot different this year."

It is the policy of School District 205 Board members not to respond directly to public comments, but all claims will be investigated by the district.

This story will be updated.