District 219 Irons Out Kinks in Revising Conduct Code

The appears poised to change its extracurricular code of conduct, despite concerns voiced by school board president Robert Silverman.

The board discussion continues reviewing the .

The proposed code would create a uniform system of consequences for athletes and students who participate in fine arts or other extracurricular activities. The list of prohibited behavior would range from attending a party where alcohol is consumed by minors to bullying to fighting.

It changes the consequences for a first offense involving alcohol from missing a third of an athletic season–or other activities–to missing one-sixth of a season. Also, the penalty could be reduced or eliminated if the student agrees to participate in a remediation program, such as community service or substance abuse treatment.

Under the existing policy, athletes who are caught at a party where underage drinking occurred are suspended for a third of the season on a first offense. However, there are no listed consequences for other kinds of offenses, such as fighting or bullying.

“So what we did was make one a little tougher and one a lot easier, and it’s all consistent,” Silverman said at Monday night’s school board meeting. “I don’t think fighting and attending a party with alcohol are the same thing and deserve the same punishment.”

Silverman said that District 219’s existing policy, while severe, is an effective deterrent that has helped the district avoid the problems with student drinking that neighboring school districts have experienced.

“I think there will be more parties with alcohol,” he said.

Administrators, parents and board members spent hours discussing the changes to the code of conduct during a Feb. 28 hearing about the recommendation of the board's Education Policy Advisory Committee. The proposal was technically pulled off the table at that meeting, so the discussion Monday night was its first reading. It will have to come before the school board at least one more time before its members can vote on the proposal.

The code affects students at Niles West and Niles North high schools and applies to them in or out of school, including during summer break. It is also cumulative, so an offenses will be tacked on during their high school tenure.

Niles North Principal Ryan McTague said the whole idea of changing the conduct code was to make it more consistent. He also defended the plan to enable students to “buy back” some of their suspension time by participating in a remediation program.

“It’s not like there are no consequences,” he said. “If a student has to perform 30 hours of community service or attend six sessions of a substance abuse treatment program, that’s a consequence.”

It also has the potential to do more good for students than simply keeping them out of extracurricular activities, he said.

Silverman suggested that administrators revise the proposal by creating a two-tier system that would maintain the existing punishment for drug and alcohol offenses. However, his board colleagues said they support the proposal as is.

“I’m fine with the policy,” said board member Jeffrey Greenspan. “If we find out it’s not a deterrent, we can always revisit it.”

Board member Lynda Smith said she did not think the policy was the only reason that District 219 had relatively few alcohol-related incidents.

“We have a fair number of families from cultures where alcohol and drugs are totally frowned upon, and they wouldn’t do it no matter what,” she said.

Board members Ruth Klint and Eileen Valfers also spoke in favor of the proposed policy.