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Dear All:
 
Our hearts are with the unfathomable number of families who have lost children to school violence and shootings. As you are well aware, the latest tragedy in Parkland has sparked a movement in our children to demand change. Peaceful walkouts were experienced throughout Illinois yesterday, as well as other activities from mock senate committees to school-wide requests to wear certain colors. We are an extremely diverse state with multiple viewpoints at any given time.
 
The purpose of this email is to provide some guidance as well as some thought process as your schools navigate the following weeks. Please note all considerations are best determined at the local level after thoughtful collaboration among the educational community.
 
The following should be considered:
  1. Age and cognitive level and comprehension are important to consider at each school's level. Some K-8 Districts have opted not to participate and/or organize group efforts given the confusion and psychological effects it could have on younger students. With that said, in our junior/high school levels, the level of maturity is different and higher. Districts may consider other possibilities such as turning any demand for external protest into an educational opportunity on the history and process of our legislative process and constitutional rights, mental health awareness and/or service projects to honor and celebrate the lives of all students. Please see recent guidance released by Tueth Keeney: https://www.tuethkeeney.com/insights/il-school-shooting-protests/. 
  2. Continued safety is at the forefront of every educational stakeholder. Continued review of safety/crisis management plans, ongoing conversations with local law enforcement and renewed professional and student education on safety and mental health awareness are top priorities. Please see recent guidance released by the Illinois Association of School Boards: http://iasb.mys1cloud.com/SCHOOLSAFETYPROCEDURESFEB2018.pdf. 
  3. Organization and focused planning at our upper grade levels may avoid any unforeseen consequences from student-led and -planned protests. At the high school level, Districts have already experienced organized efforts. If protest activities are inevitable, create, review and implement a peaceful plan that minimizes educational disruption and safety concerns for the students and families who engage. It may be necessary to engage your local law enforcement to help in an effort to keep all students safe and in as much a controlled environment as possible. Additionally, here is an example of legal considerations that has been forwarded to school districts from Franczek Radelet: http://www.franczek.com/frontcenter-National_School_Walkout.html.
  4. Districts need to think through any potential legal and policy implications, including policies related to constitutional rights, attendance or discipline.  A review of current law and school district policy is important before any action by a school district. The National Council of School Attorneys and the National School Boards Association released guidance on constitutional issues this morning:  https://www.nsba.org/coercion-conscience-and-first-amendment. See also another example that has been sent statewide from Miller, Tracy, Braun, Funk & Miller: http://millertracy.com/content/responding-organized-protests-school.
  5. Communication is key. Districts are currently crafting statements for their communities, parents, staffs and educational stakeholders. Examples from District 41 and 214 can be found here: https://lynettezimmer.wordpress.com/ and https://tinyurl.com/y6v8yuzp. Other communities have opted for other communication methods such as Vlogs, Facebook, Twitter, internal memos. There is no one right prescribed method, but failure to communicate in some mode may cause further confusion and/or instill unwarranted fear.
  6. Professional development for staff and students regarding both safety considerations as well as the emotional impact of these types of tragedies is relevant. Sometimes in our effort to address our public constituents, we expect our teaching staffs and students to "just know what to do" due to our safety drills and training. It is imperative that we open lines of communication for our staffs and students. Our educational community is courageous and brave, but also deeply hurting. 
As stated above, these are just a few examples and thoughts as we continue to navigate. All decisions are best decided at the local level. Please engage not only your internal and external stakeholders but also local law enforcement, government officials and your local School District legal counsel. We know and acknowledge that your number one priority is the safety of your education community. We are here to assist in any manner, if you should have any questions and/or need further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us.
 
Sincerely with thoughts and appreciation,

 
Sara G. Boucek
Associate Director/General Counsel