Hononegah School Board approves Students for a Democratic Society

By Marianne Mueller
REPORTER
Flyers for a newly formed club at the high school were hung on walls as students for a Democratic Society planned to hold their first meeting on Friday, Nov. 22 in a classroom at the school.
Posted on the flyer are the words, “Education Rights, End Racism, End U.S. Wars, Women’s Liberation, Stop Repression, and Stop Police Crimes.” In the bottom corner of the flyer are the words, “Interested in leftist politics? In joining an action-based political group to bring these ideas to fruition? Join SDS! A multi-issue student group advocating for real chance to build people power in our schools and communities.”
Students and parents addressed the Board of Education on Wednesday, Nov. 20.
A Hononegah senior was the first to speak. The student referred to a point in a senior English class where the teacher gave a lecture while referring to Plato’s apology where Socrates says, “It is only a matter of time going against the crowd before the crowd comes for you.”
“Our teacher joked that while Socrates is innocent that Trump isn’t. She started ranting about how ignorant our generation is for not paying attention to news and how she cannot wait to see him impeached. She said that Trump was getting what he deserved. “
“Instead of investigating the students can we have the students who were spoken to investigate? I have my views. The classroom is not to be a stage for this. We need to be able to go on to be educated.”
The student was advised by BOE President Dave Kurlinkus that the name of the teacher is not allowed to be revealed.
“One of my daughter’s teachers was giving personal opinions in class,” parent Jeremy Oster said, “When asked what the biggest complaint about that class was the response has been ‘the teacher.’”
“Why is a proposed SDS Club already putting flyers up in the hallways prior to this meeting?” There is nothing wrong with a Young Democratic or a Republican Club but SDS is considered one of the largest radical organizations in United States History.” It protects groups such as the Black Panthers and other dangerous groups. On the bottom of the flyer it talks of stopping police crimes.”
Oster outlined a history of SDS groups, which includes the first bomb that they set off in Chicago. In the summer of 1969 they tied up teachers and smashed windows. They used slogans about bringing war here. In 2006 they reformed. This is the same stuff as the 1960’s.”
Parent Alan Mohring, said “I am concerned about policies. He quoted directly from the Hononegah District Policy Manual: Section 2:105, which states the following: Ethics and Gift Ban, “No employees shall intentionally perform any ‘political activity’ during any compensated time,” as those terms are defined herein. 2. “No Board member or employee shall intentionally use any District property or resources in connection with any political activity.”
“This shouldn’t be allowed and not allowed on school grounds,” Mohring stated. “If G Level students ask first they should find someplace else to hold club meetings.”
“I have twin grandchildren starting their first year at Hononegah,” said Dean Mohring. The SDS name sounds rather innocuous and even sounds rather positive, but this is far from the truth. I have considerable past experience from the 1960’s in Madison, Wis. where I was employed as the night Supervisor at the Oscar Mayer Plant. “
“Six or seven of the employees I supervised were college students at the UW. One or two were active with the SDS organization. The Students for a Democratic Society had a sub group called the Weather Underground, or Weatherman that were involved with a murder and bombing of the Army Math Research Center on the UW Campus at 3:42 a.m. Aug. 24, 1970.” Mohring told the story in great detail behind the murder and injuries sustained in the attack.
“The SDS position against the Vietnam War led them to target Oscar Mayer because the company made c-rations for the war effort. Numerous bomb threats were received causing the plant to evacuate personnel and to lose production time. SDS put out a newspaper and one issue stated that one OM employee was killed, ground up and made into sausage. A picture of some sort of machine was included in the article to bolster this statement. ”While we profess to allow freedom of speech, where do we draw the line? “ Would Hononegah allow Hamas, ISIS, a PLO or the Taliban organization to meet on school property?”
BOE member Sandy Fordell looked into aspects of the purpose of the club and to what they are proposing.
A response was given that the club is to provide a voice for seniors who are like minded individuals.
“During a committee meeting this discussion had been brought up in a public forum,” School Board member Bob Geddies said.
“I remember the “Stop the SDS movement,” Kurlinkus said. If we approve this I would like to have a conversation with the students who are involved; we don’t anticipate the same buy in as they had in the 1960’s, there is a stigma attached to it even 50 years later. What they are discussing is important.
“What types of challenges would students be facing and do they even understand the concept behind the club? Young people can learn to appreciate all of the freedoms that they have; we are a pretty diverse society. I think it is important to understand not what they want to do but how they will be doing it. Even the determination of the club can be a tool; you have to sensitive to things like that.”
“They are trying to teach critical thinking skills; the only concern is the fact that this went out prior to approval,” said Geddies.
“This is a student involved club and the students may want to get a sponsor,” said Superintendent Mike Dugan.
“We know we have the leadership,” Principal Chad Daugherty said.
Geddies suggested that the club reach out to other clubs so they can understand their views. The motion passed to allow the formation of the Students for a Democratic Society in a unanimous vote of Board of Education members in attendance.
In other business of the BOE parent Milana Bergstrom urged the board to send a delegate to a convention on Nov. 23 and to utilize School Resource Officers instead of arming teachers in the classroom. She presented two resolutions. Bergstrom spoke of “The use of firearms puts teachers and students at risk. It is critical that we rely on data and research. Police officers are trained for these situations and we have to do all that we can to combat gun violence,” Bergstrom added.