Customer Name:
Daniel Levinthal
| Please produce in PDF form the following public records: 1) Regarding page 3 of the 10/30/18 HC Science audit report prepared by the Consortium for Educational Change| the audit references “Interviews/Focus Groups” with Teachers| Specialists| Support Staff and Parents (Source: Audit produced in response to FOIA No. R000762-012120). Please provide the names of the Teachers| Specialists| Support Staff and Parents who were invited and/or attended the referenced interviews and focus groups and the dates these interviews and focus groups took place. 2) Regarding Slide 4 of the Science alignment plan Power Point that the Administration presented to the BOE on 10/23/19 (https: //go.boarddocs.com/il/hinsdale86/Board.nsf/files/BH8NYD6195C6/$file/D86%20Science% 20Program%20Oct%2023%202019.pdf)| the presentation lists dates of meetings and category of participants. For the May 29| 2019 meeting identified on Slide 4| listed are “Parents| Students| 2 board members”. Please provide the names of the Parents and board members who were invited and/or attended the May 29| 2019 meeting. 3) Please provide the minutes of the May 29| 2019 meeting referenced in Request #2 above| or any reports generated by the participants regarding this meeting. 4) Other than the May 29| 2019 meeting that included parents| please provide the dates and method of any other collaborative communication/focus group/meeting that included parents that took place in developing the Science curriculum between May 29| 2019 and today’s date. For each communication/meeting/focus group| please provide the names of the parents who were invited and/or attended or participated. 5) Please provide the names of the two community members that HC Principal Walsh and HS Principal Pokorny Lyp contacted for their input| perspective and feedback in emails dated 11/8/2019| 11/9/2019 that were produced in response to FOIA Reference No. R000765- 012220 (emails are found at pp. 22| 23 and 42 of the documents that were produced). 6) Please provide the names of the parents and community members who were selected on 8/22/2019 to serve on the District’s special committee regarding community engagement with construction and the dates this special committee has held meetings. 7) Please provide the names of the parents and community members who were invited and/or attended the Community Task force meeting held on 3/21/2018 that dealt with D86 facilities. Thank you in advance for your kind attention to this request| Daniel Levinthal |
Response:
| Regarding page 3 of the 10/30/18 HC Science audit report prepared by the Consortium for Educational Change| the audit references “Interviews/Focus Groups” with Teachers| Specialists| Support Staff and Parents (Source: Audit produced in response to FOIA No. R000762-012120). Please provide the names of the Teachers| Specialists| Support Staff and Parents who were invited and/or attended the referenced interviews and focus groups and the dates these interviews and focus groups took place. See enclosed documentation. However| the release of the parent names may “constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy.” 5 ILCS 140/7(1)(c); see Chicago Alliance for Neighborhood Safety v. City of Chicago| 348 Ill. App. 3d 188| 209| 211 (1st Dist. 2004) (court upheld the redaction of private citizens’ names and identities| noting that “the core purpose of the FOIA is to expose what the government is doing| not what its private citizens are up to.”). Releasing such information may also chill parents’/community members’ willingness to provide feedback and advice to the District. Note that the District’s redactions of the identities of parents and private citizens pursuant to this exemption are the subject of pending Requests for Review with the Illinois Attorney General’s office (e. g.| 2014 PAC 32722). In the absence of a ruling from the Attorney General| the District continues to redact this information consistent with the handling of past FOIA responses. Finally| the parent names may constitute individually identifiable information concerning students that is prohibited from being disclosed in this context pursuant to the Illinois School Student Records Act (“ISSRA”)| 5 ILCS 140/7.5 (r). 2. Regarding Slide 4 of the Science alignment plan Power Point that the Administration presented to the BOE on 10/23/19| the presentation lists dates of meetings and category of participants. For the May 29| 2019 meeting identified on Slide 4| listed are “Parents| Students| 2 board members”. Please provide the names of the Parents and board members who were invited and/or attended the May 29| 2019 meeting. See enclosed documentation. Signatures have been redacted per FOIA Section 7(1)(b). The parent names are denied per the explanations and legal authorities cited above. 3. Please provide the minutes of the May 29| 2019 meeting referenced in Request #2 above| or any reports generated by the participants regarding this meeting. See enclosed documentation. To the extent it is responsive| the survey feedback from participants is denied under FOIA Section 7(1) (f)| which exempts “[p]reliminary drafts| notes| recommendations| memoranda and other records in which opinions are expressed| or policies or actions are formulated| except that a specific record or relevant portion of a record shall not be exempt when the record is publicly cited and identified by the head of the public body.” 5 ILCS 140/7(1)(f); see also 5 ILCS 140/7(1)(c); Harwood v. McDonough| 344 Ill. App. 3d 242 (1st Dist. 2003). Citing the need to encourage survey respondents to provide frank and open feedback| as well as to prevent public bodies from being discouraged to solicit such feedback| the Illinois Attorney General’s office has repeatedly found that school district survey results are covered by the exemption at Section 7(1)(f). See| e. g.| 2010 PAC 6961 (comments on school district climate survey were exempt); 2010 PAC 9980 (parent surveys regarding student athletics were exempt); 2011 PAC 11835 (results of special education parent survey were exempt); 2011 PAC 13448 (employee opinion survey results were exempt); 2011 PAC 14058 (survey comments were exempt); 2011 PAC 14928 (climate survey responses from parents were exempt); 2012 PAC 20492 (survey raw data results were exem |