Tempers Flare At D-205 Board Meeting

ELMHURST, IL — After meeting for nearly three hours, emotions ran high for a few minutes during Tuesday's session of the Elmhurst school board. At one point, an assistant superintendent told a board member he resented the implication that he was lying.

With protesters outside the building earlier in the meeting, board member Courtenae Trautmann said she was frustrated by what she considered a change in the online certification questions that students must answer before they are permitted inside schools.

Trautmann, who sounded choked up, said members were clear three weeks ago that they wanted the questions to revolve around what students do, not where they are.

But she said one online question was "the complete opposite of the conversation we had at the last board meeting." She singled out Assistant Superintendent Kevin Rubenstein.

"It was very clear. Dr. Rubenstein said it. We were all here," Trautmann said. "Now the certification questions says, 'Did you travel?' and if you say yes, you are exempt from in-person learning. I'm frustrated that this changed so rapidly without a discussion about it. I'm frustrated that as things are becoming less strict in the guidelines, we are becoming more strict. Families made decisions based on what we talked about three weeks ago."

In response, Rubenstein said, "There is an implication that I'm lying."

"No, Kevin, absolutely not," Trautmann said. "There is an implication that something has changed."

Rubenstein did not accept that.

"There is an implication that I changed something in the COVID app, and I resent the implication because I changed nothing in the COVID app, and you continue to present that," Rubenstein said.

Trautmann said she wanted the online question clarified.

School board President Kara Caforio read the question as it now stands: "Have you traveled internationally or to a place with a higher risk for COVID within the last 10 days taking proper precautions, including washing your hands, watching your distance and wearing a face covering while traveling? Note: The Illinois Department of Public Health recommends you quarantine for 14 days if possible when returning from travel."

Caforio said the question was confusing. Board member Margaret Harrell said it was a complex sentence, while member Chris Kocinski suggested it be reworded.

"We've got to get out of the business of being too restrictive with folks," Kocinski said. "There is an element of freedom and self-control that needs to be restored."

Trautmann said she wanted the district to focus on high-risk behaviors, not where people go.

"It's the responsibility of families to answer these questions honestly," she said. "It's our responsibility to ask a clear question."