'We All Must Remain Unified': District Superintendent Reassures Nervous Students After Election

After a messy campaign season and unexpected election outcome, children and adults alike have been unsure of what the future of the country will look like. River Forest’s District 90 is no exception, and the superintendent sent out a letter to staff, faculty and families Sunday reassuring them of his dedication to inclusiveness.

The note Superintendent Ed Condon wrote was short and sweet, but it hit hard on major themes of maintaining a balance of equality and tolerance across River Forest public schools.

“Be assured that your school district believes strongly in the importance of inclusion and equity — and that all students, all families and all staff members have an essential place and role in our school community,” Condon wrote.

He admitted at the beginning of the letter that the tenor of the recent presidential election has presented challenges and uncertainty among District 90 students about how recent events will affect them. The anxiety that was prompted by Trump's appointment is still, in some cases, continuing to plague students, he wrote.

Condon also underlined the school district’s mission — “To inspire a love of learning and ensure educational excellence for every child” — as an example of how the concept of equality runs deep in the roots of the district.

One of the district’s core values, he also pointed out, includes a vision statement for inclusivity. Two years ago, the District 90 Inclusiveness Advisory Board was formed to maintain a comfortable learning environment for everyone.

“Though we know that pursuing these outcomes is ongoing work, it is essential that all of the members of our school community feel consistently accepted and embraced,” he wrote. “Clearly, we must all remain unified in our common pursuit of this goal.”

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