Hinsdale D86 Board Flip-Flops On Social Studies Order

HINSDALE, IL – The Hinsdale High School District 86 board reversed its order last month to offer Hinsdale Central High School's World History Honors course at Hinsdale South next school year.

On Thursday, members agreed to withdraw the directive, citing what they considered new evidence.

In early August, the board said it wanted the course at South, so students there would have an equal shot to take the Advanced Placement Modern World History test, which gives college credit.

At the time, the board cited evidence that showed the World History Honors course at Central prepared students for the AP test. They noted that students in the course had passed the exam.

At Thursday's meeting, officials told the board that students in South's World Studies Honors course have taken the AP exam and performed almost identically to their Central counterparts.

It's unclear why the board lacked this information before its August directive, with board President Catherine Greenspon blaming miscommunication.

Two years ago, the social studies departments in both schools proposed a common curriculum for both schools, but the board rejected it. That drew protests from the teachers union.

The proposal was a part of the years-long process known as "alignment." The goal was to reduce disparities between the schools. Historically, South, with about half of Central's enrollment, has offered a smaller course selection, much to the chagrin of some residents.

At Thursday's meeting, board member Liz Mitha, one of two members from the South area, said World Studies Honors is loved at South. She said the district should be careful before replacing a course at South with one from Central.

"There is a general sentiment among the South community that South is seen as less than Central," Mitha said. "I know we don't think that, but there is some narrative of that."

Member Bobby Fischer said the district should stop referring to its changes as part of "alignment."

"Alignment carries a ton of baggage," Fischer said. "It means the same exact entry requirements. It means the same exact final."

Last fall, member Jeff Waters voted against the district's entire program of studies because it did not include World History Honors for South.

With the new information, though, he joined the others in sticking with the current arrangement.

"What has not been aligned has worked phenomenally," Waters said.

Member Baron Leacock, who said he opposed World History Honors going to South in the first place, said he was for the status quo.

"If it's not broken, why fix it?" he said.

Neither World History Honors nor World Studies Honors aligns perfectly with the AP Modern World History exam. The courses cover all of world history, while the test is for history since 1200.

A few months ago, Alan Hruby, a longtime District 86 watchdog who lives in the South zone, emailed the author of the textbook that has been approved for World History Honors. The author confirmed that it prepares students for the AP test.

"It will be interesting to see how long it will take before South ninth-grade Social Studies Honors students discover that the textbook that Central’s World History Honors students are using in their classes closely mirrors the AP exam preparation materials that they have acquired to study outside of classes," Hruby said in an email to Patch over the weekend. "Who believes that South students will have equal AP exam preparation opportunities when their counterparts at Central are using a textbook aligned with the AP World History Modern exam and they are not?"

Another watchdog, Linda Burke, who is in the Central area, also questioned the board's reversal. She defended alignment.

"Alignment means equal access to courses by equally qualified students. This is simple fairness, common sense, and also the law," she said in an email. "Some might want to avoid the term 'alignment' – OK, call it 'simple justice' – but equal access to courses should be the rule."

She continued, "I am concerned that we are on a slippery slope to continued complacency about major disparities in course offerings that everyone's taxes are paying for. If the acceptance of disparity stops with ninth grade social studies, it is maybe not so bad, but will it stop there?"