Hastings' Bill Addresses School Closings

State Sen. Michael Hastings (D-Tinely Park) filed legislation Friday intended to outline guidelines for school closings, according to a Daily Southtown report.

In light of recent decisions to close Lincoln-Way North, Hastings said legislation is neither intended to target a specific district, nor keep Lincoln-Way North open.

“There is never a good way to close a school, but my bill would outline guidelines to follow,” Hastings said.

The bill would require an independent moderator to conduct public hearings. Hastings said many of the parents who reached out to him about Lincoln-Way School District 210 said they felt they had no say in the decision.

From Daily Southtown >>

In another recent example, Peotone School District 207-U, which includes parts of Frankfort and Manhattan, voted to close Wilton Center Elementary in November 2013 in a measure that Supt. Steve Stein called ” revenue neutral.”

The matter first appeared on a September 2014 agenda, giving the entire process less than 90 days. Like Lincoln-Way, Peotone parents said they did not have a voice in the process. Some parents and residents who lived outside Peotone village limits complained they were not notified by the district.