[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6255541,"mediaKeyId","3161920-4470a4b5233955ea121d973f56e79478","parentId",3161920,"title","Parents and residents press Waukegan board for consistent discipline after student brought look-alike weapon to school","audioSeconds",8643,"startMs",420000,"endMs",9063000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3161920-4470a4b5233955ea121d973f56e79478&start=420&end=9063","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3161920-4470a4b5233955ea121d973f56e79478/thumbnail_420000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6255541/Illinois/Parents-and-residents-press-Waukegan-board-for-consistent-discipline-after-student-brought-look-alike-weapon-to-school","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6255541-68f0d4a56462b5cbe317dd51634efd92/orig.mp4?Expires=1771103773&Signature=E0zzZ6h97JPAxB3-X8OJsvbNSwFtFw05~2Gx3vp0q7ZHwj7NcFBqcm0U71Z9x-KzIMbrzcxJTPQnzIEpaPfohljuun6X0VWPKp7XKiqUwXE3mOoJsZf7pXxhDx7Cws4NKqmflihHftX4gJWS2rIINF0DUeuhF~abNnT47D8mRYwLyjLhBN2iD8lwa9RGqFnOX0LlBH8vSNBbPMClmOV2wIVv18fIsryfALFJ5FIy9exVLzyKlViI9GeJsNTRuqq~jvzjgAe4nBq3v~Dyaf5T9oJPfunVuMqgHZruWyAZuVF30mjUQpMKBlYnX3W8lyMMEZkzoGKbHAq6j21ckFz3uA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Waukegan CUSD 60","date","2025-05-01T00:40:54.17Z","article","Several community members used the public-comment period at the April 29 Waukegan Community Unit School District 60 Board of Education meeting to call for equal enforcement of student-discipline policies after an incident at Jack Benny Elementary in which a student brought a look-alike weapon to campus.

Randy Sobecki (public commenter) asked the board why a recent disciplinary case was handled differently from prior incidents. “There was no expulsion hearing for that kid,” Sobecki said, and he reported submitting a public-records request seeking expulsions for look-alike weapons. “In the last 10 years number of students expelled from school for having a look alike weapon. There was 4. All 4 were expelled from school.”

Brandy Sobecky (public commenter) provided additional detail drawn from the district response to a public-records request and said the district listed four expulsions for look-alike weapons over the last decade and nine expulsions for other non‑gun weapons (she cited figures during her remarks). She asked the board to ensure policy is applied uniformly regardless of who is involved. “Everyone should be held to the same standard, period,” she said.

Why it matters: The comments reflect community concern about consistent application of discipline and whether the district’s procedures are followed uniformly. Board members did not take formal action on discipline during the meeting; matters involving individual students were not discussed in open session and may be subject to confidentiality requirements.

What the board said: Board members acknowledged the public comments and noted that expulsions and student-discipline are governed by district policy and state law. At least one commenter urged that any superintendent modifications of discipline decisions be brought to the board for review. No motion or board action on student discipline was made during the public meeting.

Clarifying note: Numbers cited at the meeting came from citizens who said they had requested records from the district. The board did not present a contrary district-wide summary in open session at this meeting; the article does not assert the district’s internal record beyond the commenters’ statements.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","April 29th, 2025 - Board of Education Special Meeting and Special Organizational Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","Residents and parents urged the Waukegan school board on April 29 to apply student-discipline policies uniformly after a student brought a look-alike weapon to Jack Benny Elementary.","taxTitle","Waukegan CUSD 60, School Boards, Illinois","taxId",14972,"location","Illinois","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6255546,"After debate, Waukegan board adopts two-date monthly meeting structure to shorten evenings and free a Tuesday for special meetings",1408,4005000,5413000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3161920-4470a4b5233955ea121d973f56e79478&start=4005&end=5413","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3161920-4470a4b5233955ea121d973f56e79478/thumbnail_4005000.jpg","/articles/6255546/Illinois/After-debate-Waukegan-board-adopts-two-date-monthly-meeting-structure-to-shorten-evenings-and-free-a-Tuesday-for-special-meetings","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6255546-baf4a9061bba675fa3a764e00a5ff89f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771103773&Signature=YCulsNnohBQuZM2h8MoiGYA6piiqRiii3CUvwgs1CX5HmuapL~TatvIzLuCJs8rioPiS2Uwus2QO5fKh2nSaqlS~T2B1jFnZ0GggojaOenkdHA2Lit~JQ8FXerExZJnwMCUnak-IssevTkcBhqcSg5YuRp2T9J5j3fL9WtzFGj8dRqPxIPgEnIHs8zkS03F31xH3zdzhWSEjVglifAFlOoTtoi6v2fJcD9ZjNbL7syqLnG18SGVWfQxUep9U0FEM73hpXZS8Cd~vdB2GyB~DqgvdaQfMn4RYg1ubUq-aldsX3J9E2wGgeS4YUeVpWKoC4AfBXShqA0WWEHQkJJ70Mg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Waukegan Community Unit School District 60 Board of Education voted April 29 to adopt a revised meeting calendar that consolidates three meeting gatherings into two monthly dates, a change the administration proposed to shorten evening meeting length and free a date for special business.

Under the adopted option, the district will generally hold a shorter “micro” meeting earlier in the month (to allow for timely closed-session matters and light open-session action such as payroll or pressing personnel items) followed immediately by the student achievement and operations committee meetings. A fuller governing/business meeting will be scheduled later in the month. The change was approved by roll-call vote at the reorganizational meeting.

The board discussion was lengthy. Board member Lensing said she was concerned the change could force decisions with less information and opposed removing a regular meeting before staff and board processes improve. “There's a lot of things that this board needs to get through…Now we're removing a meeting, and we're potentially either increasing the length of these 2 meetings that we're going to have during a month, or we're going to be making decisions with less information, both of which give me concern,” Lensing said during debate.

Supporters and several board members said peer districts use two-date models and that consolidating would force the board and staff to be more disciplined and efficient. Administration staff described the design as keeping two monthly opportunities for action while clustering committee discussion after a short first meeting so committees can continue to take public testimony and staff can present fuller materials prior to decisions.

The board first considered a motion to retain the current three-date structure; that motion failed. A subsequent motion to adopt the administration’s proposed schedule (option 1) carried on roll call. The roll-call for the final motion recorded the following votes: Fabian — yes; Hannah — no; Lensing — no; McBride — yes; Ramirez — yes; Riddle — yes; Rodriguez — yes. The chair announced that option 1 was adopted and will govern the board calendar through April 2027 with the usual exceptions for holiday months and scheduled budget workshops.

Why it matters: The calendar change alters the timing of closed sessions, committee hearings and votes. Administration said the plan frees a monthly date for special meetings such as superintendent evaluations, bargaining or goal setting and aims to reduce late-night meetings that staff and members said have stretched to 10 p.m. or later.

Implementation: The administration said it will publish the two-year calendar, post updated agendas in board docs, and try the new cadence with the option to revisit the schedule if problems arise.","The Waukegan CUSD 60 Board voted at its April 29 meeting to adopt a proposed two-date monthly meeting model that consolidates three monthly meetings onto two dates (a shorter \"micro\" meeting followed by committee meetings, and a regular governing meeting later in the month). The change passed after extended discussion and a recorded roll-call.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6255551,"Waukegan board elects Michael Rodriguez president; Caroline Fabian named vice president, superintendent confirmed as secretary",239,2927000,3166000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3161920-4470a4b5233955ea121d973f56e79478&start=2927&end=3166","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3161920-4470a4b5233955ea121d973f56e79478/thumbnail_2927000.jpg","/articles/6255551/Illinois/Waukegan-board-elects-Michael-Rodriguez-president-Caroline-Fabian-named-vice-president-superintendent-confirmed-as-secretary","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6255551-b54f4e25bddec8ad5c79dea47bec1b7a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771103773&Signature=Q30dIhmp6uWM-X1OTMfUk5o7n5BHutNq~YGI0qQObdD8nkjPnMF9U2DIhhd~ebHbC7nz3QIXAiu3yXp1rOIPjpzXnZ0XmKJGaLQVIK7TUk9-W5y2ng3Huh~D8-0d5NuasXYANbEfH0~iFbObjRzw0kPBTWsH4rNV1hXT1JmL5n-vqM2MH1VYS6GukB-oGSs5NkLe28GsDpakgjnxSq3qM3ADUQzE6rX4hLWqaWqx1xgBmohLabJafIRfb6s31stsdLs3o5sAO12gVZvSNTk7wsjt3vT3-BGSRnX6oLE57fnbeZZrxuJxxfZNI8kuEzxrXKs-Cpgzxp5GFbSWaBPndQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Michael Rodriguez was elected president of the Waukegan Community Unit School District 60 Board of Education during the board’s April 29 reorganizational meeting and was sworn in along with newly seated members.

The vote followed nominations and a roll-call ballot. The board’s recorded roll-call on the question to elect Rodriguez as president showed four yes votes (Carolina Fabian, Ronnell Ramirez, Brandon Riddle and Michael Rodriguez) and three no votes (Anita Hannah, Lensing and McBride). After the board certified the election abstract earlier in the meeting, Rodriguez took the oath and addressed the room: “Thank you very much. First of all, I'd like to thank everyone in the community that voted for me. Thank you for your confidence in me and thank you for my fellow board members for electing me president of the board of education. During the time that I was on the Board of Education, I served for 12 years. I was president for 8 years,” Rodriguez said.

Carolina (Carolina/Caroline) Fabian was elected vice president in a separate roll-call. The board then nominated and confirmed the superintendent, Miss Teresa Placentia, to serve as board secretary; that confirmation passed on a roll call with all members voting in favor.

Why it matters: Board officers set meeting agendas and preside over board procedures for the next year, shaping how the district prioritizes goals, hearings and oversight. New leadership will preside as the board begins a two-year meeting calendar and next year’s budget workshops.

What else happened: The meeting began with the administration administering oaths of office to newly seated board members and a reading of the board oath that references the U.S. and Illinois constitutions. Outgoing board president Brandon Ewing and outgoing member Adrianna Gonzales were recognized later in the meeting; the superintendent presented plaques in appreciation of their service.

Context and next steps: The newly elected officers immediately assumed their duties for the rest of the meeting; President Rodriguez conducted subsequent business including the vice presidential and secretary votes. The board also proceeded to debate and ultimately adopt changes to the regular meeting calendar that will govern meetings through April 2027.

No formal legal challenge or appeal was announced at the meeting.","At its April 29 meeting the Waukegan Community Unit School District 60 Board of Education administered oaths, accepted newly elected members and voted to install Michael Rodriguez as board president, Caroline (Carolina) Fabian as vice president and Teresa Placentia as board secretary.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Parents and residents press Waukegan board for consistent discipline after student brought look-alike weapon to school

After debate, Waukegan board adopts two-date monthly meeting structure to shorten evenings and free a Tuesday for special meetings

Waukegan board elects Michael Rodriguez president; Caroline Fabian named vice president, superintendent confirmed as secretary