[{"_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",6202733,"mediaKeyId","3785577-74c6927fc4cf72de2646df26532b6171","parentId",3785577,"title","Hundreds of public commenters press ETHS board to clear teacher’s record over classroom poster; some defend board action","audioSeconds",7028,"startMs",453000,"endMs",7481000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3785577-74c6927fc4cf72de2646df26532b6171&start=453&end=7481","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3785577-74c6927fc4cf72de2646df26532b6171/thumbnail_453000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6202733/Illinois/Hundreds-of-public-commenters-press-ETHS-board-to-clear-teachers-record-over-classroom-poster-some-defend-board-action","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6202733-22365d0cf33d7256f5f25b3475a4af9f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771154167&Signature=kFZwNtfMldKGrQProP2oitEPA2li33fC1U71gaJDH80QSVO4Cl5ozIwpq8GTC-Bh7E5qP418HWYSBHf~Zgy4UU7nvtE8BK0Zo9ULrCSX4ka8woqo62d2nXSRqXrsbGnp9s670z-N2zMwWw0BsS0DZqL2YcPMJRMfWXuDmmS9kLELs8bD0xFPidT9jijfO9wXwERCPwRc0uQ0rneZ3~FDvJCisD6SC7sWkEsaLllGgn0oVfEGXKrBXzjIazi2L9Mh~NFtuGdhXCsGjyJxfFpRZnl4-NQWjlifrlNC5R9wMQvKs41atGZMIOPvlRu2T9j-fATjvp7yhBHPUIyNAWGvGg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Evanston Twp HSD 202","date","2025-06-12T17:10:00.137Z","article","At the June 9, 2025 Evanston Township High School District 202 Board of Education meeting, more than 50 members of the public used an extended public‑comment period to press the board about disciplinary action recorded against history teacher Andrew Ginsberg over a classroom poster.

Supporters of Ginsberg — including current and former students, ETHS teachers and longtime Evanston residents — told the board the poster displayed text by Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel and artwork published in Jewish Currents and argued the teacher created a safe classroom for many students. “Mr. Ginsberg’s classroom is a safe haven,” said Amy Moore, a teacher who identified herself as living outside the district. “When a teacher is known for his inclusivity and compassion and he’s suddenly accused of intolerance, something is clearly wrong,” Moore said.

The meeting’s long public‑comment period also featured alumni and students who described Ginsberg as a guide for critical thinking and civic engagement. Parker Breivald, a 2024 graduate who said he is Jewish, told the board that disciplining Ginsberg “is preventing students from learning valuable information and censorship only harms education.” Multiple speakers said the poster was created by a Jewish artist and quoted Heschel; several asked the board to remove the censure and to apologize to Ginsberg.

Other speakers urged the board to defend Jewish students’ safety and backed the board’s initial action. Shayna Sternstein, who identified herself as an Evanston resident and parent, told the board that Title VI requires schools to respond to conduct that creates a hostile environment based on religion and that the board’s action affirmed that antisemitism would be taken seriously.

Board members acknowledged receipt of emails and public comments and said they had read letters and spoken with community members. Several board members reiterated that district policy and due process limit what the board and district can say publicly about personnel matters. “We ask for understanding as we honor the responsibilities that we carry as a school board,” one board member said in responding to the public comments.

Speakers on both sides repeatedly invoked the district’s stated values — including equity, inclusion and critical thinking — but differed on whether disciplining Ginsberg supported or undermined those values. Teachers and others who defended Ginsberg described his classroom as a place students sought out before and after school. Opponents framed the poster and related classroom discussions as creating safety concerns for Jewish students and sought protections on that basis.

The board did not announce any personnel action at the meeting and said it could not comment publicly on individual personnel matters. Several speakers referenced the May 21 guest essay the board published in the Evanston RoundTable and asked the board to act either to restore the teacher’s record or to explain the disciplinary rationale more fully; board members repeated that personnel confidentiality and due process constrained public statements.

The meeting also drew a mix of historical and legal references from commenters, including citations to Rabbi Heschel’s writings and to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. Many callers urged the district to allow classroom discussion of global events and for the board to protect teachers’ ability to model critical inquiry. Others urged the board to prioritize Jewish student safety, saying that words can escalate to violence.

The board moved on to the rest of its agenda after the public‑comment period; no vote on the teacher’s record was taken at the June 9 meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","School Board Meeting 6/9/25","oneSentenceSummary","At the June 9, 2025 Evanston Township High School District 202 board meeting, more than 50 members of the public pressed the board on disciplinary action recorded against history teacher Andrew Ginsberg over a classroom poster.","taxTitle","Evanston Twp HSD 202, School Boards, Illinois","taxId",38754,"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},6202723,"ETHS honors state champions: gymnast Eric Van Leer and boys 4x400 relay team recognized",429,23000,452000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3785577-74c6927fc4cf72de2646df26532b6171&start=23&end=452","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3785577-74c6927fc4cf72de2646df26532b6171/thumbnail_23000.jpg","/articles/6202723/Illinois/ETHS-honors-state-champions-gymnast-Eric-Van-Leer-and-boys-4x400-relay-team-recognized","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6202723-cfb6bbadb16faf29c7f19eb6b651552b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771154167&Signature=RHmZ8YCtRnFx5fkLjQmnnpcH6eqmjwyfkE9vbjJyvZwScF1h3aBQFe2ylnMaDjwmmg~4eWtl~WptUXCmbfnmTSQq8B8g46ZO8Blxn5vlwJ7Hy2SjMG4YKnjH7KK3CueZDmmz9339YfL-ali7x9ouo57UosI48UBsGAu39aWbteOc2DtdQfmGr6WZk5fFBdIMwmvLCgkNTWPyHPxtxTGAO75dZW1SCiwYDz6cFQAF-Ld67fblfDZOn~oCLRn8kwiaSphX9W33vjYn7PbgRY6-zsZ7F48zU8nY6-7e0EXfYqcPQIhK2IdIVAywmOGRUkWIti8I9TZcpjkQpoiHYDZUVw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Evanston Township High School honored student athletes at the start of its June 9 board meeting.

Athletic Director Chris Flavatino introduced gymnast Eric Van Leer, who won individual state championships this spring in both vault and floor exercise, bringing his career total to three state titles. ETHS head gymnastics coach Frank Erwin described Van Leer’s work ethic and role in rebuilding the program. “He’s been a tremendous asset to the program and we were thrilled to have him as a 2‑time state champion,” Erwin said. The board stood to congratulate Van Leer and presented him a commemorative pen.

The board also recognized the boys 4x400 relay team, which captured the IHSA state championship after a dramatic finish late in the race. The relay’s season included coaching upheaval when head coach Don Michelin suffered a training accident before the sectional meet; assistant coaches Kevin Cains and George Woolridge stepped in and helped the team to the state title, the board noted. Head coach and staff praised the athletes’ resilience and depth; two relay members are returning next season.

Board members described the recognitions as “a great way to start a meeting” and applauded the students and coaches for their accomplishments.","The Evanston Township High School Board opened its June 9 meeting by recognizing student athletes: gymnast Eric Van Leer, who won two individual state titles this year, and the boys 4x400 relay team, which won the IHSA state title after their head coach was injured.",{"_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},6202730,"ETHS board approves tentative FY2026 budget after CFO outlines tight, balanced plan",921,8708000,9629000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3785577-74c6927fc4cf72de2646df26532b6171&start=8708&end=9629","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3785577-74c6927fc4cf72de2646df26532b6171/thumbnail_8708000.jpg","/articles/6202730/Illinois/ETHS-board-approves-tentative-FY2026-budget-after-CFO-outlines-tight-balanced-plan","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6202730-ca958ded7e5d8f5ec7039fc5725d41f0/orig.mp4?Expires=1771154167&Signature=lMS90vOBt6jRGuwJFnwlZ8wAM63jdWQjK2PUSySP80OYmUJTYTtzhbbrysaKnPfIjPhcNlKRMkF-UpUhMVo2da1UtXuzVMN66F--50iXkDseI0frAwSfjDDcYeeEUHrqd5VaUpXplighkdYWyjUCLmxZWmjOdEkgt8ccanMUMhOiC~jPI7hH~xn0n5EnnsvbXT-DoTM8s-KIX4bU0htNri~Jzpf-M3T9phw-HaN3SjgtkF4NvwhPlQjH~ATjOXZVMcQhrUpPZg5jjP8u2ZOztglKTL7dTibtxtpnhR6omYikGsvSrddukcc8nGvB6ss380pMG5U4Nfz6bTHx5jzafA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Evanston Township High School District 202 board approved a tentative fiscal year 2026 budget of $118,100,000 at its June 9 meeting after a presentation by Chief Financial Officer Kendra Williams and remarks by Superintendent (Doctor) Campbell.

Williams said the tentative budget represents 19 consecutive years of balanced budgets and that the overall FY2026 total is 4.4% higher than FY2025. The district’s operating funds (education, operations and maintenance, transportation, working cash and tort) are budgeted to increase 2.6% overall. Property taxes remain the district’s largest revenue source, accounting for roughly 84% of budgeted revenues, Williams said; the budget assumes a blended levy increase based on 3.4% (2024 levy) and 2.9% (2025 levy) CPI limits.

Williams told the board the budget team used value‑based and zero‑based budgeting tools to prioritize instruction and student well‑being while trimming other costs. Salaries and benefits make up the largest share of expenditures — about 80% when combined (salaries ~71%, benefits ~9%) — and are budgeted to increase about 4.3% driven largely by negotiated contracts.

The presentation highlighted several risks and unknowns: the level and timing of CPPRT (“Corporate Personal Property Replacement Tax”) receipts, uncertainty about federal categorical and Title funding levels, and potential state actions that could shift pension costs. Williams said the board should expect continued monitoring and possible mid‑year adjustments and that the tentative budget would be posted for public inspection with a public budget hearing set for Sept. 8 and final approval planned for September.

After discussion, the board approved the tentative budget by roll call vote during the meeting. No board member announced dissent on the record.

Key figures presented at the meeting:
- Total tentative FY2026 budget: $118,100,000 (4.4% increase over FY2025).
- Operating budget increase: 2.6%.
- Salaries and benefits combined: ~80% of expenditures; salaries budgeted to rise ~4.3%.
- Property taxes: ~84% of revenue; levy growth limited to lesser of CPI or 5% (budget used blended CPI assumptions of 3.4% and 2.9%).
- Next steps: tentative budget posted for at least 30 days; budget hearing Sept. 8; final adoption in September and filing with county clerk within 30 days of adoption.

Board members asked for contingency approaches should federal or state revenues fall short; Williams said the district is developing contingency steps, would try to limit classroom impacts and could draw on fund balance if necessary.

The board approved the tentative FY2026 budget by roll call vote at the June 9 meeting.","Evanston Township High School District 202 presented a tentative FY2026 budget of $118.1 million and approved it by roll call on June 9. District leaders described the budget as balanced but constrained by uncertain state and federal revenue streams and continuing reliance on property taxes.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Hundreds of public commenters press ETHS board to clear teacher’s record over classroom poster; some defend board action

ETHS honors state champions: gymnast Eric Van Leer and boys 4x400 relay team recognized

ETHS board approves tentative FY2026 budget after CFO outlines tight, balanced plan