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Resident calls district practice discriminatory after AP World History access changes
Summary
A public commenter told the board that district materials historically indicated that World History Honors prepared students for the AP World History: Modern exam and said removing that guidance has denied access to students at Hinsdale South.
At the Committee of the Whole meeting on March 13, resident Adolf Kalinski (recorded as Adolf Dolinsky in the agenda roll) urged the board to restore equal access to AP‑exam preparation for students at both district campuses.
Kalinski said program‑of‑studies language dating back to 2014 stated that completion of World History Honors would prepare students to take the AP World History: Modern exam; he told the board that, despite the district’s not offering a discrete “AP World History Modern” course, “literally hundreds of Hinsdale Central first‑year students registered, paid for, and successfully passed the AP World History Modern exam, earning them valuable college credit over the past decade.” He said the program‑of‑studies statement was removed in 2023 and that the district rejected a department proposal to align curriculum and course access across campuses.
Kalinski argued the current program labeling leaves Hinsdale South students without equivalent access: “If you’re not going to support the teachers and their hard work, then at least support the students,” he said, and urged the board to ensure South students have access to curriculum that prepares them for the AP exam.
What the administration and board said
Administrators did not respond with an immediate decision during public comment. The district’s academic committee and curriculum staff had earlier discussed social‑studies alignment and the academic committee asked administration to prepare options for future discussion; Kalinski’s remarks asked the board to revisit those alignment questions and cited a handed‑in copy of program‑of‑studies language dating back to 2014.
Ending
Kalinski’s public comment was part of the meeting’s audience‑comment period; the board did not make an immediate policy change at the March 13 meeting but academic committee materials and earlier staff remarks show the district has been reviewing social studies alignment. The board asked administrators to return with formal options in future committee discussion.
