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Board debates volunteer vs. visitor rules, sends policies 7009 and 6012 to legal for clarification
Summary
Trustees spent more than an hour questioning district policy language on volunteer criminal-background checks and visitor access. The board voted to send Policy 7009 (volunteers) and Policy 6012 (visitors) to outside counsel Miller Johnson for review and recommended clarifying language.
The Oak Park School District Board of Education spent a lengthy portion of its April 14 meeting debating how district policy distinguishes volunteers from visitors and what criminal convictions bar someone from volunteering.
The dispute centered on two policies: Policy 7009, which governs volunteers and criminal-background checks, and Policy 6012, which covers visitors and gives the superintendent authority to adopt administrative regulations. Trustee Deidre Goldberg moved, and Trustee Pearman seconded, a motion to have the district law firm Miller Johnson review both policies and recommend clearer language. The motion passed on a roll call vote (yes: 5; no: 2).
Why it matters: trustees said the language affects alumni, parents and external groups that come into district buildings for single events, fundraising or to interact with students. Several trustees and members of the public told the board that inconsistent expectations had led to confusion about when background checks are required.
Superintendent Abdulahide, the district superintendent, and administrators explained that the policies predate the current administration but that state statutes list offenses that prohibit some people from volunteering. District staff and legal references were cited repeatedly during the discussion. Miss Finnerston, who spoke on the mechanics of background checks, said a fingerprint check will show convictions the law lists and noted that ‘‘if it is a misdemeanor and that misdemeanor is a listed offense, then that individual will not be permitted to volunteer within the district.’’
Trustees pushed for clearer written guidance because they said long‑standing practice sometimes differed from public expectations. Trustee Tyler and others urged balance: they said the district must protect students while also encouraging alumni and community members to support schools. Several trustees asked for transparency about who decides whether a given visitor is treated as a volunteer and when a volunteer-level background check is required.
The board directed Miller Johnson to review Policies 7009 and 6012 and return recommended language and clarifying administrative procedures to the board for possible revision.
Ending: The board scheduled no immediate policy change; legal review was approved and the administration will report back with recommended edits and a presentation that clarifies the practical difference between a visitor and a volunteer.
