Student and family tell Oak Park board a child was denied summer program because district buses him outside the district
Summary
A seventh-grade Oak Park resident, speaking at public comment, said he was removed from the district's summer discovery program because his IEP requires placement at a school outside the district; he called the exclusion discriminatory.
A student who attends school outside Oak Park under an individualized education program (IEP) told the Oak Park Board of Education on June 9 that he was removed from the district's summer discovery program because he is bused outside the district.
"My name is Matthew Barker. I'm an Oak Park resident who will be entering eighth grade in the fall," Barker said during public comment. He said he received an initial enrollment email for the district's summer discovery program but later learned he was not permitted to participate because his school placement is outside the district under his IEP: "A few days later, my mom got an email saying that I cannot participate because I don't go to Oak Park School District. I'd rather go to Oak Park, but because of my IEP, Oak Park buses me to a school outside of the district. It is not my fault, and I should not be penalized for my disability."
Barker said he participates in band and sports and asked the board to accept him in the program. Board members did not immediately respond with a public ruling at the meeting; the board chair noted the public-comment period is 1-way and suggested the family follow up with administration for a response.
At the end of the meeting, Reverend Dr. Yvette Griffin, who identified herself as a clergy member and a relative of a district employee, asked whether visitors must pass through metal detectors and background checks as part of the district's security policy; the board chair directed her to discuss the question with the superintendent outside the meeting.
Why it matters: The comment raises an access question about whether students assigned to placements outside the district as part of special-education services can participate in district-run extracurricular or summer offerings. The student framed his exclusion as discrimination tied to his disability; the board did not issue a decision at the meeting.
Board staff and administration should be prepared to confirm program eligibility rules, any reasonable-accommodation options, and the procedures for families to appeal or request exceptions.
