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