Parents tell CUSD 300 board they feel unheard; retired educator urges more outreach and interpreter access

Two community members used the public-participation portion of the CUSD 300 Board of Education meeting to urge the district to strengthen family outreach and communications.

Gloria Madera told the board that parents she represents feel “unheard” and asked the district to be more flexible with parent meetings and responsive to emails so that families can be active partners in their children’s education. She asked the district to “do its due diligence” and to be more flexible and accessible for parents who want to be engaged.

Karen Irani, a retired educator and Carpentersville resident, thanked a board member for prior outreach and said surveys show mixed results across grade levels. Irani said the district does a lot of positive work but needs to reach families who lack tools for digital communications and who may not be comfortable speaking to authority. She added that the community has seen a rise in enforcement actions involving Immigration and Customs Enforcement, stating there had been “30 incidents…in the last, you know, 10 days or so” in the local area; she said many families feel fearful and that the district should partner with volunteer groups and provide more interpreter and culturally sensitive outreach.

Board members listened but did not engage in back-and-forth dialogue during the public-comment period; the chair reminded attendees that questions raised in public comment may be referred to the superintendent or appropriate staff for follow-up. The speakers’ requests included increased flexibility for meeting times, additional interpreter services and stronger outreach to families that are not currently engaged.

Next steps: The board said public comments would be considered and that questions raised may be referred to the superintendent or staff for follow-up; no immediate board action was taken during the meeting.