Students and parents urge Plainfield SD 202 to keep humanities teacher William Murphy

Students, alumni and parents packed the public-comment period at the Plainfield SD 202 board meeting on May 20 to press the board to retain humanities teacher William Murphy and to preserve family-and-consumer-science (FACS) offerings at Indian Trail Middle School.

"We have gathered 900 signatures and counting on a petition to keep Mr. William Murphy in our humanities department," said Ayanna Madrigal Jamil, a junior at Plainfield East High School, who asked the board to "prioritize our classroom culture during your final summer budget decisions." She urged administrators to look for administrative savings, reexamine enrollment to justify keeping the position, and prioritize Murphy for reinstatement if vacancies arise.

Alumni and current students echoed that message. "This man has made an amazing impact in my life," said Maven Kulecki, an alum who spoke for several classmates, describing Murphy's support through COVID and his role in athletics and mentorship. Seventh-grader Eva Treggor told the board her petition to save FACS reached 1,056 supporters and argued the class teaches essential life skills such as cooking, laundry and appliance safety and provides an inclusive environment for students who do not connect through sports.

Speakers asked the board to consider alternatives to cutting positions that provide clear student supports. "Please do not look at Mr. Murphy as just a line item to be cut," Madrigal Jamil said.

The board did not take immediate action on personnel during the public-comment segment; several speakers asked that the board weigh administrative savings or reprioritize vacancies to protect classroom positions. The superintendent and staff are expected to continue budget work over the summer, with action items on the FY27 budget and related resolutions to be considered at future meetings.