Contentious clubs: H-D board discusses Students For Life, club policy changes

By: 
Nick Pedley

    New policies affecting the classification of student clubs and other organizations are on the horizon at Hampton-Dumont High School.
    The board of education discussed changes to existing policy with high school Principal Steve Madson during a special workshop on July 7. Madson outlined his recommendations to tweak the current definitions of “curriculum” and “noncurriculum” related clubs, which have come under fire in recent months.
    Former student Isabell Akers claimed she was discriminated against when her anti-abortion group, Students For Life, was designated as a noncurriculum-related club.
    “After turning over that stone to really look and see what is what, I think we have some issues to resolve,” Madson said.
    The noncurriculum classification didn’t afford Students For Life the same opportunities as other clubs like posting notices and posters in the high school hallways. Members also claimed they couldn’t have a photo in the yearbook or nominate a candidate for the Sweetheart Swirl, but Madson said they never asked if they could.
    Madson allowed the club to meet on school grounds, post notices to the lunchroom bulletin board and include notifications in the daily announcements. However, the school launched an internal policy review in April after Madson received a demand letter from the Thomas More Society, an Illinios-based law firm that supports anti-abortion causes across the country.
    “I want to be fair, I really do,” said Madson. “And I think that we were fair, in my opinion. But I do think this brought to light some policy issues that we need to clarify so we can be fair.”
    Madson said the review was “a stone that revealed a bunch of stones underneath.” He believed that designating Students For Life as a noncurricular-related club was the right decision, but suggested changing the wording of policy definitions to help clarify how each clubs is designated.
    Under Madson’s proposal, a curricular club would be defined as a group whose mission and content of speech directly relate to the body of courses offered at the high school (i.e. International Club). Conversely, a noncurricular club would be defined as a group whose mission and content of speech are not directly related to the body of courses offered at the high school (i.e. Students For Life).
    Madson said current curricular groups like Character Counts, Students Against Drunk Driving and Key Club would probably get reclassified as noncurricular clubs if the policy is adopted.
    “It’s going to have to be defended every time,” said board member Jeff Rosenberg. “But as long we’re consistant with whatever that classification is for these organizations, I don’t think there will be an issue.”
    Madson also suggested establishing “Activity” and “Honorary” clubs in the draft proposal.
    Activity clubs would be defined as clubs/activities/organizations additionally sanctioned or governed by a non-high school body for purposes of interscholastic competition with district-paid faculty as a coach or sponsor (i.e. mock trial, DECA, sports teams and FFA). Honorary clubs would be defined as an organization established by the school recognizing scholastic achievement (i.e. National Honor Society).
    Superintendent Todd Lettow said the changes would most likely affect the status of existing groups whether the district liked it or not.
    “When you step back from something like this, it turns into a much bigger process,” he explained. “We’re trying to do this in a way that we don’t offend some of the other organizations and the traditions we have going on here, but I think it does bring some of those things into question.”
    Madson wanted to run the proposal by faculty members, student leadership and various club members before having legal counsel review the changes. The district hopes to adopt the new definitions before the new school year begins or shortly thereafter.
    The board thanked Madson for his thorough work on the proposal and felt he handled the situation well. Madson appreciated the encouragement and was ready to put the issue behind him.
    “I have no problem with [Students For Life] having a group and meeting,” he said. “Personally, I’m tired of being harrassed about the issue because I feel like we’re doing everything we can to accommodate them.”
    No representatives from Students For Life or members of the public attended the workshop.

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