[momoftwo]

From this week's Northbrook Star. This story gives the most detailed explanation of what the school is doing about the Seniors that I have seen.

31 GBN seniors expelled

But terms of each expulsion were invidivually crafted, officials say

BY SARA LOEB
STAFF WRITER

They're likely to still get their diplomas, but 31 Glenbrook North High School seniors won't be walking across the stage in the Center for Performing Arts June 8 to claim them.

By a 5-0 vote, the Glenbrook High School Board early Monday morning expelled the 28 senior girls and 3 senior boys members believe participated in the May 4 hazing in Chipilly Woods

But the punishment for expulsion varies from student to student. School officials Tuesday declined to say why or by how much, but Board President Carol Rogal's Monday stated that the board had looked at each case individually.

Board members Tom Shaer and Keith Babb recused themselves from the early Monday morning vote, which came after the board deliberated for more than nine hours in closed session.

All but three of the disciplined seniors accepted a waiver agreement that will freeze their grades at pre-suspension levels, and could allow them to receive their diplomas on time, officials acknowledged.

In return the students have promised not to sue the school district and not to sign book or movie deals relating to the hazing incident.

Citing a policy of confidentiality pertaining to disciplinary matters, Superintendent David Hales declined to "go into the details of (punishment for) the three students" who did not sign the waiver agreement early this week.

Barry A. Spector, an attorney representing one of those students, said his client declined because the agreement "was unfair and exposed her to certain liabilities."

Spector said a clause in the agreement offered his client "could be interpreted to require her to idemnify the school in certain situations," meaning his client could have to pay the school's legal fees or take sole responsibility for the incident in a possible lawsuit by a third party, such as juniors injured in the hazing.

He also said his client's version of the waiver required her to perform 100 hours of community service, and get 10 hours of counseling. "If they were more concerned about not having it happen again," he said of the hazing, "they'd reverse those" hour numbers.

A majority of the students probably agreed to the waiver because they want to receive a Glenbrook North diploma in a timely manner, Spector said, but he believes the agreement, at least in the his client's case, "gives no assurance she would ever get a diploma," because of the various attached conditions.

All of the expelled seniors will be able to complete graduation requirements at approved alternative or on-line schools, Hales said Monday, adding that most already had earned enough credits to graduate.

Those students who have not yet passed the state-mandated Consumer Education course will be able to take a review course and the state-mandated test at Glenbrook South, Hales said.

They are barred from Glenbrook North school grounds for a year, unless administrators give them permission to clean out their lockers or pick up academic transcripts, and they can't participate in the school's June 8 graduation or any related school-sponsored activities, under terms of each of the agreements, Hales said.

To graduate, the disciplined students will have to serve "varying hours" of community service, and submit to varying numbers of hours of counseling, Hales said. Each also has to "participate in educational and individual counseling as determined by the board," Hales said. He declined to elaborate.

Although Glenbrook North administrators originally recommended 32 seniors for expulsion, they said they learned last week that one of the 32 had been "misidentified," and did not participate in the hazing. He was called back into school and allowed to make up any missed work for full credit, district spokeswoman Diane Freeman said.

In a statement read to the board May 11, Board member Keith Babb said he wouldn't participate in disciplinary proceedings against the hazing participants because "I know several of the kids who were spectators at the event ... and I believe I cannot be totally objective."

Pioneer Press reported May 8 that Babb's son Nick said he had watched the hazing.

Board member Tom Shaer also recused himself Sunday afternoon because he's given the district advice on "media matters" and been an "outspoken supporter of the work of the schools."

Although Shaer emphasized that he was "unbiased and had made no comments or formed any opinions on individual cases," Shaer said he wanted to avoid "any question of perceived partiality."