A month after a Glenbrook South High School (GBS) student’s quote in the school’s 2024 yearbook led to outrage in Glenview and surrounding communities the school district released a detailed report on the incident.
“Specifically, the yearbook contained a quote from a student purportedly concerning the events in the Middle East on October 7, specifically the Hamas invasion of Israel and the resulting atrocities,” the 17-page report, commissioned by Glenbrook High School District 225 and complied by the law firm of Himes, Petrarca and Fester says.
“The publication and distribution of the quote have caused significant upheaval and disruption in the community,” it continues. “As a result, the Board of Education directed an investigation concerning the circumstances leading to the publication of the quote.”
An unidentified student at the school was quoted in the 2024 GBS “Etruscan” yearbook in response to a question by another student asking them what they thought of the war in Gaza?
“I saw what Palestine did, and I was happy because they’re finally defending themselves,” the student was quoted as replying. But later the student said their quote was taken out of context and the Himes, Petrarca and Fester report confirms that.
During the investigative process it was determined the student quote included: “In my opinion, it isn’t a war, considering this has been going on for 75 years. The first day, I woke up and I saw what Palestine did, and I was happy because they’re finally defending themselves. The fact that the whole world only saw that instead of focusing on the past – makes me sad because it’s my home country. It’s important [to speak up] because thousands of people are dying every day. Just be aware and educate yourself.”
Still, within days, the shorter quote and controversy it created, spread and created a backlash by some who said it was “Anti- Semitic.”
The Himes, Petrarca, and Fester report said their investigatory process involved several days of intense interviews, including GBS building administrators, (notably the Principal and two Assistant Principals), two yearbook “reporters” who arranged and participated in interviewing the quoted student and the yearbook advisor, Brenda Field.
In the month after the controversy, dozens of parents and others crammed into District 225 board meetings to make their feelings known in terms of how the District handled the backlash to the incident and how the quote got into the yearbook in the first place.
Many who addressed the board during its June 24 special meeting said the District failed the community and some also suggested that Field be fired.
In the report, Petrarca said Field should have asked school administrators to review the quote.
“A reasonable person might have paused to question the impact the use of the quote might have on school operations, community reaction or, most importantly, the impact on a sophomore who was identified by name in the yearbook,” he said.
“When the editors used the quote, no context was provided other than its use to describe a student’s feelings about October 7,” he added. “This was never the context for getting the quote nor the context in which the quote was given.”
The District has yet to say it any disciplinary action will be taken in the wake of the incident and report. The school board meets again on July 8.
Brian L. Cox is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.