Of the 89 executive orders signed by President Donald Trump since his inauguration, 10 may have an impact on Waukegan Community Unit School District 60 covering a variety of issues, from diversity equity and inclusion (DEI) to making English the country’s official language.
Kathryn VanderBroek, the district’s general counsel, said some, like the one ending many DEI programs could impact federal funding which helps finance programs like one that provides free breakfasts and lunches to students each day.
With many of the orders are the subject of legal challenges, with courts modifying or even striking them down, VanderBroek said the situation is changing daily. Regardless, she said, the district must prepare for possible changes.
“This is fluid and it remains fluid,” VanderBroek said. “From the key piece on federal funding, which is a concern at multiple levels — not just (at) the local school level — there are a number of courts which have issued preliminary injunctions on stopping the distribution of funds.”
VanderBroek briefed members of the Board of Education Tuesday at the Lincoln Center administration building to help them prepare for decisions they may soon have to make.
Board President Brandon Ewing said VanderBroek was prepared to give her presentation to the board on Feb. 25, but hours before court rulings changed some of what she was going to discuss. That same uncertainty about the future continues, he said.
“This is the information we know as of this point, but it is a fluid situation as we grapple with the impact of executive actions,” Ewing said.
In a district that has reviewed many policies over the past few years through an equity lens to make sure they were consistent with the need to create equal opportunities, VanderBroek said those revised policies could run contrary to some of the executive orders.
With the executive orders banning DEI programs as well as those pertinent to people needing accessibility accommodations, VanderBroek said they are now labeled as discriminatory under Trump’s decrees and must be eliminated.
“We will have to pay attention to how those get modified,” she said. “What is appropriate today may not be the case in a month or six months. It is still fluid. We are trying to know what might be in play, and have some ideas about what we would need to do and when.”
In a school district where a language other than, or along with, English is spoken in 74% of the homes — there are 31 languages spoken by district families — complying with the executive order making English the country’s national language may be less of a challenge.
“I believe the government is interested in those who do not speak English learning to speak English,” VanderBroek said. “There is discretion whether to rule out translation,” she added, referring to bilingual publications. “We don’t have specific guidance.”
In the coming weeks and months, VanderBroek said there will be workshops with the board to help members prepare to make decisions on the modification of policies so they comply with federal requirements and do not cost the district funding.
“This is an initial step to make sure the board and the community were aware of the orders that are out there that are most impactful on the school setting,” VanderBroek said.
Board member Christine Lensing said she wants to know the financial impact of the potential loss of funding before making decisions on how to deal with executive orders which may be contrary to district values.
“We need to know (this) in order to make these decisions about where we’re going to land,” she said. “We need to know the financial impact of it.”
