The Waukegan Community Unit School District 60 Board of Education last week addressed the unwise decisions of six students, which were exacerbated by Illinois law.
The board voted to expel one student and approved varied suspensions of five others on Oct. 28 at the Education Service Center in Waukegan because of the violations of the state’s school weapons law.
The names of the six students were not disclosed because they are minors, and details of the case, including the weapons involved, were discussed behind closed doors as required by state law.
Though state law requires a one-year expulsion, the statute contains a provision allowing the school’s principal to recommend a lesser punishment to the superintendent. When the modification reaches the board, it can accept or reject it. All such modifications were approved.
Board member Rick Riddle said the expelled student will be barred from the school for the rest of the school year, as well as the 2026-2027 term. The student will be placed in an alternative school by the Lake County Regional Office of Education.
“The student’s continuing presence in school would substantially disrupt or impede or otherwise interfere with the operation of the school,” Riddle said. “The severity of the offense demonstrates that the student’s continuing presence threatens school staff and the students.”
Riddle also said the student will be referred for a special education evaluation, subject to parental consent. Lensing said from what she has gleaned about the student’s situation, the evaluation can make a difference.
“Many markers are indicated to which this individual needs some individual supports,” board member Christine Lensing said. “Though, unfortunately, I will be voting yes, it’s never a good experience to expel one of our students in this district, but when that line of safety is so egregiously crossed, it has to be done.”
Board member Carolina Fabian said “pushing” a student out of school is a serious matter, and she feels unhappy about it. Since safety is the first priority, protecting other students, staff and the community makes the expulsion necessary. The youngster’s age is a cause for concern, she said.
“It is because of safety we need to push this student out,” Fabian said. “When a child is still a child, we, as adults, need to do what we need to do in order to ensure we give them proper support and resources so they can grow into adults who can fit into our society and contribute their best.”
The vote was 5-0. Board members Anita Hanna and Jeff McBride were not in the room during the roll call.
The five suspensions ranged from one to 10 days, and required individualized safety plans.
In an unrelated matter, both Lensing and Fabian talked about the impact of the enhanced deportation efforts of President Donald Trump’s administration in and around Waukegan since early September. For a moment, Fabian, an American citizen, feared she might have an encounter with immigration enforcement agents.
“As a Latina, I had a situation the other day where I panicked because I saw a vehicle with blacked out windows do an immediate U-turn as I was walking by myself,” she said. “Thank God it was not ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents), but the fear in that moment is the fear our children, our families, are feeling.”
Fabian also said half the number of children came to her door on Waukegan’s official day of trick-or-treating on Oct. 26 than usual. She attributed it to the fear in the community over the actions of federal immigration enforcement officers carrying out Operation Midway Blitz.
“It was very disappointing,” she said. “There are a lot of things families celebrate — that half of our families could not was very disheartening.”
“What’s happening in our community continues to take a toll,” Lensing said. “ICE continues to terrorize our community. Our students aren’t able to focus on their academics, let alone just be a kid.
“Their basic needs are threatened,” she continued. “Their mental safety is threatened. My only ask is that we continue to give grace.”