Grundy Reporter

If Illinois Sen. Patrick Joyce (D-Essex) has it his way, school boards would be required by law to get the community's input before deciding about whether or not to close a school.

Originally faced with the daunting task of closing one or more schools because of a lack of funding, a lower number of students and aging buildings, District 227 decided to close Rich East High School two years ago, which upset many in the community who felt as if they were left out of the process. 

"Following the closure of Rich East High School in 2020, I passed a measure through the Senate Education Committee today to prevent schools from closing without public input," Sen. Patrick Joyce wrote in a May 11 Facebook post. 

Under House Bill 1785, school boards would be required to hold at least three public hearings about a possible school closure, with notice of the hearings published on the district's website at least 10 days prior. 

The only exception to a public meeting would be if the building was found to be unsafe, unsanitary or unfit for occupancy, according to a release on the Illinois Senate Democrats website.

The legislation headed to the Senate Floor for further discussion.