Schools

Residents Brave Elements to Sign Petition in Support of Bolingbrook Principal

A group of concerned citizens collected 391 signatures in support of Principal Michael White during event on Friday at Bolingbrook Fire Station No. 5, and that boosted their total to more than 1,000 heading into the weekend.

The callout was simple enough: Do what’s right, support Mr. White.

And, despite hazardous winter weather conditions, 391 people showed up to sign a petition supporting Bolingbrook Principal Michael White on Friday night at Bolingbrook’s Fire Station No. 5.

“There was always a continuous flow of people, and staff members were reluctant to be in any picture(s),” Bolingbrook's Lynn Wypch said.

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One-by-one residents signed a petition that will be presented to the school board and Valley View School District Superintendent James Mitchem. Wypch said she will work with concerned citizens to continue to push the online petition over the weekend.

She said more than 1,000 signatures have been collected so far. The petition reads as follows:

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We believe Mr. White does not want to leave his position as Principal at Bolingbrook High School. Rather, he wants to stay to see his vision come to fruition, but feels extremely limited due to the policies put in place by the district’s administrators.

“We feel he’s being forced into resigning or risk being fired. Mr. White came into a school that was out of control and very quickly took control. The difference was noted in a very short time.

“Students felt safer, which led to more instructional time and better focused students. There are fewer behavior concerns and an increase in academic achievement across the board. Teachers and students do not want him to leave.”

And the petition document concludes with this:

We, the undersigned, are concerned citizens who urge our School Board and Superintendent to act now to refuse to accept Mr. White’s resignation and do what is necessary to keep him as Principal of Bolingbrook High School.”

The school board meets at 7 p.m. Monday at Lukancic Middle School in Romeoville, 725 W. Normantown Road.



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