For the second time in as many months, Downers Grove students are using Facebook to organize and mobilize a campaign — most recently in support of a popular North High science teacher and coach who reportedly will not be rehired next year.
The “Keep Klamm!” group, which currently numbers more than 1,150 members, is working to convince administrators to rehire Andrew Klamm, a DGN chemistry teacher and tennis coach. Klamm reportedly is up for tenure next year.
Reading through the comments, it’s clear many students have benefited from Klamm’s unconventional teaching style. “I had Mr. Klamm for Chem 400 during his first year of teaching and it was the most fun I have ever had in a class,” wrote Andrew Kuikman. “His teaching style is unique, but it’s fun and it works. Chemistry was fun for me and that’s why I am studying chemical engineering at the university level.”
Other students commended Klamm’s dedication to the school’s Operation Snowball and tennis programs. “Mr. Klamm has positively affected many students at Downers Grove North High School as a teacher, coach, mentor and friend,” wrote Zara Kisielius in an open letter to Principal Maria Ward.
“He has made chemistry one of the most anticipated classes for students,” Kisielius wrote. “His teaching style has helped many students excel in his classes. On the courts, he has proven to be an accomplished and admirable coach.”
Along with the testimonials are dozens of comments attesting to the students’ sophisticated understanding of the matter and the most effective methods of communicating their position to school administrators.
Time and again, commenters urged group members to be respectful and mature in their protest, which 80 students — including DGN graduates, tennis team members and chemistry students — as well as parents and colleagues, took to Bagels with the Board Feb. 5.
Marco Jaimes asked the group to “tone down some of the physical signs of support” such as wearing colored clothing, wristbands and stickers, which could be considered “a bit over the top.”
Other group members recommended asking parents to contact “the administration, the superintendent, Mrs. Ward and (Science Department Chair) Mrs. (Kathryn) Baal.”
“They care much more about what our parents say because they are the ones paying and pretty much employing everyone who works at the school,” Kisielius wrote.
Kaitlyn Wayman-Dodd suggested a letter to the editor. “But whoever writes it needs to be extremely diplomatic, and it would be best for multiple people to review and edit it before we send it out. And we have to remember it would be PUBLIC for all to see.”
Inevitably, students questioned why Klamm would fail to win the support of the administration — a personnel matter, which students are aware, cannot legally be divulged.
A parent who attended the Bagels with the Board session reported that Supt. Mark McDonald indicated the decision was not made for budgetary reasons.
However, it was North social studies teacher Bob Graham who suggested an explanation which, if true, is distressing to parents who value a teacher who can teach over one more concerned with safely playing the tenure game.
“I’m on this Facebook page because I’ve seen this happen too many times at North and I’m just sick about it,” Graham wrote. “Bright, young teachers with fantastic rapport in their classrooms and great ability, let go for no discernible reason.”
“The reason this needs to be stopped is the effect it has on every non-tenured teacher; a culture of fear is nurtured (and, believe me, it’s already in place) whereby no untenured teacher (and there will be PLENTY of them in the building over the next few years) dares express an opinion on ANYthing,” Graham wrote, adding that Klamm’s mistake might have been “the arrogance of assuming that being an excellent teacher counted more than expressing an opinion.”
“This results in the unhealthiest environment imaginable in an educational institution…but it makes for a very controllable faculty.”
Editor’s note: Just for the record, my son played freshman tennis, but has never been a student of Mr. Klamm and is not a member of the Facebook group.
If the district won’t talk about it publicly, then one could deduce that Mr. Klamm must have done something that was against school policy in some way. The district is on record stating that it is not for budgetary reasons. I am sure Mr. Klamm and the district can’t talk about it until the process works its way out.
I suppose that’s possible, but it couldn’t be serious or he wouldn’t still be in the classroom. “Good” teaching is very subjective, particularly when a teacher is being considered for tenure. I would think, however, that the outpouring of support that has accompanied this news would encourage the administration to reconsider.
Lets see his classes grades? The numbers wouldn’t lie then would they? If his kids are doing well then he should stay…right? I don’t care how he teaches if the kids learn. That is the goal of our educational system last time I checked.
Let’s get our facts straight. Very very very few people on this group really known Mr. Klamm.
Editor’s note: This comment has been edited because it makes unsubstantiated claims. If there is more information you’d like to share, Anonymous, you can contact me at dgreport@hotmail.com