Latest news with #Haarman
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Neoga superintendent speaks out against Illinois bill that would ban indigenous mascots
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) — A bill aiming to end the usage of mascots depicting Indigenous people and people with disabilities in K-12 public schools cleared one chamber of the Illinois legislature. The bills' House sponsor is Rep. Maurice West (D-Rockford). He's worked on this proposal with the indigenous community and several school districts for several years to come up with a respectful yet fiscally responsible plan. Homeschool Act stalls in House ahead of April 11th deadline 'This bill honors all people and acknowledges the financial realities schools face when changing mascots,' West said. 'Ultimately, it's about showing respect for Native American Illinoisans, who have shaped our state into what it is today. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the Senate to get this bill across the finish line.' Superintendent of the Neoga School District Kevin Haarman took to Facebook to demand the community contacts senators, as he opposes the bill. 'Our Indian mascot is a symbol of pride, honor, and respect for the heritage and culture it represents,' Haarman said. 'We believe decisions regarding our school's identity, including our mascot, should remain under local control, reflecting the values and traditions of our community.' Haarman also said changing the mascot would be a 'significant financial burden' as they would need to replace athletic facilities, uniforms and signage. He argues that money could be better spent on students. Illinois bill requiring food handlers to undergo celiac disease training passes Senate If the bill is signed into law, schools like Neoga could use previously-purchased gear until 2030, but could not buy anything new with that mascot. Additionally, schools can use mascots of a tribe or a famous Indigenous person if they get the consent from that federally recognized tribe. They will need to have learning partnerships with the tribe as well as policies to cut down on offensive portrayals. Additionally, school districts need to renew the written permission with the tribe every five years. Other school districts in Central Illinois that would be affected include Mt. Zion, Tuscola, Watseka, Nokomis, and Sullivan. The bill passed along party lines 71-40. A similar bill also bans mascots based on people with disabilities also passed Thursday. A school in Freeburg in St. Clair County has a mascot based around a slur for people with dwarfism. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Neoga School District delays restart date at tornado-damaged campus
NEOGA, Ill. (WCIA) — The Neoga Community Unit School District has announced that it is delaying the restart of instruction to ensure its tornado-damaged campus is safe for students and staff to return to. Superintendent Kevin Haarman said on the district's Facebook page that the decision was made after a thorough evaluation of the campus buildings by architects and engineers. That evaluation determined 'additional measures' are needed to ensure the buildings are safe to enter. 6 tornadoes confirmed, additional surveys underway after Friday Night's severe weather As a result of these extra measures, the district is making the following changes: The restart of instruction will be pushed back by two days and will now happen on Wednesday, March 26. High school students will resume instruction at the Neoga Community Center, which previously served as the elementary school Haarman said the extra two days will be considered 'Act of God days' and will not need to be made up. The last day of the school year is still scheduled for May 30. 'We are working diligently to finalize the logistics, including arrangements for student belongings, and will provide further communication on these details soon,' Haarman said. 'We appreciate your patience, support, and understanding as we navigate this challenging time together.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
‘We're going to get through it'; A look into tornado-damaged Neoga schools
NEOGA, Ill. (WCIA) — Students in Neoga were supposed to be back in school on Monday after spring break, but a tornado put their return on pause. Now, debris, pools of water and bricks sit in the place of students. Neoga church offers childcare, free meals for kids during school closure The storm damaged both the elementary and junior-high school buildings. Some areas are no longer safe for students, which is why class is cancelled for the week. Superintendent Kevin Haarman said he watched the damage unfold on school cameras late Friday night into Saturday morning. 'I saw just devastation in about every camera I had,' he said. That's when he left his home to see for himself. He didn't realize it standing in the dark, but the roof of the school's ag shop had been completely ripped off. The next morning, sunlight exposed the extent of the destruction across campus. 'Neoga strong': People ready to rebuild after EF-2 tornado 'When I came in, this [entrance] is one of the first areas that I came into, and this was a mess,' Haarman said. Plywood now pieces the elementary school together. Some areas of the junior-senior building are off limits due to safety. 'The junior high portion of our building is, I would say, 'gone,'' Haarman said. 'So that's just not possible for us to go back to that area.' Haarman said, while the damage is devastating to see, the situation is better than it could have been. 'Buildings can be replaced, [but] people can't,' he said. 'I'm just very thankful there were no kids or people in the school at the time, so nobody was injured, nobody was hurt.' UPDATE: Officials tour Neoga campus after damaging tornado Haarman said hundreds of people have called the district asking how they can help. Volunteers, including students, have been working alongside crews to rebuild. 'It seems bad now, and it is, but we're going to get through it and we're going to be stronger because of it,' he said. The plan going forward is to have junior high students move to the elementary building and keep the highschoolers in the least damaged parts of the junior-senior high. That could change as crews keep looking into the damage, however. Other places in the community have offered up space if that plan isn't possible. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
