Regional Board of School Trustees denied Plaintiffs' petition to detach territory from 1 school district and annex it to another school district. Plaintiffs primarily offered evidence of their community of interest and the effect detachment would have on the whole child. Evidence of any significant direct educational benefit caused by the move was equivocal at best. Regional Board's conclusion that evidence did not establish that continuity of education was a significant direct educational benefit was a mixed question of law and fact that was not clearly erroneous. Regional Board correctly did not consider evidence related to the community of interest and the whole child. Regional Board was not clearly erroneous in concluding that Plaintiffs did not prove that those factors affecting their children's direct educational welfare clearly outweighed the detriment to the losing district and the community as a whole. (LYTTON and SCHMIDT, concurring.)
Illinois Appellate Court
Civil Court
School Districts