Category: schools

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Update: Can Your 3rd Grader read? Likely NO in Public School

Follow-up story: https://blnnews.com/2025/12/05/why-cant-3rd-graders-read-dont-blame-covid/ By: Diane Benjamin https://www.illinoispolicy.org/how-well-are-your-local-third-graders-reading/ Even under loosened proficiency standards, over half of Illinois third graders couldn’t read at grade level in 2025. District 87 has no schools where over 50% of 3rd graders were proficient. Unit 5 has ONE. Obviously education isn’t the goal. Page down to the bottom – Tri-Valley’s one elementary school is […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Update on Derek Lopez – he’s still being held in custody

By: Diane Benjamin I can’t post links to this information because a PACER account is required to access federal case information. Lopez has one charge against him. His court appointed attorney requested bail, the judge denied it. An Order of Protection against him was granted, I don’t know who requested it. The below was copied […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Property Tax Scams

By: Diane Benjamin If you own a house you are renting it from all those taxing bodies on your bill. If you don’t pay the bill it will be stolen from you. Scams abound this time of year because all of them are raising your taxes. More than once I’ve heard “the owner of a […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Fixing another WGLT article

By: Diane Benjamin This is the article that needs some work: https://www.wglt.org/local-news/2025-10-30/new-report-cards-show-fewer-exemplary-b-n-schools-and-more-with-struggling-student-groups The “new report cards” are based on results from LAST SCHOOL YEAR. The article fails to mention that fact, reading it makes it sound like the information is current. Results from kids now in school won’t be known until the kids are tested […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Why Unit 5 Board Chair got by with his comments

By: Diane Benjamin If you forgot the comments by Alex Williams, see them here: https://blnnews.com/2025/09/20/controversy-surrounds-unit-5-board-chair-alex-williams/ Governor Pritzker gave a speech to the Illinois Federation of Teachers. His comments about Trump supporters were vile. Worse, he got a standing ovation from the TEACHERS present. . Alex Williams knows the administration and teachers in Unit 5 have […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Unit 5 Indoctrination at Cedar Ridge

H/T a reader Did you know October is LGBT history month? What happened to all the other letters? Elementary kids are probably 5-10 years old. How are teachers explaining to them what LGBT stands for? Ask you kids! Cedar Ridge Elementary students and visitors are greeted with this: . Since the entire month of October […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Derek Lopez Confession

By: Diane Benjamin It is alway nice when criminals confess. Derek Lopez wrote the below on X. He blamed the victim and not himself, typical deflection: . Below are excerpts from an email sent by Turning Point USA: . Pick a side.

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Is Derek Lopez really still in jail?

By: Diane Benjamin If you didn’t know, the McLean County Sheriff’s office has an app that allows looking up inmates being held: https://mcleancountyil.gov/95/Sheriff I know it feels like too many accused persons are let loose with no bail, but the app is currently showing 218 inmates. One of them is Lopez even though initial reports […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

UPDATE: ISU TA attacks Turning Point Table – TWICE

Lopez was arrested. This does not say he was banned from campus: By: Diane Benjamin Make sure you read this entire post because Unit 5 is involved too. In case you missed the first story: https://blnnews.com/2025/10/15/more-reasons-isu-should-be-embarrassed/ Since it appears ISU did nothing, including the ISU police, the same guy repeated his criminal activities: . This […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Readers: Information needed

I heard a story this morning. The short version is: A child suffered an elbow injury courtesy of a school bully and the school is doing nothing. The child has a cast. When this child returned to school the bully resumed attacks. A teacher did not reprimand the bully. I don’t know what district or […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Libs of TikTok featured Corey Beirne yesterday

By: Diane Benjamin Beirne has joined Matt Chapman as a Libs of TikTok star: https://blnnews.com/2025/10/09/normal-community-report-card/ Side note: Media reported Unit 5 didn’t have any consequences for Chapman’s political shirt because it didn’t disrupt any classes. The picture of him was taken by a person inside Normal Community High School who considered it inappropriate enough to […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Update: Email from an ISU Communist

Picture added by request By: Diane Benjamin This is the email writer: . This self-admitted communist sent this email – note the typos and command of the English language: . In case the print is too small, here is the text: I tried to leave a comment on your posts about the Nazi situation (I […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Public Reaction to Unit 5 Education Controversy

By: Diane Benjamin The Unit 5 response to concerns about both School Board President Alex Williams and teacher Matt Chapman was to create a video of employees talking about how great Unit 5 is. The video quality is horrible and garbled. Hear it yourself at 40:25: https://vimeo.com/event/5178296 That is yet another fail for Unit 5. […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Going to Unit 5 School Board Meeting Tonight?

In case you need to some help speaking, below are a FEW of the MANY emails that were FOIA’d by a friend. I redacted the sender’s names because they aren’t important. Many parents feel just like you. (Note Weikle forwarded the email without comment and is still using pronouns) Did the Pantagraph ever do a […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Press Release: McLean County Republicans

Issued today by: Connie Beard, Communications Chairman

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

More Reasons ISU should be Embarrassed

By: Diane Benjamin Illinois State University SHOULD be embarrassed but probably won’t be. Monday this happened on the ISU campus: . This is the guy student say flipped their table, a police report was filed: . I’m sure ISU knows who this guy is. Are they doing anything to him? Is this the poster child […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Operation: Let Them Speak

By: Diane Benjamin There were several comments from people claiming to be NCHS Matt Chapman students I didn’t post. Personal attacks on me were automatically deleted. They were made to this story: https://blnnews.com/2025/10/10/matt-chapman-comment-from-a-student/ This one I saved just for a story. Eventually every leftists will show their true colors and prove the indoctrination they tried […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

New Uptown TIF Proposal: What You Need to Know

By: Diane Benjamin WGLT story: https://www.wglt.org/local-news/2025-10-08/normal-looks-to-create-new-uptown-tif-to-spur-development?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook 2024 Downtown Development TIF report: https://files.illinoiscomptroller.gov/LocGovTIF/FY2024/06409531/24TIF06409531Downtown_volpment_1.pdf PDF page 8 shows this TIF is underwater: ($47,720,848) Normal taxpayers are on the hook for expenses the TIF didn’t generate enough revenue to pay. Now Normal wants a new Uptown TIF and claims to have developers interested. The WGLT story did an […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Normal Community Report Card

By: Diane Benjamin Last night I had a comment from a person I didn’t post. The writer claimed Matt Chapman was a great teacher who helped a son a lot. This person also stated Chapman wears shirts with political messages to spur classroom discussions. That person failed to notice not every student at NCHS is […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Teachers Don’t Have Freedom of Speech in Classrooms!

By: Diane Benjamin If you don’t understand that concept you didn’t read yesterday’s story word-for-word: https://blnnews.com/2025/10/07/proof-political-propaganda-is-allowed-at-unit-5/ This isn’t a tough thing to understand if you start with the fact kids are classroom captives. They can’t get up and walk out. They are forced to endure whatever propaganda a teacher wants them exposed to. If communication […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Update: Proof Political Propaganda is allowed at Unit 5

See more to this story: https://blnnews.com/2025/10/07/see-what-matt-chapman-is-teaching/ By: Diane Benjamin Ever heard of a Learning Resources Department? Normal Community High School has one: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zfzNT6fVHQoWP_qpPrqoXpTzqEAlWzMvOonbdQfn8Kw/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.6q39cva8yy6e 28 teachers are listed with an additional 6 support staff. This guy is one of the listed teachers: . Note Chapman teaches Civics and US History. This is also Matt Chapman: . […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Abby Scott is “grateful” for Alex Williams

By: Diane Benjain Abby fails to state her husband, Corey Beirne, is employed by Unit 5. Beirne can’t say this himself since he is likely running for re-election: . Let me remind you what Alex Williams stated on social media: . Abby thinks his comments are positive? According to Abby Scott, Bloomington Ward 9 alderman, […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Area School Superintendent Salaries

By: Diane Benjamin The Illinois Policy Institute recently posted a story that contains a link to easily look up school superintent’s salaries: https://www.illinoispolicy.org/illinois-superintendent-pay-doesnt-match-performance-district-consolidation-could-help/ I don’t necessarily agree with consolidation because larger organizations usually become less efficient. When they aren’t spending their own money there is no incentive to be fiscally responsible. Anyway: These salaries mostly […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Is this why schools aren’t always safe?

By: Diane Benjamin Illinois passed a bill in 2015 to reform education. In 2014 the US Department of Education determined racist policies (civil rights violations) existed in Illinois schools. Who was president in 2014? See the report from the Illinois Education Association dated January 2024 below. I wonder if Unit 5 Board chair Alex Williams […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Want to Know Why Every Kid at Evans is punished? See this!

By: Diane Benjamin h/t a reader The State of Illinois doesn’t believe in judging students based on their character/behavior. The Illinois State Board of Education looks only at the proportional discipline based on skin color. Unit 5 was put on notice that too many people of color have been suspended or expelled. They were forced […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

UPDATED: Evans Junior High justice?

See this 2022 story about the same school: https://blnnews.com/2022/11/23/evans-junior-high-6th-graders-indoctrination/ By: Diane Benjamin The below was sent to me by a parent who received it. It came from Evan Junior High and not signed by the sender. The return email address is generic. The bottom line is: 6th grade students are being punished because of the […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

WEEK 25 does news: Unit 5 and Alex Williams

By: Diane Benjamin Last night a Peoria TV station’s lead story at 6:00 pm was the petition asking for the resignation of Alex Williams from the Unit 5 School Board. See the video and story here: https://www.25newsnow.com/2025/09/30/petition-circulates-calling-unit-5-school-board-presidents-resignation-after-controversial-social-media-posts/ If course Unit 5 had no comment. Alex Williams promised WEEK a comment and never provided one. You […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Seriously Tri-Valley?

By: Diane Benjamin https://www.tri-valley3.org/o/district/article/2444046 .\ Know who else offers free dental exams for students? Chicago Public Schools, not a model anyone should emulate. Orland Park Dental Services created jobs for themselves by providing this mobile service. How much are Tri-Valley district taxpayers getting billed for this? We won’t know until after 11/10/25. How much other […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Unit 5 School Board Doesn’t Care What You Think

By: Diane Benjamin Follow-up to this story: https://blnnews.com/2025/09/20/controversy-surrounds-unit-5-board-chair-alex-williams/ A taxpayer sent an email to the Unit 5 School Board concerning the comments made by the Board Chair Alex Williams. She received a response. Below is a copied response since a picture of the email would be hard to read, I did include a picture at […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Controversy Surrounds Unit 5 Board Chair Alex Williams

By: Diane Benjamin MANY people have sent this to me. I feel there is more to add to this conversation, hence this story. This I believe was originally posted by the McLean County Republicans, I edited the photo to only show the comments made by Unit 5 Board Chair Alex Williams: . I will address […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

What kind of buses Unit 5?

By: Diane Benjamin Last night’s agenda is here: https://meetings.boardbook.org/Public/Organization/1482 I can’t wait for property bills next year. I can’t wait to hear how much property taxes increase because those who bothered to vote were conned into believing their property taxes would decrease if the 1% Sales Tax increase passed. Still no word from the State’s […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

No Justice No Peace?

By: Diane Benjamin Obviously the City of Bloomington is not going to hold elected officials or the City Manager accountable for violating City code. In case you forgot: https://blnnews.com/2025/07/11/the-latest-people-bloomington-prosecuted-for-violating-city-code/ Add City Manager Jeff Jurgens to that story. He is allowed by code to spend $50,000 (needs reduced!) without Council approval. He exceeded that amount with […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

4 Things You Need To Know

By: Diane Benjamin 1) From a reader, I will just use his words. He was mailing a birthday card: I was driving to the post office in Morton to make the early Saturday cutoff. A mailman was delivering so I stopped on the road and gave him the letter, asking if it will go out […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

I Found It and I Burned It!

By: Diane Benjamin After looking for months I finally found it! I’ve been saying for a long time when I do find this I can’t wait to burn it! I did yesterday. Below are 2 videos. The 1st one is 3 minutes and 33 seconds and explains most of why I did this. The second […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Unit 5: You won’t want to see your property tax bill this year

By: Diane Benjamin h/t a reader https://meetings.boardbook.org/Public/Agenda/1482?meeting=702240 . Remember when they promised to use 33% of the new Sales Tax Revenue to reduce property taxes? https://meetings.boardbook.org/Documents/WebViewer/1482?file=094c40a2-40b3-4c72-913f-21da99d1f3c1

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Unit 5 Emails Affirm Delusions

By: Diane Benjamin Follow-up to this story: https://blnnews.com/2025/08/13/does-unit-5-own-your-kids/ The email in that story showed Unit 5 hiding facts from parents. The emails below were received by FOIA. If multiple emails are in one picture, start reading them from the bottom. All concern kids deciding they are trans, mental health services are never mentioned. Unit 5 […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Does Unit 5 own your kids?

By: Diane Benjamin Unit 5 is hiding what goes on at school from parents. See this email for proof: At school your child can pretend to be anything they want and Unit 5 will affirm it. They will also make sure parents never find out. Don’t let these psychopaths give your child ANY mental health […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Is District 87 indoctrinating instead of teaching?

By: Diane Benjamin See the Illinois Report Card for District 87 Bloomington High School: https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/School.aspx?source=trends&Schoolid=170640870250001 If the goal is education they flunked. 77% graduate anyway. The District 87 website has many curriculum links. This is one for English: https://www.district87.org/o/bhs/documents/faculty-%26-staff/english/english-syllabi/455251 This is on the list, Freshman Literature and Composition: Freshman_Lit_Comp_23-24_-_BHS.pdf . Night is a biography of […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

August is OPT-OUT of the Teacher’s Union Month

By: Diane Benjamin The Teacher’s Unions don’t need money to get their candidates elected to local school boards. They didn’t have to spend a dime last April because only their candidates ran. Unions now control the schools. https://www.illinoispolicy.org/august-is-teacher-union-opt-out-time-what-you-need-to-know/ Excerpts: Illinois teachers’ unions spend little on representing teachers, what should be their core focus. So why should teachers […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

ISU’s DEI Practices Under Scrutiny: A Closer Look

By: Diane Benjamin If you missed yesterday’s story, read it now: https://blnnews.com/2025/08/05/bloomington-quit-celebrating-mlk-day/ Many of the leaders of this Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion event are associated with Illinois State University. That is important to remember while reading this story: https://www.wglt.org/local-news/2025-08-05/isu-to-digest-u-s-attorney-generals-message-on-unlawful-dei ISU is figuring out how to comply with demands to end unlawful discrimination. The US Attorney […]