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Controversy brews at Amundsen High School as parents call for firing of coach over comments about Gus Walz

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Published  August 27, 2024 9:28pm CDT
Ravenswood
FOX 32 Chicago

Controversy brews at Amundsen High School as parents call for coach's removal

Controversy is brewing on Chicago's North Side as some Chicago Public School (CPS) parents are calling for a conservative radio talk show host to be removed from her job at Amundsen High School.

The Brief

    • CPS parents are calling for the removal of Amy Jacobson, a radio host and volleyball coach at Amundsen High School, after she made insensitive remarks about a neurodivergent teen during her show.
    • Following the comments, co-host Dan Proft was removed from the board of Envision Unlimited, an organization supporting people with disabilities, due to the remarks being inconsistent with their values.
    • Chicago Public Schools emphasized their commitment to a safe and inclusive environment for all students, strongly disagreeing with any remarks that go against these values.

UPDATE: As of Wednesday afternoon, Amy Jacobson was no longer employed at CPS.

CHICAGO — Controversy is brewing on the city's North Side as some Chicago Public Schools (CPS) parents are calling for a conservative radio talk show host to be removed from her job at Amundsen High School.

Amy Jacobson is listed as the volleyball coach for the boys' and girls’ teams on the school's website. She and Dan Proft host Chicago's Morning Answer and talked about a moment during the Democratic National Convention (DNC) when Vice Presidential nominee Tim Walz's 17-year-old son, Gus, was shown cheering for his father.

Gus Walz is neurodivergent, meaning he has a non-verbal learning disorder and struggles with motor coordination and social skills. But that didn't stop the hosts from commenting on him. 

"There was that other moment with field marshal Walz with the IVF riff that we'd talked about. What's the deal with his kid? Can somebody get Gus Walz some ritalin?" said Proft. 

Proft sat on the board for Envision Unlimited in Chicago, which provides a variety of services for people with disabilities or other special needs.

Following the comments, the CEO of External Affairs for Envision Unlimited, Suzanne Ross, said: "It was brought to our attention that one of our board members made comments that were wholly inconsistent with our values and code of ethics as an organization and, at their core, insensitive and insulting to the very people and families that we serve. We immediately convened our board’s executive committee to discuss the situation and unanimously decided to remove this individual from our board."

The Chicago Tribune is reporting that some parents of Amundsen High School students want Jacobson pulled.

Jacobson and Proft gave an on-air apology, but for some parents, that's not enough and they are calling for her to be fired. 

CPS responded to the controversy, stating: "As a system, we are honored to serve all children, and we strive to ensure a safe, welcoming and inclusive environment, free of any bias, discrimination or harassment. We strongly disagree with any remarks contrary to those values." 

CPS did not confirm if Jacobson has been fired. 

FOX 32 Chicago reached out to AM 560 for comment but have not yet heard back. 

The Source

  • FOX 32's Tia Ewing reached out to Chicago Public Schools, Envision Unlimited and CPS parents to learn more about the details of this story.