Everyone associated with “Change 150” is to be commended and congratulated for the upset victory by Sue Wolstenholm for District 3 of the Peoria School District. She defeated Laura Petelle by a stunning 70 to 30 percent even though she withdrew from the race three to four weeks before the March 18 election. This may have been one of the biggest upsets in the history of city elections. Seriously. Here’s why.
Wostenholm did no campaigning other than a couple of early appearances. She withdrew citing medical and personal reasons weeks before the election. The Peoria Journal, to no one’s surprise, strongly endorsed Petelle, the incumbent, in one of the longest editorials ever written for a school board candidate. Granted the editorial rambled as Mike Bailey’s writings normally do. But then, there was Pam Adams who continually showed her partisanship for Petelle with a couple of fluff pieces praising her for vague and unsubstantiated claims.
Enter columnist Phil Luciano with a fluff piece for Dr. Grenita Lathan. WMBD radio also attempted to denigrate “Change 150” by claiming in a newscast that the organization backing Sue Wolstenholm was not transparent because it was not releasing names of their contributors. WMBD also asked two supporters of “Change 150” to come to the station for an interview. Terry Knapp and Sharon Crews went to WMBD by invitation. They were ushered into a conference room and interviewed by four people, but listeners never heard from them. What was that all about?
But “Change 150,” numbering between 80-100 plus people, stayed focus. They organized and implemented one of the most effective campaigns I’ve ever witnessed. Volunteers, former teachers, parents of children in District 150, former district administrators and principals, former school board members, and other supporters, went door-to-door distributing literature and talking with voters. Unlike the newspaper or any other radio station, WOAM’s “Breakfast with Royce and Roger” provided a forum for “Change 150.” And tell it they did. They exposed the use of Procurement Cards, a credit card system, by District 150 staffers. Sharon Crews, with over 40 years of teaching experience, extensively researched the practice and claimed possible abuse. She cited purchase of flowers for people including board member Laura Petelle, late evening meals at a local steak house, expensive and numerous trips to San Diego, and more … a lot more. So much so, documents were turned over to the office of State’s Attorney Jerry Brady for review. After review, the documents were given to city police for their evaluation.
But they did more. They posted yard signs all over District 3. They printed and distributed informative “flyers” outlining the need for change beginning with the removal of Laura Petelle without mentioning her by name. They held news conferences stating and restating the purpose for “Change 150.” They used “robo calls” urging a vote for change by supporting Wolstenholm. Many thought Petelle helped their cause when she claimed anyone who didn’t vote for her “was wasting their vote.” I guess some 70% of voters wasted their votes. Truth is, that 70 or 69% who voted for Wolstenholm were actually voting as much against Dr. Lathan and the entire school board as Laura Petelle.
REACTION
The battle for change isn’t over. Once Wolstenholm officially withdraws, the school board will appoint someone to fill the vacancy until the next election in 2015. “Change 150” will be submitting their recommendations, but anyone from District 3 can apply for the empty seat. And despite the resounding victory, the school board is under no obligation to accept anyone on the list from the “Change” group.
Martha Ross said as much when she was quoted as saying she would consider voting for Laura Petelle. Martha didn’t get the message. The Peoria Journal didn’t get the message either. A post election story cited controversies regarding Charter Oak and a couple of other schools as the cause for Petelle’s defeat. Certainly, they were contributing factors, but “Change 150” was the consolidation of a number of groups with numerous complaints and concerns primarily about the negative culture existing in the school district’s administration and its school board.
GETTING HEATED
Instead of responding with a conciliatory reaction, it appears board folks want the battle to escalate. Reverend Linda Butler reacted by claiming opponents to their policies were lying and the defeated Petelle claimed her children and those of district administrators were victims of bullying by “Change 150” supporters. If true, they should file police reports and bring charges. No one condones such behavior.
It’s bothersome that a member of the clergy would call people “liars.”
Misinformed, perhaps, but charging them with lying?
Not good.
MORE TO COME
Critics will ask why millions continue to be spent on Peoria High after closing Woodruff High School to “save money.” They’ll also ask why there’s support for expansion of the Quest High School after the community was told there was no need for four high schools in Peoria.
Questions remain about the status of Peoria Stadium and why city schools have been told to claim their possessions at the sports complex. Some people want to know where and why school board members are allegedly meeting and/or talking about agenda items in violation of the Open Meetings Act. Board members should be required to sign, under oath, statements that they have not met and/or discussed agenda items before regular meetings. There’s more to come in 2014.
STRIKE THREE?
“Breakfast with Royce and Roger” started on WOAM in November, 2002, on WOAM with the late and great comedian, Royce Elliott and this writer. It was conceived as a way to have fun with the chance to make a little money. We had a lot of fun and made a little money (emphasis on little). The success of the show centered on Royce’s professional joke-telling skill and his marvelous quick wit. His humor was complimented by the numerous local and national guests we recruited without difficulty Pete Vonachen, mayors Jim Maloof and Jim Ardis, the talented and very funny Mike Dentino, Sheriff Mike McCoy, states attorneys Kevin Lyons and Jerry Brady, to former Congressman Bob Michel, Jonathan Winters, Barbara Mandrell, Rudy Gatlin of the Gatlin Brothers, Pat Hughes (voice of the Cubs), the late Jack Buck and more, many more. We had outstanding local personalities doing sports like Ed Dwyer, Matt George, Bob Sulaski, Bud Murphy, Phil Salzer, Mike Olson, Tom Kahn, Steve Young, and Alicia Butler. When Royce passed away, Alicia stepped up as co-host and news director for the show. And what a job she has done!!! But, I digress. After a Friday morning show, Bob Kelly, WOAM owner, announced he was shutting the station down. And so he did. Strike one.
A couple of years later, Larry Nelson of Plano, Illinois, bought WOAM and put it and “Breakfast with Royce and Roger” back on the air. We were elated and so were our loyal listeners, all 12 of them. Larry employed Jim Sauers as station manager, Steve Young as sales manager, Lee Malcolm as production manager, and a couple of sales people. After a little over a year, Nelson dumped everyone, keeping only Malcolm as a part-timer. Strike two.
A couple of months later, after some serious negotiations, “Breakfast with Royce and Roger” was back on the air at some personal financial cost and profit for the station. However, on March 25, Nelson said he was closing WOAM offices and moving operations to the station transmitter in rural Pekin. Effective April 4, there would be no local programming spelling the end of Sunday’s “Red Nose Gang” and the daily “Breakfast with Royce and Roger” show. Strike 3!
Or is it? I think I foul-tipped the ball and the catcher did not, did not, hang on to it. While they look at video replays, Roger is seeking another station interested in broadcasting the popular morning gig that showed an increase in listenership in the recent radio survey.
Stay tuned. The fat lady has not started singing, yet.
QUOTE OF THE MONTH
“Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.”
—Marcel Proust