CHANGE 150 PRESIDENT TRANSFERS SONS TO PEORIA CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
Encounter with Superintendent Contributes to Tough Decision, the leader of Peoria’s Change 150 group, known for his strong and frequent criticism of the superintendent and board of School District 150, has told friends and supporters he and his wife have decided to transfer their sons to Peoria Christian School. In an email Powell said, “This past year has been a difficult one for my family and for many families I know. It has driven us to make the very tough decision of taking our boys out of public school and moving them to Peoria Christian.”
Powell outlined his reasons for the decision, saying, “The school board and the superintendent have embraced an outdated and detrimental philosophy of education that is hurting our children and our community. This philosophy includes a heavy-handed, top-down model of leadership that intimidates and controls.”
Powell added, “A consequence of the administration’s current philosophy is the rampant turnover of principals. Over the past couple years dozens of principals have been released, forced into retirement, or required to change schools. Having such a rapid turnover is relationally unsettling. No data anywhere suggests that turmoil and instability improve education…”
On a personal level, Powell related, “The leadership issues of PSD 150 are troubling, but ultimately, it is the consistent stress that has proven to be the final straw. My wife had an encounter with the superintendent that got her kicked off school property in what we feel was an abuse of power. My oldest son witnessed this encounter and was troubled by the incident. It caused him to lose confidence in certain leaders at his school, leaving him anxious and afraid much of the year.” Powell cited other family incidents and experiences. He concluded, “These experiences and countless others have left our family frustrated, angry, sad, and on edge. We have become convinced that this emotional weight is not simply going to lift with the start of a new school year. That’s why we’ll be moving our boys to private school next year.” Powell points out he will “stay engaged with Change 150.”
IT’S NOW OFFICIAL…PSD 150 GUILTY OF INTIMIDATION
As charged in the above story and by countless others, School District 150 has been found guilty of intimidation by an Administrative Law Judge of the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board. The school district has been ordered to post throughout the district a notice that states it (the district) “will not threaten our employees, or otherwise interfere with our employees’ right to file grievances over their terms and condition of employment.” The posted notice also states the school administration “will not in any like or related manner, interfere with, restrain or coerce our employees in the exercise of the rights guaranteed them in the Act.”
School Resource Officers, once known as security officers, were represented by the Policemen’s Benevolent Labor Committee. The Labor Committee charged Lathan and District 150 with unfair labor practices. Hearings were held April 9 and 10 with district police officers citing what they considered were acts of intimidation by the superintendent and others during labor negotiations. Numerous incidents by the superintendent were claimed. Space doesn’t allow us to describe them all but here are a couple that were presented.
“Bargaining unit members were released for the day after a training session. As the district officers were heading for their cars they were ordered by their boss, Chief Greg Collins, back in the building because Superintendent Lathan wanted to speak to them even though she had spoken with them earlier in the day. When they returned, Lathan sounded upset and spoke in an angry, abrasive, or chastising tone. She said the more money the district spent on legal fees for litigation and grievances, the less money, (they would get) for the department.”
“Lathan told the bargaining unit members that if they did not like the way things were and could not get on board, they could find work elsewhere, find someone else to pay their bills, and remember where their money comes from when they make their mortgage payments and pay their bills.”
Five district police resource officers testified about these comments and others by Lathan. Lathan and two district attorneys testified on behalf of the district. The Judge ruled Superintendent Lathan and the district were indeed guilty of such unfair practices. While PSD 150 has 21 days to appeal, many are applauding the ruling saying it validates charges made by others in the community. One former district employee said, “This is a damning ruling for not only the superintendent but her board, too.” Another told me, “The ruling is a second defeat. The overwhelming defeat of board member Laura Petelle was the first and this is the second.”
BRUCE SAURS, ANOTHER COMMUNITY ICON, DIES
Much has been written and said about Bruce Saurs following his death at the age of 88. All positive. And why not? He did so much for so many. He was best known for his positive attitude unlike the Peoria Journal that started its editorial by talking about his small height. Geez.
Bruce was known for his leadership in the car industry. However, most people remember him for bringing professional hockey to Peoria. He was to hockey what Pete Vonachen was to baseball. Both were good friends. Both lamented that the two sports in Peoria were not primarily supported by local fans. Most of the fans who come to watch the Rivermen and the Chiefs were from out of town, they said. One could argue the same could be said about support for the Cardinals in St. Louis or the Cubs in Chicago. But, I digress.
A graduate of Peoria High, Bruce loved sports, especially baseball. He earned three letters in baseball at Central and played in two state tournaments. After graduating from Bradley, he was hired to teach and coach at his high school alma mater. He coached baseball at Central compiling a record of 121-62 that included two visits to state tournaments. He also wound up managing in the Sunday Morning League, as did his father, for Cohen Furniture. Sauers is credited with helping to start the first Little League baseball program in Peoria. In 1990 he was named to receive the Neve Harms Award for Meritorious Service to Sports, the same award his father, Eddie, received in 1968.
Bruce Sauers joins Pete Vonachen, Jim Maloof, Ralph Converse, Royce Elliott, Mike Dentino, and other icons who’ve passed away in the last two years. Some have said they’ll never be replaced. Only time will tell. I appreciated Bruce for our telephone interviews on “Breakfast with Royce and Roger.” Bruce was a regular listener and was always eager to tell us how much he enjoyed Royce, Alicia, and the sports guys, especially Mike Olson for his hockey knowledge and experience. Our condolences to the family of Bruce Sauers.
A RAISE FOR GRENITA? ARE YOU KIDDING?
To show just how dysfunctional the District 150 board has become they raised the salary of Superintendent Grenita Lathan. This after giving her a bonus of $10,000 last year and after all of the perceived scandals of the past year? You have to be kidding. This board is a joke, but no one is laughing. Why is it when people get elected the first thing they do is spend taxpayer money foolishly? It happens at almost every layer of government, especially in Washington D.C. Just the perceived vengeful way Dr. Lathan conducts business for District 150 is reason enough to flatly state, “Sorry, no raise until you change your leadership style.” However, you don’t get it from this board. That’s why Change 150 should receive greater support for its effort to change 150 by tossing out, removing each board member as they face re-election. And to show you how dumb, yes dumb, PJS editorialist Beetle Bailey is, he calls the 2% raise insignificant. He’s right if you’re talking about $100 or $1000, but this is a $207,000 salary. Do the numbers Beetle.
On top of that the board seeks to restrict freedom of speech. Reducing audience remarks to three minutes is a signal they don’t want to hear what their constituents feel or think about education issues. The arrogance of school board members continues. Hopefully, they’ll be rejected at the ballot box or the chaos in District 150 will continue.
UNUSUAL REPRIMAND
Peoria County board member Brad Harding has done it again. The District 16 Representative has angered his board colleagues with what they consider irresponsible behavior. Some were so mad on the Executive Committee they authorized a letter of reprimand. While the letter has no official penalty or no value beyond giving authors some therapeutic benefit, it did receive attention by the Peoria Journal and thus its readers. Most could care less.. Harding was cited for essentially his methods of asking questions of administrator Lori Curtis Luther and others in the board office. There have been rumors his language and innuendos were offensive, but no one has provided specifics, at least to this writer. The written reprimand may have been the first in the past 30 plus years if my memory serves me correctly. It’s unusual, very unusual. I think it was intended to embarrass Brad, but past behavior has already done that. Recall his issues with Peoria County Sheriff Mike McCoy. Still, I don’t believe it was the way board chairman, Tom O’Neill, would’ve handled it. O’Neill would’ve had a private meeting with Harding. It would’ve been more professional rather than political in nature. O’Neill is a Democrat and Harding a Republican. Such a meeting would’ve had the same benefit and probably same result without the unnecessary attention by the Democrat newspaper.
The truth is Andrew Rand, a Democrat, apparently deserves the same kind of letter. He’s allegedly been attacking the county administrator as well, perhaps not as harshly, but as unfairly, it appears. I’m told he was privately and inappropriately negotiating an Animal Welfare or PAWS contract at the same time Luther was. Not good. Rand is confused. Board members set policy. Administrators manage. As administrator of Advanced Medical Transport, the ambulance service owned by the three hospitals, he should know better. He has no authority to negotiate and O’Neill should tell him so. As further evidence of Rand’s meddling, I was told he wanted to bring in, at taxpayer expense, a consultant to “improve the county administrator’s management skills.” The board rejected Rand’s effort to waste $10,000 of taxpayer money. The Executive Committee and ‘Neill,
if they’re going to get into the practice of sending letters of reprimand, should adopt guidelines so it doesn’t appear political. In the meantime, if Rand has issues with the county administrator, he should meet with her to resolve them. If unsuccessful, Mr. Rand, make a motion to fire her. If that fails, and it should, quit undermining her. It should be noted Luther has been selected to participate in the inaugural class of the Edgard Fellows Program at the University of Illinois’ Institute of Government and Public Affairs, August 19-22. Congratulations to her.
QUOTE OF THE MONTH
When Laura Petelle applied to be appointed to the District 150 board seat she lost by a margin of 70% to 30%, she said, “It takes two years to get up to speed” after election to the school board.
Since Petelle cast the deciding vote to close Woodruff High School in her first year on the board, could one assume she wasn’t “up to speed” when she voted?