Three D135 Employees Fired Following Lengthy Closed Session

Orland School District 135 lost another three employees early Friday morning, following a review of an incident at Park School that allegedly happened in October.

The D135 board members voted 5-2 in favor of terminating the staff members after a closed session meeting starting Thursday night and continuing past midnight Friday. Members Lynne Donegan and Joe LaMargo voted against the terminations.

While the district would not confirm where the staff members worked within the district, and in what capacity, they did say in a statement released Friday that “The Board of Education has concluded its review of the practices within the early childhood classroom at Park School.”

At the March 11 board meeting, parents of students in the Park School early childhood class confronted the board after they were told in February that an incident happened in October where the Department of Child and Family Services was contacted. According to the parents, they were told nothing more, and demanded specifics about what happened.

Following a lengthy closed session meeting on March 11, the classroom instructor and director of special education both resigned.

Board president John Carmody told the Chicago Tribune that DCFS has not pursued any further investigation to his knowledge.

According to the district’s statement released Friday:

“The Board has taken appropriate action for its students and staff. The current Crisis Plan will continue to be in place.  The District will reinforce the policies and procedures with the staff. The Board has directed the attorney for the District to explore an independent oversight position that will give every employee a vehicle to report matters in confidence.”

LaMargo said in his own statement that an “unfair action was taken by members of the Orland School District 135 Board” during Thursday night’s meeting.

According to LaMargo’s statement:

“I haven’t seen anything that I would consider evidence that indicated that these individuals did anything inappropriate that warranted their dismissals. I asked if anyone on the school board, in the audience or administration had any further information that it be presented publicly because I have not seen it.  If they did that with relative information, I would have agreed with the action that was taken. Short of that, there was no reason for me to go along with the firing of these employees, jeopardizing their livelihoods and reputations.”

LaMargo voted in favor of receiving the resignations at the March 11 meeting, and said in the statement that the incident at Park School had been resolved.

Messages left with Carmody and Illinois Federation of Teachers Field Service Director Deneen Pajeau, who was on hand during Thursday’s closed session meeting, were not returned Friday afternoon.

Looking for more school stories?

• D135 Candidates Talk Nepotism Policies (Video)

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