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Schools

Mediator Rejects Complaints Filed Against D46 Board

First round of school code violations denied.

Libertyville attorney Richard Mittelman, the mediator hired by to review allegations made against school board members, has rejected the first group of claims. He revealed this finding during a District 46 board meeting May 31.

The complaints were filed by board candidate Marchell Norris and newly elected board member Shannon Smigielski before the April 5 school board election. All cite violations of school code 2-105, including using PTO email and distributing literature on school property for the incumbent’s political campaigns.

The findings do not include the more recent 300-page complaint filed by Lennie Jarratt.

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Of the seven complaints filed, two were made against re-elected board member Sue Facklam, two against former board President Mary Garcia, one against Facklam and current board member Karen Weinert, and one against Facklam, Garcia and Weinert jointly. The seventh was filed against former board member Colleen Wade.

Only a sprinkling of parents and community members were in attendance at the Special Board Meeting, which may have been due to it not being a regularly scheduled meeting.

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“It’s been a circus,” said Sarah Watters, parent of two children in the district and an active PTO member. “Whatever district you look at, you can pick it apart. There are people making allegations here without basis.”

After almost two hours in closed session, the board returned, and by majority rule voted to accept Mittelman’s findings. Facklam and Weinert were excluded from voting on the complaints against themselves. Smigielski could not vote on the five complaints she had filed. 

The lone voices of dissent, newly elected board member Kip Evans and Smigielski, were not enough to overcome the votes of board President Ray Millington, Vice President Keith Surroz, Weinert and, in two cases, Facklam.

Board member Michael Carbone attended the closed session, but was not in attendance for the vote. Had he participated and voted to reject the findings it would have created a tie vote on two of the complaints.

“What this is saying is that Mr. Mittelman found there was no violation,” said Surroz. “The majority of the board did not reject his findings. Shannon could take the complaints, as a private citizen, to the States Attorney’s office should she choose to.”

The matter is now out of the board’s hands and remains to be seen whether or not further action will be taken by the governmental agencies that have been forwarded the information.

“All this means is that it’s been removed from the board’s responsibility,” said Smigielski. “I fully expected the vote to come out as it did. One of the complaints is already with the Attorney General’s Office and at least one will go to the state’s attorney.”

After the vote, the board appointed Cathy Santelle as principal of Woodview School and Matt Melamed as principal of Park School. Santelle was previously assistant principal at Frederick School and Melamed had been district curriculum coordinator.

The next board meeting will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 15, at Grayslake Middle School.

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