See Video: Tempers Flare At Hinsdale D-86 Meeting

BURR RIDGE, IL – A big debate on the Hinsdale High School District 86 board is over something that the public knows little about – what goes on behind closed doors.

The majority and minority factions on the board differ over whether to approve the minutes of closed sessions.

Tempers flared in the discussion at Thursday's meeting. And at a meeting in June, the board's minority walked out of the room, effectively ending the meeting.

Earlier in Thursday's session, the board's minority rejected the minutes for two meetings in June. They objected to the closed session portions.

Later, the board voted 4-3 against three sets of minutes from February. They were drafted by minority member Peggy James, then the secretary. When the board reorganized in April, Terri Walker, a majority member, became the secretary.

At the June 23 meeting, the three-member minority walked out before the board could vote on the February minutes. James said board President Erik Held had heavily edited her minutes.

The board needs four members in person to conduct business. Because Held was hooked in remotely, the board meeting ended when the three left.

As it happens, Held was remote again on Thursday because he said he had the coronavirus. Majority member Cynthia Hanson was also taking part remotely.

When the February minutes came up, the board held no debate before the vote. It was 4-3, with minority members James, Jeff Waters and Debbie Levinthal in favor of the minutes and Held, Walker, Hanson and Kathleen Hirsman against.

After the majority cast its votes, James' turn came up.

Before she voted yes, James said, "I'm very disappointed in the fact that we have gotten to this point, where minutes that follow board policy ... to the letter are being rejected by fellow board members."

Waters asked majority members to explain their votes.

"I would like to understand why," he said.

Hirsman, who was presiding over the meeting, said the opportunity for discussion was before the vote.

When Waters continued, Hirsman raised her voice.

"Mr. Waters, Mr. Waters, I am talking. There is no obligation for a board member to explain their vote, and you can't demand that," she said.

James said not one board member reached out to her to question or discuss the minutes she drafted.

"That screams volumes to the fact that there are certain members of the board that are not willing to work with other members of this board, and that is a disappointment," she said.

"Glaringly obvious, member James," Waters added.

Someone in the audience said, "Disgusting."

Levinthal said she wanted the board to discuss the process of closed session minutes at a later meeting.

She said James' minutes were detailed and accurate, following board policy, yet the majority rejected them. At the same time, she said the board approved closed session minutes that were not detailed.

"So lots of room for revisionist history with this majority of the board," Levinthal said.

Because the minutes are from closed sessions, they are not public. That makes it hard to determine who is right in the debate.

The February closed sessions were during the height of public anger against Superintendent Tammy Prentiss. At least one formal complaint was filed against her at that point. The board later sided with Prentiss in that case.