Hinsdale D86 Leader Chided By Board President

DARIEN, IL – Hinsdale High School District 86's board president chided one of the district's interim superintendents in an email last week.

That was a "red flag" for a board member who has since resigned.

At last week's board meeting, then-member Kay Gallo brought up an email that President Catherine Greenspon sent to interim Superintendent Linda Yonke. It may also have been sent to the other interim superintendent, Raymond Lechner.

Gallo noted no member, including the president, has power alone, suggesting Greenspon exceeded her authority.

"One board member cannot give the superintendents direction," Gallo said.

She read part of Greenspon's message to Yonke: "So that it is clear, there will be no changes to the board meeting agendas without explicit approval from me as a board president."

"That came to me as a big surprise," Gallo said. "I was taken aback by that."

Greenspon said that was Gallo's interpretation, but said she would "love" to hear other board members' views.

The other members backed Greenspon.

Member Jeff Waters described Greenspon's email as written "eloquently and objectively," while member Asma Akhras asked whether Gallo only knew of one such incident.

Gallo replied, "Do you want me to go back in history?"

No one apparently did.

Explaining her email, Greenspon said she disliked the "alarming" practice of the superintendent changing the titles of meeting agenda items and adding supporting documentation after the agendas are posted two days before a meeting.

"It's very problematic," Greenspon said. "It is an unfair assumption that board members will continue to check the agenda and the supporting documents until Thursday's meeting when it's posted online Tuesday."

Gallo said that when Greenspon told Yonke she was giving direction, that was a "red flag for me."

When the discussion was over, Greenspon asked, "Anything else, Kay?"

"I'm done," Gallo responded.

And before the meeting was over, Gallo was done for good. She resigned, saying in a letter that she had no faith in the board's leadership.

Patch has filed a public records request for Greenspon's email and Gallo's response.