A Rare Apology In Elmhurst D205 Debates

ELMHURST, IL – At school board meetings and online, Elmhurst residents rarely concede points, let alone apologize, in debates over education issues.

That's what made Tuesday's Elmhurst School District 205 board meeting different: A resident apologized.

During public comments, resident Bill Sullivan told the board it was the target of a "not-so-thinly-veiled threat" at a recent meeting.

He pointed to resident Jon Baker's comments at the July 25 session. At the time, Baker urged the board against reprimanding York High School teacher Kelly DeLoriea in response to a complaint from local conservative leader Tom Chavez.

"It's your teacher or Tom Chavez," Baker, a local progressive, told the board. "Make the right choice. Because I tell you that if you make the right choice, I'm ready to defend you. I'm here to support you, and I'm here to vote for you. Make the wrong choice, and I will be doing a lot more than speaking at your meetings."

Much of the audience applauded.

At Tuesday's meeting, Sullivan described Baker's comment as threatening. (Sullivan did not mention Baker's name because of the board president's new prohibition on referring to individuals' names during public comments.)

"This can't go unanswered," Sullivan said. "This is a big accusation. This undermines the board of education."

In a coincidence, Baker was called next to speak.

"How fortuitous that I get to follow him because I'm the thug that threatened you," Baker told the board.

But Baker said what Sullivan and his allies did not know was that he reflected on his comments and wrote a letter of apology to board members.

"I don't regret what I said, but I do regret the way I said it," Baker said. "It was probably not a good choice of words."

He said he speaks extemporaneously at meetings, relating how he feels.

"I'm very happy that you responded and accepted the apology," said Baker, who has lived in Elmhurst for more than four decades.

He promised to speak more carefully in the future.

"But what I have to say won't change: You need to support your teachers. You need not succumb to pressures from groups that want to redirect this school's education to fit their own very narrow view of how the world should operate," Baker said. "Do that, and I won't talk to you anymore because you would be doing a good job."

Under its policy, the board does not respond to public comments.