D124 Board Puts Off Decision To Rescind Offer To New Principal

EVERGREEN PARK, IL -- Parents and faculty erupted in anger after Evergreen Park Elementary School Dist. 124 board members announced that no action would be taken after meeting for over two hours in closed session to determine the fate of an incoming principal dogged by allegations of misconduct at his former school. Dr. Matthew Eriksen was offered the position earlier this month as principal at Central Middle School effective July 1. (Watch the Evergreen Park Facebook Live stream of the meeting.)

The school board called a special meeting Wednesday evening after learning that Eriksen had been placed on leave from his previous job as a middle school principal for North Shore School District 112, amid accusations of sexually harassing subordinates, bullying, intimidation, sexism, enlisting staffers to conduct research for his graduate school studies and drinking on school grounds.

As previously reported by Patch, parents in the North Shore school district were notified in January that Eriksen had been placed on “administrative leave for personal reasons” from Edgewood Middle School in Highland Park. A Jan. 3 letter from district officials assured parents that the reasons for Eriksen’s removal did not involve the "health, safety or welfare of any students or community members." D112 administrators say they are forbidden from commenting, but Eriksen was allowed to remain on the district’s payroll through June 30 as part of a negotiated resignation.

>>> D124 Calls Special Meeting Over Allegations About New Principal

Staffers from D112, who spoke with Patch on the condition of anonymity, described a toxic work environment in Eriksen’s building, alleging that he frequently made comments about women's bodies, references to sexual acts and pressuring his employees to drink alcohol.

Before D124 members went into closed session, Linda Blaeser, a teacher at Northeast Elementary School and president of Dist. 124’s teacher’s union, asked that board members rescind the offer made to Eriksen on May 16. She also spoke of a communication that she and her colleagues, as well as the D124 board, received several weeks ago from an Edgewood Middle School staff member.

“It is my hope that the purpose of this meeting is to rescind the offer made to Dr. Eriksen,” Blaeser said. “If not, it is my responsibility to let [the board] know that the staff at Central Middle School will be advised to never meet with Dr. Eriksen alone, and, if put into the position of having to meet with him, that [union members] will request that a fellow union member be present at any meetings or conversations.”

Jeanne Olson, a parent of two Dist. 124 students, also asked pointed questions about the board’s vetting process when they hired Eriksen.

“Whatever the outcome, I do hope that the board and administration communicate exactly where the failure occurred with this process and the lessons they learned,” Olson said. “I hope you are completely transparent with the Dist 124 community because you owe it to them.”

Kristin Bilas, a speech pathologist for Dist. 124 and the parent of two D124 student, called the revelations in the Patch story and other sources “disturbing.”

“Where did the disconnect and miscommunication happen and how can we have the assurances that this will not happen again in our children’s experiences,” Bilas asked.

Other parents also voiced concerns about the district’s vetting process of new staff hires. Monica Cisneros and her husband, Carlos, said they moved to Evergreen Park from Chicago three years ago so their four children could attend Dist. 124 schools, including a daughter who just wrapped up sixth grade at Central Middle School.

“The contract should be rescinded immediately, [Eriksen] shouldn’t be entering our school system,” Carlos Cisneros said. “This is the kind of culture that chases away our best teachers.”

While waiting, parents and teachers passed around candy bars and took bets on when the board would return from their closed session. Eriksen was spotted being led out of a back door of the district’s administration building. The board returned at 8:30 p.m., after meeting for two-and-a-half hours.

“There will be no board action taken tonight,” D124 board president Kimberly Leonard said, reading from a written statement. “The board of education has met with Dr. Matthew Eriksen in closed session this evening. A meeting will be scheduled in the near future to give Dr. Eriksen the opportunity to formally address the board.”

The tentative date for that meeting is June 14.

“Are you kidding me,” a parent yelled.

“That was the most spineless move I’ve ever seen,” another parent said.

Public comments at D124 board meeting regarding new CMS principal

D124 Board returns from closed session. "No action will be taken."

Photo: Dr. Matthew Eriksen | D124