Geneva High Counselor Accused of Sending Pro-Union Text

A Geneva High School guidance counselor has been suspended without pay for allegedly sending a message to students and parents through the use of a District 304 app, urging them to sign a petition during the December teachers' strike. The counselor, M. Brian Vaughan, was accompanied by an attorney from the Illinois Education Association and Geneva Education Association President Kevin Gannon during a closed session District 304 school board meeting on Monday. Following the closed session meeting, the school board voted to suspend Vaughan without pay and to issue a written reprimand, according to the Kane County Chronicle.

The Remind app Vaughan used to send a text to Geneva High School parents and students on Dec. 8 is meant to be used for school matters, the Daily Herald reports. The text urged people to sign a pro-union petition. The Geneva Education Association publicly apologized following the incident and said the text was sent "in error."

It’s unclear at this point how long Vaughan will be suspended without pay.

More via the Kane County Chronicle and the Daily Herald

PHOTO VIA GOOGLEMAPS

PHOTO CAPTION: Dozens of District 304 teachers march Sunday, Dec. 9, outside Geneva High School ahead of a bargaining session with the D304 school board. PHOTO CREDIT: Amie Rowland