Hinsdale D-86 Debate: Hateful Messages To Equity Consultant

HINSDALE, IL — Hinsdale High School District 86 officials have taken heat for the situation involving an anti-racism consultant last month.

So has the consultant, Valda Valbrun. Through a resident's recent public records request, the district released two messages with expletives directed toward Valbrun, who is based in Charlotte, North Carolina.

She upset residents when she called Hinsdale a "dangerous place" in a letter after withdrawing from consideration as an equity consultant for the district. To some degree, Superintendent Tammy Prentiss was involved in drafting the letter.

This voicemail was sent to anti-racism consultant Valda Valbrun. The message includes an expletive.

Last month, the district was poised to hire Valbrun. But then one of her tweets surfaced. In the message, she labeled high-profile Republican governors "devils" and called for the implosion of the entire GOP.

That tweet caused a stir. In withdrawing, Valbrun cited "vitriol" in direct messages from the district's residents.

In an undated voicemail to Valbrun, a man gave his name, but it is hard to make out.

"I want to know why you have interfered in Hinsdale, Illinois, if you're out of Carolina," the man said. "I would really like to know. What's your business here? If you have the balls to call me, thank you. If not, f--- off. Terrible people. Terrible."

On Jan. 25, Valbrun sent Superintendent Prentiss an email she received from someone, apparently a district resident. Valbrun called the message "just a sample."

The district redacted the name of the sender. The person's email was dated 12 days after Valbrun withdrew.

"A public thank you to the Hinsdale Board for keeping you out of Illinois. It's not because of your skin color; it's because you're an a--h---," the person wrote Valbrun, who is African American. "Of course, you have to blame it on race."

The person continued, "'Equity' means 'freebies' for mooches like you. You were met with 'hostility from employees'; were they supposed to elevate you to Queen? Have you ever had a real job, or have you spent your adult life pretending? Meanwhile, lucky Charlotte. Please stay there."

Valbrun has not returned calls for comment.