Hinsdale D-86 Leader Splits Community: Official

HINSDALE, IL – A Hinsdale High School District 86 board member accused the superintendent in a January email of "continuing to foster a deep division in our district."

According to district emails, board member Peggy James was unhappy after Superintendent Tammy Prentiss read the withdrawal letter from an anti-racism consultant.

The North Carolina-based consultant, Valda Valbrun, pulled out from consideration after she received hateful messages from those she believed to be District 86 residents. She called Hinsdale a "dangerous place," where she would not be "physically comfortable."

Prentiss read Valbrun's letter at the beginning of the Jan. 13 school board meeting.

Since then, Prentiss' critics have questioned why she would publicly read a letter disparaging the community. Some contend the resulting publicity permanently scarred Hinsdale.

The critics also questioned whether Prentiss informed the board she would read the letter at the meeting.

Prentiss did.

Four hours before the session, Prentiss emailed the school board that Valbrun contacted her that she was withdrawing her proposal to be an anti-racism consultant for the district.

"I have received permission to read this statement publicly from Valda Valbrun," Prentiss said in her email to the board.

Within an hour, James responded to Prentiss, "Do you think it's wise to read this statement further criticizing the D86 community?"

Prentiss did not reply.

A day after the board meeting, James noted in an email to Prentiss that she had questioned whether it was wise to read the letter.

"Personally, I believe that the message should have been shared with you and the Board only," James said. "Valbrun Consulting was not hired by District 86 and frankly should not have a platform to criticize or further divide our community."

She took exception to the district's decision to include Valbrun's withdrawal letter in its "Board Briefs," which it publishes after each meeting. At the same time, she noted board members' comments aren't included in the briefs.

As it is, the "Board Briefs" present the administration's talking points, James said.

"The decision to include Valbrun's statement, but not board members' comments, speaks volumes and is cause for great concern," she said.

Prentiss responded a week later. She said "Board Briefs" was to provide a record of the information given to the board and actions taken.

Historically, Prentiss said, the district has not included a summary of board members' comments, outside the board president's.

In response, James noted Valbrun's statement to the Chicago Tribune that her first experience in District 86 was unpleasant. Valbrun contended she was met with hostility from front-office district employees, who told her that her interview would take place in the auditorium down the street, the newspaper said.

James took issue with Prentiss' statement about Valbrun's encounter, first made to the Tribune: "Sadly, Ms. Valbrun's experience is not unlike what some of our students and staff members have encountered during their time in our district."

The superintendent's statement, James said, added "fuel to the fire."

"The board has several policies in place related to bullying and harassment for all students," James said. "Are those policies being followed or enforced? How? Hiring consultants for future work doesn't address the immediate situation at the time they occur."

James is part of a minority on the board that criticizes Prentiss' administration generally and on the Valbrun issue specifically. The others in the minority are Jeff Waters and Debbie Levinthal.

The majority is made up of board President Terri Walker and Erik Held, Cynthia Hanson and Kathleen Hirsman. They mostly support the administration.

In recent Facebook comments, Held took the opposite position of James and her allies on the Valbrun situation.

"Remember we didn't even get the chance to have the formal, board-level interview with the consultant, as she was chased out of town," Held wrote.

Prentiss had some role in the drafting of Valbrun's letter, the degree to which has been the subject of a local debate.

Valbrun has not returned repeated calls for comment.