Want Report On Hinsdale D-86 Official? It's Secret

HINSDALE, IL – Hinsdale High School District 86 decided Monday to keep secret the report from the investigation into a complaint that Superintendent Tammy Prentiss launched a "one-way tirade" against a resident.

By requesting the document, Patch wanted Prentiss' response to the allegations. Earlier, the media outlet had specifically requested her written response, but the district indicated no such record existed.

Her side of the story is likely included in the report on the investigation by the Robbins Schwartz law firm.

So Patch sought the report, but the district told Patch that it would not disclose it, labeling the document "confidential."

The district cited the secrecy of attorney-client communications as an exception under the state's open records law.

Government bodies often hire law firms for investigations of such matters and then use the legal exception to maintain secrecy. If another type of firm conducted such an inquiry, the report would legally be considered an open record.

For more than a year, the village of Hinsdale has kept secret its investigatory report on the situation involving a firefighter who took her own life in 2020. The investigation cost taxpayers more than $100,000.

Earlier this year, the school district did not exercise the attorney-client exception for a report involving an incident between two school board members. In fact, the investigating lawyer read the report into the meeting record.

Officials said Robbins Schwartz was independent of the district. The firm, though, does much business with school districts around the state.

Last month, the school board voted 4-3 to find Prentiss did nothing wrong in relation to the allegations in the complaint.

Through a spokesman, Prentiss declined to comment on the complaint Tuesday.

Patch wrote a story last week about the complaint.