Crime & Safety

Readers React To Joliet Township School Administrator's Latest DUI

Alberto Filipponi also pleaded guilty to a 2013 DUI arrest in Will County.

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JOLIET, IL - The latest drunken driving arrest of Joliet Township High School District 204 curriculum director Alberto Filipponi generated lots of reaction from Patch readers Monday. The 39-year-old Minooka resident has been charged with a felony offense of aggravated DUI-3rd as well as two misdemeanor offenses of DUI and speeding more than 35 mph over the posted limit. Back in 2013 Filipponi was also arrested in Will County on a misdemeanor DUI, and he later pleaded guilty for that offense.

This year, Filipponi makes at least $110,000 working in his administrative position for Joliet Township schools. He posted bond Monday and is no longer in custody as his case is pending in Will County.

Here are some of the comments related to Filipponi's latest DUI arrest in Will County:

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1. "Just got to say this is really sad. This guy used to be a teacher before an administrator and was hands down the best educator I've had. Really cared about his students, wanted them to succeed, did everything in his power to help them progress. People looked forward to going to his class. To see him fall on hard times like this is really sad. Should he be fired? No. Should he get the help he needs. Yes. This guy put a lot of kids on the right track and has the potential to help a whole lot more. Hope he gets himself straightened out."

2. "I think he has problems but honestly innocent until proven guilty. This is up to the city and himself. As of his misconduct lets let the court deal with this issue before we run to judgment. Slander is bad we don't know what happened. This happens every single hour of the day. I don't condone drinking and driving at all but this is why we have courts."

3. "I know that there are some stipulations regarding a person's professional license. I'm an insurance adjuster. I get busted for a DUI and I could lose my Insurance license. A lawyer gets busted for DUI and they can lose their license to practice law. This guy works at a school? Is he a teacher? A licensed professional? He may be in the same boat. On HIS time or not. Doesn't matter. Your professional license can require that you uphold certain standards."

4. "He's a public employee whose salary is paid by tax payers, so I think he faces stricter scrutiny than someone privately employed. Maybe his over $100k/year salary should go to someone who follows the law. If you're a citizen of Joliet, and a tax payer at that, shame on you for not caring!"

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5. "What someone does on (their) personal hours is no business to me. Its wrong to smear his name and judge him. Let the school board handle it."

6. "How is this smearing his name? Should the tax payers who pay this guy's salary not know about his 2nd DUI? At what point should the public be informed of this guy's behavior? He's making over $100k a year; if he killed someone, should we be informed then? I'm not okay with people thinking it's okay to get into a vehicle and drive after they've drank themselves stupid, when there are several cheap options to get home without potentially killing yourself or someone else. I don't like my tax dollars going into the pocket of someone who thinks it's okay to act in that fashion, especially someone who works for a school district and is a repeat offender."

7. "Alcoholism/addiction is a disease and should be considered psychological rather than criminal if the person in question seeks treatment. A resolution without any sort of sympathy compiled with overzealous political overtones would be counterproductive in the long run."

8. "It is not a disease. People who have REAL diseases did not choose to have the disease. Alcoholics make the choice to drink. Yes ... it can be an addiction, but it is not a disease."

9. "His salary and position shouldn't be relevant if he is deemed competent for the position he holds. A proper evaluation is best suited for that situation, until then any judgement should be with held out of common courtesy."

10. "Should stay off the road if he’d been drinking. When a person endangers others lives driving drunk it gets publicity."

Booking mugshot of Alberto Filipponi via Will County Sheriff's Department

Secondary photo of Alberto Filipponi via District 204 website

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