Suburban School Official Uses Slur Against Women

SUMMIT, IL – A west suburban school board member recently called a whistleblower a slur against women, drawing the board president's condemnation.

Dan Kozal, a member of the Argo Community High School board, used the slur two times in group text messages to his girlfriend, Tracy Tough, a school employee, and the school's superintendent, Brandon Cotter. Cotter did not respond to Kozal's texts.

The school produced the messages this week in response to a public records request.

In an interview Thursday, Kozal, a former school board president, said he was "hotheaded" when he wrote the messages and that his remarks were "inappropriate."

But Kozal said he was reacting because of information he received about Pam Young. She is a now-retired school secretary who was credited with blowing the whistle in 2024 on former Superintendent Bill Toulios' misspending, which included porn.

"Ms. Tough confirmed that Pam Young was targeting her," Kozal said.

He said he could not verify how Young was targeting Tough, but that another employee alerted Tough to it. He said that's why he included Cotter in the text messages.

Young, who retired in December, denied that she was targeting Tough.

"They needed somebody to blame, and it's me," she said in an interview.

The text messages occurred in response to a Patch reporter's recent inquiry about texts from 2019, which appeared to show Kozal pressuring the school to hire Tough as an assistant track coach.

In the recent messages, Tough informed Kozal and Cotter that she wanted to explain the situation to the reporter.

"I want to clear my name and Dan's name of some of this mess Bill (Toulios) put us into," she said. "I'm really upset about this."

"Do not call that f---tard," Kozal replied. "He will write what he wants and will twist your words."

Tough said the 2019 text messages were altered, with lines between the text.

Kozal texted that he, too, was emailed an inquiry from Patch about the 2019 messages.

"F--- him," Kozal said. "Pam the f---ing c--t talks to him on a regular basis."

He accused Young of releasing confidential information in her role as a secretary.

Then he turned his attention to the superintendent: "Cotter this is uncalled for and you know it's that f---ing c--t Pam telling this f---tard this info. She was your f---ing f---ing secretary, heard everything you were f---ing saying and she's f---ing spilling information."

In the texts, Tough, a $71,000-a-year communications specialist for the school, alleged she was being bullied and harassed at work and outside work.

"I can't take this anymore. Part of me wants to quit that place (because) nothing is being done to the people who are doing this," Tough said. "I know I am not perfect and neither is Dan but we are good, hardworking people."

For the previous story, Tough said she would comment, but later said her union advised her not to.

Asked about the text messages, Cotter said in a statement, “While I have strong feelings related to what was communicated in the text messages, I will defer to the School Board President on providing a more detailed statement on the issue.”

In a statement, President Jennifer Grenier, whom the board voted to replace Kozal after last April's election, called Kozal's language unacceptable in any circumstance.

"The repeated use of a gender-based slur toward women is offensive, degrading, and wholly inconsistent with the standards of conduct, professionalism, and respect expected of anyone serving in a position of public trust," she said.

Grenier also said the public may view such communications as potentially intimidating, particularly given the power dynamics involved.

She said the board has the authority to address conduct that falls below expected standards.

"The Board is reviewing the matter in consultation with legal counsel and will consider appropriate next steps, which may include formal reprimand or censure," Grenier said.

For her part, Young said she had not sent information to the Patch reporter. She said she spoke to the reporter just once, after his first story about Toulios' spending appeared in January 2025.

She said the tone in Kozal's recent text messages shows a side of him that many on Argo's staff have seen, though the public has not.

"The language and attitude in these new messages are not surprising to me and feel very retaliatory," Young said in an email. "If you oppose Dan Kozal or his girlfriend, Tracy Tough, this is the version of Dan Kozal you are likely to encounter."

She said she maintained the confidentiality of all sensitive information until she became aware of what appeared to be potentially criminal and unethical conduct.