Former Educator Calls For Open Session At February Lincoln-Way 210 Board Candidate Interviews

Lee R. Talley, a former educator, administrator and Blue Island school board member, spoke at the February 10, 2016 Lincoln-Way 210 Board of Education meeting to interview candidates to fill two vacant seats.

The seats were vacated by former Board Member Christopher McFadden, a Federal prosecutor and Kevin Molloy, former Board President.

Talley requested that the Board of Education keep the interviews in public, not in the planned closed session.

Citing "huge credibility and transparency issues," Talley asked Board members why they continue to operate "in the dark, behind closed doors."

The Board of Education kept the interviews in closed session, and appointed Christopher Lucchetti and Kathleen Casey to fill the vacant seats.

Talley's speech to the Board of Education from February 10. 2016:

SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATES OPEN SESSION

"I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS A CONCERN THAT I HAVE ABOUT THE PROCESS THE BOARD IS ABOUT TO UNDERTAKE REGARDING THE FILLING FOR THE VACANT SCHOOL BOARD SEATS.

"ACCORDING TO YOUR AGENDA YOU ARE GOING TO INTERVIEW CANDIDATES AND MAKE THE DECISION IN CLOSED SESSION.
WHY?

"I KNOW WHAT IS RIGHT AND THIS IS NOT RIGHT. WHY DOES THIS BOARD AND ADMINISTRATION CONTINUE TO WANT TO OPERATE IN THE DARK BEHIND CLOSED DOORS? WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO HIDE? WHAT ARE YOU SO AFRAID OF? TO ME, YOUR METHODOLOGY IS COMING FROM A POSITION OF WEAKNESS, NOT STRENGTH. IT ALSO SMACKS OF ARROGANCE.

"RIGHT NOW, THIS BOARD AND ADMINISTRATION HAS A HUGE CREDIBILITY AND TRANSPARENCY PROBLEM. MANY OF US DON'T BELIEVE ANYTHING COMING OUT OF THIS DISTRICT ANY MORE. YOU'VE LOST OUR TRUST.

"THIS PROCESS IS NOT THE HIRING OF A PRIVATE EMPLOYEE. YOU ARE SELECTING A PERSON WHO HAS VOLUNTARILY COME FORWARD WHO WOULD LIKE TO HOLD PUBLIC OFFICE AND BECOME A PUBLIC OFFICIAL.

"THERE IS NO EXPECTATION OF PRIVACY. YOU NEED TO LET THE PEOPLE AND THE PRESS OBSERVE. LET US HEAR THE QUESTIONS, THE ANSWERS, AND THE DISCUSSION. YOU SHOULD PROBABLY LET THE PUBLIC ASK THESE CANDIDATES QUESTIONS AS WELL.

"I FIND IT TROUBLING THAT THE ONLY WAY THE PUBLIC HAS FOUND OUT WHO EVEN APPLIED FOR THESE POSITIONS IS THAT THE PRESS HAD TO FOIA THE DISTRICT TO GET THE INFORMATION. EVEN THEN, MR. SARVER OF THE HERALD REQUESTED ALL THE CANDIDATES' APPLICATIONS. MR. SAWIN GRUDGINGLY SUPPLIED ONLY A LIST OF NAMES.

"WHY YOUR FOIA OFFICER DOES THIS IS BEYOND ME? I WONDER IF ANY OF YOU BOARD MEMBERS KNEW THAT HE DID THIS? BUT THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT'S BEEN DONE WITH FOIA REQUESTS IN THE PAST YEAR. MAYBE HE FEELS HIS ROLE IS THAT OF OBSTRUCTIONIST...I DON'T KNOW. AS A RESIDENT AND TAXPAYER OF THE DISTRICT I FIND THIS BEHAVIOR SHAMEFUL. BUT I GUESS WHEN YOU HAVE NO SHAME IT EITHER HAS NO IMPACT OR YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND IT.

"LET ME REMIND YOU...THE ADMINISTRATION WORKS FOR THE BOARD. THE BOARD WORKS FOR THE PEOPLE. YOU'RE RESPONSIVE TO US. IT'S BEEN THE OTHER WAY FOR SO LONG THAT IT'S THE REASON WE'RE IN THE BAD SPOT WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW..

"MAYBE THIS "BEHIND CLOSED DOORS" MINDSET IS SOMETHING YOU JUST CAN'T SHAKE. YOU'VE BEEN DOING IT FOR SO LONG THAT YOU KNOW NOTHING ELSE. YOU'VE BEEN OPERATING INSIDE THE BUBBLE THAT IT'S JUST CIRCULAR VALIDATION.

"ALL I KNOW IS PERCEPTION IS REALITY AND REALITY IS PERCEPTION. THIS SELECTION PROCESS IS BEING DONE FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE WHEN IT SHOULD BE WITH THE GREATER GOOD IN MIND. HONESTLY, I FEEL LIKE I'M BACK TO ADMONISHING ADULTS WHO SHOULD KNOW BETTER.

"WHAT YOU SHOULD HAVE DONE IS PUT ALL THE INFORMATION ONLINE, LET THE PEOPLE READ THROUGH IT, AND CAST AN ADVISORY VOTE FOR TWO CANDIDATES. THIS WOULD HAVE GIVEN YOU AT LEAST SOME INPUT FROM THE PUBLIC. IT'S FUNNY WHO YOU'RE QUICK TO DO THE INTERNET VOTE THING WHEN IT SUITS YOUR PURPOSE THOUGH. AFTER ALL, IF THIS WAS AN ACTUAL ELECTION, CANDIDATE INFORMATION WOULD BE PUBLISHED ON MEDIA WEBSITES. THIS NEEDS TO BE AN OPEN PROCESS.

"AGAIN, I KNOW WHAT'S RIGHT AND THIS ISN'T RIGHT. I KNOW HOW TO GET THINGS DONE WITH A SENSE OF FAIRNESS AND INCLUSION. ALWAYS HAVE. AND THIS IS NOT IT. YOU NEED TO GET A BETTER PERSPECTIVE, OTHERWISE IT'S, "WIN THE BATTLE, BUT LOSE THE WAR." TO QUOTE SEAL: "A CHANGE GONNA COME."

"I WILL TELL YOU I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE DOING. PROBABLY MORE THAN ANYBODY IN HERE, I KNOW THE MINDSET OF EDUCATORS. I KNOW HOW AND WHAT YOU'RE THINKING, AND I'M WAY AHEAD OF YOU. AND I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE.

"I HAVE TO TELL YOU, IF YOU THINK YOU'RE THE SMARTEST PERSON IN THE ROOM, LOOK AROUND, THERE'S ALWAYS SOMEONE SMARTER...AND A LOT OF THEM ARE HERE TONIGHT, WONDERING THE SAME THING. WHY?

"I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE TAUGHT BY A GREAT EDUCATOR BACK IN 1978. MR. JIM PATTEN AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA - LINCOLN. HE SAID THE MOST IMPORTANT THING ABOUT BEING IN EDUCATION IS TO HAVE COMPASSION AND DO NO HARM. OVER THE PAST NINE MONTHS I HAVE SEEN TOO LITTLE OF ONE AND WAY TOO MUCH OF THE OTHER.

"BUT THANKFULLY YOU STILL HAVE TIME TO SAY "NO" TO THIS CLOSED SESSION PROCESS. IT ONLY TAKES THREE OF YOU TO PUT THIS ENTIRE PROCESS IN OPEN SESSION. I IMPLORE YOU TO DO SO. IT WOULD BE A GOOD START TO REGAINING SOME OF THE CREDIBILITY THIS BOARD HAS SQUANDERED IN THE PAST AND DESPERATELY CRAVES NOW.

"I BELIEVE YOU OWE THE PUBLIC, RESIDENTS, TAXPAYERS, COMMUNITY, PARENTS AND STUDENTS THE RIGHT TO SEE AND HEAR FROM ALL THE CANDIDATES FOR THESE TWO POSITIONS.
THANK YOU."

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