A new bench has been installed outside Charles Lindbergh Middle School:
The plaque on the bench says “Simply the Best” and “Ms. Davis.” Former Lindbergh principal Mary Davis was charged in April of this year with 16 felony counts of official misconduct and theft. She has since been terminated by the District. Some are questioning why a bench is being installed on District 150 grounds to honor this former District 150 employee. I wonder if they will leave the plaque there if Davis is convicted?
Seems it might not be a new bench, but a bench that has been in the library for over a year according to a comment on Emerge’s site. Should be interesting if and when all the information ever comes out.
Yes, an anonymous blogger on Emerge’s blog adds the new information that the bench had been stored in the library while landscaping was taking place. At this point, I now have some questions. When was the plaque attached? Who paid for the bench? If Davis is responsible for its existence, I guess the plaque means that Lindbergh is the best. Of course, the big question is “Who paid for the bench?”
For now, the biggest question relates to whether or not it is appropriate to put this bench with Davis’ name on it in front of the school? I can’t think of any good reason for District 150 to allow it.
This seems like a clever prank. The bench is prolly not new. The only thing that is new is the sign. Seems kinda esay to make the sign and bolt it in over night. Wouldn’t that be clever. Maybe this is not a district action.
The wording on the plaque as written seemingly indicates a quote from Ms. Davis (perhaps even as principal) and could be her referring to the school as being “simply the best”, which in turn would likely make this far less nefarious than portrayed. Maybe more information would be apropos prior to posters becoming so thoroughly exercised.
Also, from looking at the photo, I would guess that it will take about the same time to remove the plaque that it did for me to enter this post.
What happened to her trial starting in August? Did they plead it out?
spikeless, I think you’re right–now that the story of the bench has come out in bits and pieces on this and Emerge’s blog. I did start the story–or perhaps the story was started when the bench was placed in its current position. If this plaque was given to the school by Mary Davis, it truly is a most unusual gesture. Generally, schools honor former principals, not a principal a school. Also, I am having a little trouble grasping the thought that Mary Davis bought the bench with her own money–does anyone else understand why that’s a bit hard for me to believe?
I don’t think anyone has given us a clear picture as to who placed the plaque on the bench and when and who made the decision to place it in its current location. I think I repeat myself–not unusual.
The plaque has been removed.
That is another victory for us.
truth – Is it really a victory. Is that all it’s about?
What was your other victory? What’s the score to date?
Keith said: The plaque has been removed.
Thanks for the info.
Now we can all rest easy. 🙂
We can all rest easily because the right thing has finally been done! The bench has been inside the school for three years with that plaque on it? Astonishing, to say the least, that someone didn’t have the brains to have it removed or at least changed, sooner. “Simply the Best” is a fine phrase, but not with Ms Davis’s name attached to it. Somehow it just doesn’t ring true with her name attached. The sad thing is that the bench sat there for three years while children who knew exactly who she was, saw it on a daily basis. Glad the plaque has finally been removed, as it should have been long ago. Too funny the tape was added however. I was sure it was a nighttime prank. Pretty funny that the workers did it themselves. No one can make this stuff up!! Truth is usually always better than fiction.
Victory is ours! 🙂
They done put an end to the fun. 🙁
To those people responsible for putting that nameplate on that bench…..shame on you! NUFF SAID.
See Dave Haney update on PJStar blog, School Daze.
niw, I do not remember what our other victory was. I know that I was VERY upset about it at the time and we all blogged about our anger and then the District succombed to our wishes and I felt good. The details do not metter to me now. The score is now 2 to 5,613 but I feel we are on a roll.
Now PJStar reports the driver of the D150 bus that “veered” off the road this morning was charged with DUI (at 8:35 a.m.?). I hope there weren’t serious injuries.
Perhaps the school bus driver and a certain assistant principal were out drinking together last night or into the morning hours. Appears it is ok to get bombed on school nights, knowing you will have to get up and drive children or RUN A SCHOOL…. Dui is bad enough on ANY GIVEN NIGHT, but an administrator that goes out and gets bombed off his brain on a school night, when HE KNOWS he has to run a school the next day, and then GETS IN A CAR AND DRIVES TO BOOT.. Oh but he “rocks on.” Please, people get a clue. This bus driver is seriously wrong, but it is going on all over the district. No one said a word, it is supposed to be ok to do whatever you want on “your own time”…OK well, then get bombed on weekends AT HOME (or take a cab) or just stay out of the public view when you do your overload drinking… Same assistant principal almost got fired this fall for drinking issues in public with school tshirts on, but no one does anything.
Wheres the Journal Star on these stories? I guess it is kind of hard to hide the bus driver veering off the road and then being drunk, but he is definitely not alone. I think once someone becomes an administrator they should make enough money they shouldn’t need to work as a bartender on weekends. Especially when the booze keeps getting them in trouble.
Doesn’t their insurance cover rehab?
“Gary H. Davis, 46, who also goes by the name Gary Stewart…” That’s odd.
Gary H. Davis was the bus driver? Maybe we should post the name of the assist principal who was in the paper for the DUI I believe it was last week. Why doesn’t the Journal Star pick up on that? There was a guy that was a former 150 student that was a basketball coach for another school outside of Peoria county that got arrested for drug dealing last spring at the Embassy Suites only the school outside of Peoria was listed as his employer when actually he worked at 150 AFTER HE WAS ARRESTED FOR DRUGS, up until it came out in the paper. Maybe that is where some of the money for “funding” is going???? To pay off reporters or the paper NOT TO MENTION 150s name of employees that are arrested or illegal activities theyve been involved in, unless of course they HAVE to when they ram into parked cars and send kids to the hospital… the other guys just come to school still loaded from the night before, fresh out of jail. And people are worried about an emails wording. The whole town is starting to get very freaky (and definitely not too concerned about what shape many of the individuals that come into mentor, lead students are in).
just saying: you need to check out your own house before you start throwing rocks at others!
Hey Just Saying: leave it alone….take a look in the mirror before you start judging other people. I too, know who you are. Rumors are spreading rapidly! (be careful who you talk too) Don’t be a hater.
What is going on here? I just thought it seemed strange that the PJStar said “also goes by (a different name). For the record, my children had a wonderful bus driver in grade school. He was their driver for several consecutive years. He was very reliable, trustworthy, dependable, and respected the children. After that, we chose to drive our children to middle school and now they have their own transportation for high school.
Just saying, You saw it in the paper, so obviously the PJS wasn’t bribed to keep the name out of the paper.
Just Saying, I know who you are…, Me too:
It’s not polite to have a private conversation in public.
Is the person an Assist. in a high school, middle school or primary school?
Emerge: it’s called disgruntled former employee spewing hate…..
Why is a poster’s identity relevant? Either you agree or disagree with the comments. The wording of e-mails is important because e-mails are a means of (traceable) communication. Statements made by person A (via e-mail) to person B about person C are slanderous if those statements are untrue or defame person C’s reputation. Slander by e-mail is a willful act that is prohibited by D150 internet policy. And D150 employees are required to sign a user agreement that states they understand and agree to abide by the policy; however, if they don’t, they are on the hook for their own legal fees.
The DUI was printed in the paper about a week ago. This magnet school assistant principal was issued a DUI on March 18. He was drinking on St. Patrick’s day (a Wednesday) and got pulled over after midnight hence the date of the “infraction”.
Sharon, I am not sure “how this is a personal conversation” it appears “Just Sayin” was stating that the man that was arrested for drugs was listed as working for one school district and not another, when he was employeed by both… it is just seems weird that the man’s employment with one school district was listed and not the others, which was 150. Since he worked for two school districts, shouldn’t they both have been listed or neither. Seems 150’s dirty laundry is just kept out of the limelight (that is a personal observation).
As for “Me Too” and “I Know Who You Are” you are right gossip is gossip and rumors are rumors and both are not anything more than that and should not be mixed up with public arrests and why they are even posted is bizaar and whoever said they are personal is right and don’t belong here. They also sound a bit threatening and not right. Maybe they need to stay in their own houses and take care of that because they don’t seem to know the difference between fact and fiction.
Up until “me too” and “I know Who You Are” got involved, it wasn’t personal. No one said anything about anyones “houses” or other people who live there… I hope the person who edits it will try to keep these personal slams out in the future. That is absurd and ridiculous. No one has said one word about any of these mens homes or families “me too” and “i know who you are” are way out of line… yes, it is very obvious why they use the words rumors and gossip. They seem to be familiar with it.
TR64 just read your comment and agreed, slanderous unless can be proven true and appear to be trying to defame a person’s reputation… if there is an arrest that is printed in the paper that is true. The rest is slander and an attempt to defame a person’s reputation, and since there are probably more than one disgruntled employee in the district the personal slams need to stop, they are illegal.
Professional, I think you have someone else’s words mixed up with mine. I never said anything about a personal conversation. I have only written one sentence on the subject–and it wasn’t the one to which you refer. I definitely try not to deal in innuendo; if I can’t make straightforward comments, I try not to comment at all.
Sharon, sorry it was “Emerge” that said it was a “personal conversation” and then asked what grade level the administrator was in charge of. Kind of contradictory because more or less they seemed to want to “get in on” the “personal conversation”, but anyway it appears Emerges question was answered. Actually, the respondants had the right to put the persons names that were arrested in this blog, as Mr. Davis aka as Stewarts’ was and he has not been found guilty or convicted as of this time. The other individuals have and ALOT of 150 employees know about it. Again, it was in the news paper. It is questionable why different degrees of media coverage have occured. And the higher up the position, the less coverage. Just as it was questionable as to why Ms. Dimke’s resignation was not in the paper for several day after her announcement.
TR64, thank you. I thought the same thing: there are tons of disgruntled employees in 150, so how could the “personal slammers” possibly know who posted. Former employees and alot of the general public know people that work in the district and what they do and read the paper and know when they get “busted” and what is going on in 150. My cousin is one, he tells me things I don’t even know are going on that he reads in he paper or hears from others or through blogs, students and students’ parents.. 150 is HUGE and word gets around. Yes all the information that was presented on the people arrested is true. Convictions, fines, sentences and full names, ages and address were printed in the Journal Star. There is nothing “disgruntled” about being concerned that people are drunk and/or high and even dealing drugs and working with children. I hope the people that are committing slander get a clue because it is illegal and they are committing a crime by writing these things.
Professional, I was going to stay out of this discussion, but you raise some questions as to what is news and what isn’t. The DUI column in the paper is the usual way that such information is conveyed to the public–and it does name names; therefore, there is no secrecy involved. All who know the individuals listed in the column are well aware of the DUI, where the person works, etc. If an accident had been involved with this particular DUI, then that would be news deserving of a separate article and maybe a headline mentioning the connection with District 150 (as with the bus driver),–but that was not the case here. There was no news beyond the DUI. The DUI column usually has many listings–when have you ever seen an article written about each person–or should only District 150 employees get that treatment?
I am quite certain that–over the years of my career–a significant number of District 150 employees have been listed in the DUI column–or should have been if they weren’t lucky enough to get home safely without being stopped by a policeman. I certainly believe that taking that risk should be avoided. When I was a young teacher, there were no DUI laws (hard to believe, but true)–the instances of DUI’s would have been greater than they are today had that been the case. By the way, how many District 150 employees do you think were drinking on St. Patrick’s Day?
I am a bit concerned as to your comparing a person with a DUI to a person dealing drugs. There was probably a day when teachers were not allowed to drink even on their own time. Whether or not you believe that should still be the case is irrelevant. However, there are laws against selling drugs–so one should not equate selling drugs with drinking or even being drunk on one’s own time.
I am not at all certain who or what you are calling slanderous. Accusing a nameless person of being a disgruntled employee might be a hard case to prosecute. One blogger mentioned the danger of writing slanderous comments in e-mails, especially in violation of District 150 rules–I’m trying to figure out what that has to do with this situation.
Umm… I know nothing about a “personal converssation” and never referenced one.
My comment was this:
“Just Saying, I know who you are…, Me too: It’s not polite to have a private conversation in public.”
I made this comment because these three were having a private conversation, which only they knew the meaning of, on a public blog.
Wouldn’t a bench in the girls locker room have been a better tribute? It just goes to show you that the criminals are at all levels in 150. Write this down for future reference so you know you heard it hear first… Lathan will go down too. She violates state laws and her attitude is, “We’ll follow the state laws when the state pays us the money they owe us!” You should see the amount of money being paid to retirees who should not even be working the amount of hours they do in a TRS job. They should be losing their retirement benfits for violating TRS policies, but 150 looks the other way. Time for a TRS audit!
How about honoring Mr. Beaver from Peoria High, who was just arrested for molesting family members; or a plaque at Manual honoring Jodi Church for her work with teenage boys. Maybe a golden pair of boxing gloves should hang at Greeley in honor of Ben Thornton. I could go on, but it’s time for me to go take my NyQuil.
John-Kool, curious–what state laws is Dr. Lathan breaking? Did she hire retirees (retired teachers, administrators, clerical, what)? Who are the retirees–that should not be a secret. Have these particular retirees had time to work more hours than TRS allows so early in the year–or were they hired before Lathan came?
I would be a bit careful about putting words in quotes and attributing them to Lathan if they aren’t her words. I believe this information can be FOIA’d–before making accusations, why not see what you can find out through a FOIA and then report your findings here. The truth is that I don’t know what the laws are as to how many hours a retiree can work and still receive TRS benefits. You do seem to have “insider” information since you know the amount of money being paid to retirees.
OMG people…the only person making any sense of all this is Sharon Crews….LEAVE IT ALONE….SO WHAT…..WHO CARES……IT’S NON OF ANYONES BUSINESS…..GET A LIFE….GOSSIP….GOSSIP….GOSSIP!!! This isn’t HOLLYWOOD!!! NO ONE IS GETTING AN OSCAR!!!!
Sharon, you are totally confused and the man who got the DUI for driving with kids in the bus wouldn’t have been considered legally drunk if he wasn’t driving a bus. ow does anyone know that “Just Sayin” isn’t a friend of his and also knows what is going on in 150?
A person who gets a DUI (regular one, over .08) late into the evening hours on a work night is probably at a .02 when they come to work to make decisions about kids whatever the next day, as the administrator was (if he even came to work, I don’t know). And, no actually the DUI column doesn’t list where a person works, if that is what you just said. Drinking after work responsibily is a little different than into the next day and getting arrested for DUI knowing you were supposed to go run a school. That person was probably at a .02 at least when and if he came to school… Alcohol doesn’t leave your system that quick. And, actually, Sharon, usually when a person is first arrested for a DUI they do get a separate article about it; then when a bunch of people are tried and convicted, fined, etc. it is listed all together. Thus: at least two articles per occurance; unless, of course, you have children in a bus you are driving and they go to the hospital. Makes sense that in the bus drivers situation it was more news.
I wasn’t aware there ever was a time there weren’t dui laws, but I will say ok on that one for now. And, yes they are cracking down more now because so many people die each year because of drinking and driving. Really not an issue, what happen decades ago… I will be looking up when dui came into play because I know people in their 70s that 30 or 40 years got pulled over for drinking and driving (you are talkin about me being off track…give me a break1).
The only thing I compared is the Journal Star’s NEWS COVERAGE with DUIs, drug dealing and Dimke leaving office. That is it! I have to laugh when you say, “there are laws against dealing drugs…” Well, Sharon, “there are laws against drinking and driving (now at least)” too. Ask some of the mothers that belong to MADD. Give me a break! And if you do it a couple times, guess what you can go to prison for DUI. It is JUST AS STUPID AS SELLING DRUGS. Oh maybe that is just my opinion.
I wasn’t the one that said (and so far everyone has given him the respect of not repeating his name although we could) drank on St. Pat’ Day. I don’t know, the DUI was issued on March 18th.
I also didn’t accuse anyone of being a disgruntled employee… so don’t address all this to me. You get off the subject, I do and so do alot of others. We all have said personal comments at one time or another. You should have went with your first instinct and stayed out of it.
ENUF ALREADY. The arrests are not gossip and the difference in the way the news is covered depending on ones position at 150 just brought a question to a couple of our minds. People state opinions on here all the time. It honestly sounds like Sharon found out who the administrator was and then decided to enter her two cents (or more), and direct most of it all at me….most of which is mixed up.
TR64 and I got the slanderous remarks, everyone has a right to bring up points. Again, the point was it is important what those in charge of 150 are doing and it has been mentioned about several of the people working at admins offices personal life and assumptions made in the past. I could site some of the stuff I have read about several people at the top. I am not going to name their names eiher because they deserve as much respect as everyone is givin the assist administrator and other person that got caught dealing drugs and was employeed by TWO SCHOOL DISTRICTS: only one was named in the article Sharon, and it was the “other” one; not 150. Descrepancies again. That was the point, a big article was written on this guy and it stated the other school district he worked for and not a word about 150….
Someone points out a arrests and how some get more coverage than others. 150 hushes up alot of stuff and we all know it. No one even mentioned the name of these people except for the bus driver that hasn’t even been convicted, and two other people are “calling someone a disgruntled employee” “you need to look at yourself” “glass houses” “don’t be a hater, you better watch who you are talking to” that is petty and uncalled for. It does sound threatenening and as if they are making personal comments into that persons (as they seem to say their KNOW, which is also hilarious a there are alot of disgruntled employees and that is just that persons opinion). As TR64 points out, there are many disgruntled employees and if it really is one, who would really know who. A lot of people know these facts.
I am not even going to try to make a point because you are mixing about six peoples comments & opinions and directing them at me and honestly, I think you are out of line (along with being confused). You first thought of “leaving it alone” was good. I have my own personal opinion of why you decided to “get involved” but I will keep it to myself. But don’t direct everyones comments, opinions at me.
ENUF ALREADY, it’s everyone’s business who is taking care of our kids during the school day. It should be a popularity contest as to who is is ok to come to work under the influence and who isn’t. Published arrests, convictions information is NOT GOSSIP. And descrepancies on how all activities of district personnel is questionable. I agree tho, the “drama” of “I know who you are” etc. and all that was ridiculous. They definitely will not be getting an oscar.
And on my point, please no more comments at least not directed to me because I am not responding and trying to make sense out of the last 2 days worth of comments posted more than half of which I didn’t make. THANK YOU…. maybe if everyone just did what they were supposed to, this wouldn’t even be an issue.
Sorry theres a few typos and my computer will not let me go back in and edit, response is too long. Maybe if I wasn’t trying to respond to six peoples comments, Sharon. Again, leave it alone. But that is the problem alot of times… oh now no one knew about the bus drivers priors etc. It is all about who you know and not what you know at 150. And an adminstrator should be held more accountable than a teacher, because they are in charge Sharon. And someone at 150 should have known the employee got busted for selling drugs. He was still working at 150 after he got busted and didn’t quit until right before it came out in the paper. He was not working for the other school district, the one that got to take the public dishonor in the paper. He shouldn’t have been working at either school district after he was arrested for drugs. Oh maybe that should just be my opinion….
Professional, I am not at all confused. At no time did I state that the DUI lists where the person works. I am not condoning drunk driving and, at no time, did I say that there aren’t laws against drunk driving. Nothing is being hushed up here–I do know of some situations that were hushed up in District 150; this just isn’t one of them. The PJS has archives–show me all the articles about all the people listed in any DUI column. Unless a person commits a crime or is in an accident while drunk, the PJS isn’t going to waste space with an article.
You are right; no one is in the dark here. In fact, the person is a friend of mine (friendship is nothing for me to hide). However, I am honest enough (and true enough to myself) that I would feel the same about any employee in the same position (and all situations are different). You are painting the situation with a very broad brush and making assumptions based on what seems to be wishful thinking–and admit that you don’t know all the circumstances. There is absolutely no basis for believing students have been harmed by this incident. I agree we are all role models, etc., and do need to be careful about how we live our lives. However, the district does have legal guidelines, etc., that they follow. The district does have to walk that line between personal and professional behavior.
I agree that the bus driver may have gotten a bum rap–but children’s lives were directly involved at the moment. He will have his day in court to clear his name. It’s unfortunate that he has had so many previous strikes against him. However, I do not wish anyone ill; the truth is that he probably shouldn’t have been cleared to drive a bus–wouldn’t have been if the district weren’t so desperate for drivers.
I know nothing about the other situation to which you refer–so I have not expressed any opinion. I have never asked anyone else not to respond to my comments; that seemed to be a rather strange request that, obviously, I didn’t feel compelled to heed.
By the way, the bus driver’s name was not mentioned until after the PJS had time to check records, etc. The incident was mentioned with few details on WMBD at 8:45–I didn’t know anything more until the story was posted late afternoon on PJS
I must admit, I wondered why Mr. Davis was immediately put on unpaid leave when Ms. Davis was on paid leave for several months.
hee. hee. To the posters with made-up names who condescend to anonymous posters: you make me giggle.
TR64, I am not sure why, but I do believe it has something to do with salaried (contract) employees vs. hourly. Also, the district just can’t take chances with bus drivers. Of course, Ms. Davis’ case is a case all by itself–many of us didn’t understand those circumstances. Too many people were involved in that case–much conflict of interest. I don’t like to see any employee (in education or otherwise) railroaded. I don’t think Davis was railroaded, but it did seem to me that McArdle was.
Ms. Crews, you did mention many other issues in your first comment and all were directed at me for some reason. I did look up DUIs since you brought them up, they were first researched in the 1910’s and states started charging people in 1937. I just asked you not to cmmment because you had so many issues that you were addressing to me, just for instance how many teacher’s drank on St Patty’s Day… that were irrelevant and also weren’t things I brought up. Honestly, I felt you were hitting me a little hard for some reason and not really paying attention to who had made the post. I thought you must have been friends with the magnet school assistant administrator that had been arrested and convicted of dui, as this is when you jumped in and went to bat for him.
We probably all have friends that have had this unfortunately happen but most I know don’t get them on weeknights when they have to go to work the next day, much less be in charge of children. I think we do need to set a better example than other professioanls and I do aree with Just Sayin in that the drinking is not such the issue as doing it to the point of severe drunkness in public (where parents of students etc may be present) and to get in a car and drive is really bad. I know you make lightly of it, but I had a cousin that was killed by a drunk driver. I also was hit by a drunk driver that was a councilmen in a local town. The police officer was not going to even have this man take a sobriety test and it was OBVIOUS he was LOADED. I was very young at the time, but had I stepped out of the car, I would not be here today. Turned out this man was 3 times over the limit and if I would not have put up a stink he would not have even been charged, therefore I do have to believe this administrator was pretty well over. I am just using my own experiences and opinion here, because seriously, I have even got stopped for speeding and been let go due to the respect the police have for our profession.
I think though if anyone really meant any ill intent I don’t know what it was because all the individuals were guilty of the crimes they were stated as committing and were showing up at school under the influence. They had to be, can’t drink that much on a school night and not be. And sometimes, really great people go through alot of things in life that change them and maybe it is all just a wake up call for all of the probably well intentioned people that let the stress of the job overtake the common sense of knowing “when to say when”. We will leave all the petty threats and personal digs out. I agree with TR64 that there were a couple very questionaable comments that were border line slander because they “thought” they knew who posted one comment…. and then said that person was “disgrantled”… the truth is the truth and that is all. The blogger had the right to be concerned for everyone…. doesn’t make them disgruntled or even employee for that matter. Leave it at that and hope everyone gets the help they need and are to get back to doing their job without having to be under the influence.
Roosevelt Magnet and the Assistant Principal of Roosevelt Magnet is Brett Elliott.