Peoria Public Schools

Finalist arrives to greet press, sees shadow; five more months of interim

125 Comments

Like a shooting star, the finalist for Superintendent of Peoria Public Schools District 150 made a very brief public appearance Tuesday:

At a brief event billed as a “meet and greet” between Peoria School District 150’s finalist for school superintendent and members of the media, Grenita Lathan called on the community to get behind the city’s schools…. Lathan took no questions from the media Tuesday during the event, leaving after reading her minute-and-a-half speech.

That’s right. District 150 invited all the press down for a big “meet and greet,” and it consisted of the finalist coming in, reading a 90-second statement, then quickly leaving the room without taking any questions. No meeting. No greeting. Just reading and running.

*sigh*

You know, I really don’t go looking for negative things to say about District 150. In fact, I’ve been trying to be very positive about this whole superintendent search, and I’m still hopeful that Ms. Lathan will bring some stability and lots of improvement to the district.

But what exactly was the point of this falsely-advertised non-event? To tick off the press corp? To damage trust? To reinforce the culture of stonewalling and non-transparency they’ve worked so hard to establish? What? If all they wanted was to share a short statement and not take questions, why didn’t they just send out a press release and save everyone a bunch of time?

Also of note, citizen journalist Billy Dennis was denied entry to the press conference. From his description, it sounds like they spent more time arguing with him than the superintendent finalist spent reading her statement. I’m guessing this was just an attempt to make sure everyone went away disappointed.

I hope this is not indicative of district communication under a Lathan administration.

125 thoughts on “Finalist arrives to greet press, sees shadow; five more months of interim”

  1. This has got to be the most deaf, dumb and blind school board in the state. Their words and actions instill fear, if anything, and little to no trust and confidence within those whom they serve. Do they actually have any idea on how to act approprietly?

    I wouldn’t give Lathan the benefit of the doubt. She screwed up already by having not done her homework on the district she is considering joining and not recognizing the constituency concerns with or about the district.

    I really doubt she has done any homework on district 150 other than what the position pays. I’ll put my vote in right now. We’re screwed.

  2. Thank you for sharing Dennis’ experience… wow…
    “they didn’t have to let me in”
    What does that mean exactly? They could have, but decided there was no reason to invite the public…
    “not a professional reporter” like Stacy is… scratch, was. Now she is just a sellout public relations mouthpiece

    Love the “media partners” bit… If I were a reporter, I would be VERRRRRY embarrassed that they let that out. I thought reporters / journalists were supposed to be unbiased and neutral.

    Just read the text of her “speech”…

    She plans to listen to employees , parents, students, community and the board. And Peoria is going to be the one word answer to who has the best schools, and teachers in America… oh boy… here we go

  3. Some have long suspected that the Peoria Journal Star was a media partner of District 150–now it’s been confirmed.

  5. I want to say THIS for the record; Stacey Shangraw and I did NOT argue. She explained the policy they were using, I made the point that I am a journalist. She held firm. She was completely polite and professional. It was a brief discussion and did not get loud or draw a crowd.

  7. In my opinion this was a board decision. Probably Wolfie. She loves to be in power and control. That’s her M.O.

  9. CJ – This was literally her first trip in transition and instead just getting to work on a wealth of issues she has targeted from her research on the District, we thought she should first be introduced to the community through a brief media gathering. She plans on being back multiple times before formally taking the position, so there are going to be ample opportunities to ask questions. If she came in and got right down to business and we didn’t “present” her to the media, we’d be criticized. Allowing her to meet staff and interact with multiple groups over several days is a full agenda. I don’t know who made the “call” not to field questions, but allowing her to get her feet under her before being bombarded isn’t wrong. We already have the self-rightious and enlightened rendering final judgements before even hearing what she has to say. She deserves our support, she’ll earn your respect and confidence. Hopefully, even the chronically critical will give her at least a chance. Hopefully.

  10. Jim, I am a parent with children in the district. I am not part of any “group” as far as I know she plans on addressing. What groups in particular are tying up her valuable time over the next few days? Will any of these other planned “group” meetings include a violation of the open meetings act? And don’t tell us let us guess, is one of the meetings with the Charter School folks, aka, the “superintendent search committee”?

  11. Billy, no one is disputing whether or not Mrs. Shangraw was polite and courteous to you. The question is did she act appropriately? The majority of stake holders would say she did not. Quit defending bad decisions because someone was “nice” to you. It is her job to be nice to you. It is not her job to exclude you or anyone else from open meetings.

  12. She is meeting with administrators, principals, and the mayor. There was no violation of the open meetings act, so please try not to get too worked up, innuendos aside.

  13. Jim-

    I agree that we all need to give Dr. Lathan a chance. I am hopeful that she will help to turn things around for D150. I am confused about your comments regarding the Open Meetings Act. Please explain how this was not a violation.

  14. Jim – thank you for answering my question regarding the groups she is meeting with. In all sincerity, I appreciate it.

  15. I didn’t attend, but there was no Board agenda or meeting and any Board member there was “for decoration”. Any time 3 or more of us “gather” doesn’t automatically constitute a “meeting”, so long as we don’t discuss Board business. For example, Rachel, Linda, and I were all at last Saturdays community forum, but it didn’t qualify as an “open meeting” that we had to post. This is the abbreviated explanation of what I was told.

  18. I read in the Chicago Tribune that the Chicago Public Schools has backed down on closing some of its schools based on public hearings and community input. Amazingly, Chicago has better PR than Peoria.
    Where was the public hearing on closing Woodruff HS? Where was the public hearing on a new supt?
    Jim — for you are anyone to think that the dog and pony/propaganda show on the new supt properly introduced her to the community is just nuts. It only reinforced the impression/fact that the board listens to itself and a few elites, not the public who elected them. Sad and undemocratic!

  19. Anonymous, the statute says:

    “…its citizens shall be given advance notice of and the right to attend all meetings at which any business of a public body is discussed or acted upon in any way.”

    Jim just said “so long as we don’t discuss Board business”.

    No exception needed since business wasn’t discussed or acted upon in any way. Maybe that’s why she didn’t take questions – to make clear that nothing would be discussed. She was in town. She gave a brief statement.

    Damned if you do, damned if you don’t.

  20. It has been learned from more than one source that board business was discussed. The media met with district officials for nearly a half an hour arguing why they were not allowed to ask questions of the new Superintendent. If that isn’t “board business” then what is? Clearly a violation of Open meetings, despite the always questionable advice of the district lawyers. Now what to do about it…

  23. “…all meetings at which any business of a public body is discussed or acted upon in any way…”

    interesting wording… if it wasn’t a “Meeting”, but instead was just a meeting of school people, I suppose there would be no violation.

    What I find interesting is that considering the history of this School Board and administration they would not do EVERYTHING in the open and without the exclusion of any stakeholders.

    My question is is (I just wrote “is is”) she a “finalist” or is she the new Superintendent? If she is the former, she should have been exposed to the questions and comments from the public (to help her decide if she really wants this job), and if she is the latter then I would think she is obligated to listen to the questions and comments from the public.

  24. Jim, thanks for your clarification and thank you for your service to District 150. There is absolutely nothing wrong with board members being in the same place as long as they don’t discuss policy and board issues. In fact, it is entirely appropriate that board members attend this introduction. I would be surprised and disappointed if they didn’t.

    We don’t always agree on issues, but the paranoia around here on 150 does seem to go a little overboard. There is no question in my mind that you have the best interests of the children in your heart.

  25. “paranoia”???

    At what point will you agree that our schools have steadily declined… nay, disintegrated over the past 15 years or so?
    At what point will agree that the administration of our schools has gotten fatter and fatter and produced less and less education?
    At what point will you agree that our School Board has done NOTHING to alter the way the administration has done business?
    At what point will you admit that it is our children that the schools were established for, NOT local businesses, NOT administrators and NOT politicians?

    It isn’t paranoia when they are out to get you.

  27. She has not been formally voted on by the board, thus she is not the new superintendent…yet.

    “she should have been exposed to the questions and comments from the public (to help her decide if she really wants this job)”

    God forbid we give this woman any credit…

    Watcher, what exactly was “discussed”?

    Media: we want to know why we can’t ask questions
    D150: it would violate the Open Meetings Act
    Media: Gotcha! You just violated it… You shouldn’t have even said “hello”…

    Better call the state’s attorney…

  28. There is nothing wrong with questioning many of the things that have gone on in Dist 150 over the years. That said, some board members made a perfectly acceptable appearance at the introduction of the new boss that they hired. Suggesting “violation of the open meeting act!” seems to me to be paranoia. Just IMO.

    I think some here need to remember that all the board members are volunteers and work hard for our kids. They are not above criticism, but I think it should be measured and certainly merited. This did not merit criticism, IMO.

  29. Who is going to pay or her “many” trips back and forth to Peoria? Also, why didn’t the board listen to the public and hire someone who has experience as a superintendent? Why, why why??? Did anyone with experience even want to come here with the mess Hinton and this board put our district in?

    One more thing, is the district paying for her moving expenses?

  30. I would hope District 150 is paying for her business trips to Peoria and I would hope they are reimbursing some moving expenses according to their policy.

  31. Jon; I was merely thinking that she might be getting a lot of smoke blown up her skirt by the search committee and she might want to see what kind of trouble we paranoids might give her. I’m sure she find out soon enough, but it might be in her interests to really understand this BEFORE she accepts the position and leaves sunny San Diego. (“sunny San Diego” is a wink and a nod to my niece going to school there)

    Come to think of it, $250,000 a year, guaranteed for 5 years, would be enough for me to put up with a lot of crap.

  32. Jon, wether or not questions are asked does not determine what is an open meeting. “Discuss” is the operative term in the statute and even the short video constitutes a discussion, not to mention the considerable discussion that undoubtedly took place before and after the video. This is the problem. District 150 consistantly demonstrates by their actions and their shameless defense of their actions that they believe they are clearly above the law and their own written policies.

  33. Anonymous: I am not defending bad decisions because someone was nice to me. The word “argument’ was uses and I wanted to add some clarity.

    My original post on the matter makes it clear I think it was a bad decision. Rather than having a tantrum about it, I explained it and had conversations about fixing it.

    For God’s sake. They HAVE a new superintendent, or will soon anyway. Let’s wait to see what she does rather than pounce on her.

  34. Point-
    I couldn’t agree with you more. D150 does act as if they are above the law. Shame on the public for pointing this out. I thought things would change with Hinton gone. Apparently I was wrong.

  35. Point, it was a media event – a press conference (granted, with no questions). So your point that this particular event is a problem is that 4 board members decided to show up? (Sorry, Laura, please go home with your baby, because 3 other members are already here) i.e. no problem if only 3 happened to be there? Shameless defense? You’re ticked off that Jim commented to try and explain? Shame on him for even commenting, I guess.

    OK, D150, in the future, don’t have any board members show up at any media events (except that some will still complain that you chose not to show up). OK, D150, next time, we’ll open it up to the public (even though we haven’t even hired her yet). OK, D150, next time, don’t even bother to do anything (even though some will still complain…)

    Much ado about NOTHING. (except fodder for complainers to pounce on)

  36. Point, it is quite possible that the board members did not discuss board issues amongst themselves and thus didn’t violate the act. Just because someone asked a question doesn’t mean all the members who were there are now all of a sudden in violation. Otherwise members of a public body would hardly EVER be able to be in the same place at the same time. Now, having said that it is a pretty fine line that they are walking and they probably should have had better sense than to hold a meeting like this in the first place.

  38. Point-
    To add on to your comment about D150 acting like they are above the law. The other thing that is very frustrating is you never hear them admit that they have made a mistake. It would be refreshing for someone from the Board or administration to admit that they might have accidentally violated the Open Meetings Act.

  40. Yeah, I can see it now if no board members showed up:

    “Why weren’t any board members there? They are going to hire her and didn’t even care enough to be there? Is that a vote of no confidence for her already? What the heck is going on here?”

    People, there are legitimate reasons to criticize Dist 150. Don’t tarnish your legitimate criticism with silly talk of an open meeting violation. This just makes you look petty.

  41. I would love to be in the room when Julie McArdles attorney deposes Jim. Lets see how cocky he talks then! He evidently needs to take the Carnegie Couse for public behavior…

  43. On one hand, I’m inclined to say let’s not sweat the small stuff. On the other hand, who has the right to criticize another person’s concerns? Anyone familiar with recent D150 headlines has every right to be concerned and skeptical about the future. Thank you board members for your willingness to post comments. IF Dr. Lathan had taken questions, I suspect plenty of folks would have criticized her for speaking prior to official board approval on Monday.

  44. Funny, people who voted elected the Board to do this very kind of business for them like hire a new Super, and then people call them “elite” or think the Board is being sneaky or something paranoid. For Christ’s sake, they didn’t violate any laws by holding a small (of many to come) press conference. Only thing that happened was that a real journalist was refused entry but she was darn nice about it. Of course things were to change when Patelli (sp?) got elected but what? Now they are going to hire this woman and I’ll bet pay her more than Hinton. Time will tell how she does but before you all burn her in effigy, let’s wait and see. None of these Board members are paid to do what they do and with the crap they suffer, they should be.
    By the way, I saw them all leave in a black helicopter after the meeting.

    I just wish all the energy used here and on other blogs to bash and degrade the schools in Peoria was put toward people stepping up to help find solutions to our problems. Some of you people if put on the Titanic would drill holes in the hull to the let the water coming in back out.

  45. 150 Observer: While it is true that board members are volunteers, the fact is that they can make decisions that will affect 150 and the city for years to come—and, unfortunately, many of the decisions might adversely affect both. What if it were a violation of the Open Meetings Act—would it still be paranoia?
    Keith, does Carnegie offer a course on bed-side manner for board members. However, Jim is careful about whom he offends—I found that out at the board meeting when all the Edison proponents showed up in red shirts. Sorry, Jim, you can take your dig at me—I’ve opened myself up for your criticism—just having a bit of fun. I am trying to figure out what you meant in your response to Elaine—when you said, “Thank a teacher.”

  46. We have much bigger problems in urban school districts than be be obsessing about the small stuff.

  48. 150 Observor–Yes, there are bigger issues, but if they err in handling the bigger issues why should we be surprised if they err in carrying out the smaller issues like obeying the law with regard to the Opens Meeting Act? I do not call giving $800,000 per year to Edison or $200,000+ to Johns Hopkins small stuff. Nor do I consider it small stuff to take away learning time from primary school students for what Elaine Hopkins appropriately named “Wacky Wednesdays. to ignore discipline policies to the point that some 150 schools have numerous fights per week, to close a high school to save $1.2 million and then to announce (after the fact) that $6 million plus would be needed to rennovate Peoria High for the displaced Woodruff students, to ignore the warnings of an employee with regards to serious charges concerning another employee (which then lead to hefty legal fees and an undermining of reputation, etc.).

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