Stacey Shangraw, District 150 spokesperson, confirmed today that “Effective immediately, Dr. Mary Davis is on paid Administrative leave until some personnel issues are resolved.”
Davis has been accused in a lawsuit by former principal Julie McArdle of misappropriation/theft of school activity funds.
Hat tip: Billy Dennis.
We did speculate that something happened because her name was on the board meeting agenda last night to present three items. No one said a word as to why she was absent–they just skipped over the items.
Bet she’ll look good driving that cute little BMW to the GrayBar Hotel!!! hahahahahahh
It’s no surprise to me she’s gone. She should’ve been gone a lo-o-ong time ago. And what’s this with “PAID administrative leave?” I know, I know–it’s “policy.” What about Mrs. McArdle’s “paid administrative leave?” (And she didn’t even do anything remotely wrong, let alone ILLEGAL!*#@!) Not for her; she just gets “terminated” without explanation or a say in the matter. It’s outrageous that Mary Davis’ payday cup seems to continually overflow…. When do the taxpayers get to QUIT PAYING HER and when will the public ever see her for what she really is? (I’ll leave THAT up to you, dear reader….)
Thanks for letting me vent…
Great news. Look back at some of the comments that were made about Julie McArdle when this happened, I hope those people have had many restless nights. Mary Davis=Bad. Julie McArdle=good
I noticed that Lindbergh Middle School will be having their “Taste of Lindbergh” on October 22nd. All proceeds will be going to the children this year, not Mary Davis!!! lol
I am glad that justice may finally be served. Since being in a similar situation, in which I was involved in 2002, it feels great to see the administrators of 150 are beginning to fall. Hopefully there will be more to follow.
I guess someone finally announced that the Emperor has NO CLOTHES….and the information handed to Mr. Hinton in April wasn’t “good enough”? Wow, more tax dollars down the drain to clean up another Dist. 150 mess. (and this is a BIG one)
pjstar.com has an updated story. FINALLY>>>
“Paid leave”… that’s really irritating
I wish my boss would put me on paid leave.
I agree with honestman. I also was involved in a similar situation in 2004, I was let go too. I did not have the money to fight them.
I hope (hopelessly) that after she is indicted and convicted of theft, she has to pay back her presumed innocent “paid leave”. Of course, they will reach a plea agreement with no fault admitted… and the records will be sealed.
In the Know … for your information, Mary Davis donated a lot of her own money to LMS while she was principal. She generously participated in the Taste of Lindbergh Auction each year and supported that school with countless hours of her time as well as with donations. This investigation will eventually become known as “unfounded.”
That’s what she told everyone anyway. Looks like she duped you too teachpia. Regarding the taste of lindbergh – wasn’t that her job? The investigation being unfounded would be only in your fantasies.
teachpia—While it is admiral that she donated a lot of her own money and time to the school (many principals and teachers do the same thing) it did NOT give her the right to open a credit card with the school’s name on it for her own personal use. Not only did she do that, but, it is alleged that she also misused other monies from the school.
teachpia – is it also admirable that she falsified student records to give priveledged children an even greater leg up? Screw those little vagabonds. And Bmcdaniel what makes you think she used her own money? Because she said so?
Mary Davis tried and convicted. Court of law? Nope. Court of Blog. All other opinions mean nothing.
teachpia: did she TELL you that she spent her own money or did you assume so? Really, she has been caught telling so many lies, how could she be believed even if she did tell you? Unfortunately for her, she left a trail so easy to follow that a sensory deprived bloodhound could follow. Do you really think she was put on admin. leave, after a 4 month investigation by the PPD, because they have NOTHING? As far as spending so much time at school and school functions, easy to explain, she had to be there out of fear that someone would catch her in her web of deception. The evidence speaks quite loudly!
Emtronics: you know nothing of which you are speaking! Nuff said.
whatever–I was referring back to what teachpia said about MD using her own money.
Emtronics: I agree. She has only been accused. Not charged.
Billy and Emtronics—I do believe that I said ALLEGED, because she hasn’t been convicted, yet.
in the know knows nothing. If anyone has facts, give it to CJ and let him post it, otherwise, keep your OPINIONS to yourself and let it play out in a court of law.
bamcdaniel: I didn’t say otherwise.
It will be interesting how this matter plays out. I understand how McArdle is attempting to create a cause of action under the Whistleblower statute, however, the other allegations in her complaint allege acts by Ms. Davis that occurred prior to McArdles’ employment with the District. I do not understand how Davis’ alleged bad acts of falsifying student addresses or wrongfully paying a student teacher/aide relate to McArdles’ wrongful termination. The fact that McArdle names a number of defendants responsible for her termination diminishes her claim that Davis was acting in a retaliatory manner in severing her employment due to McArdle uncovering her misdeeds.
I’m not sure which way it will play out. IF McArdle uncovered faulty bookkeeping while the principal by an immediate, former principal and asked said principal about it, the wrongful termination could come from that. Because MD knew that McArdle was starting to ask questions that MAYBE MD didn’t want asked.
She MAY have named others because when she (McArdle) went to them for advice/help they suggested she quit digging for answers and just let it go. She didn’t follow that advice.
We won’t know anything for sure until it goes to trial. It just doesn’t bode well for MD when she is placed on admin leave after a 4 month investigation by PPD. If the investigation had been done by our own security there could have been fears of an incomplete investigation.
I’m not convicting her, just stating some of my thoughts on why things have happened. I think someone (or several someones) is going to be in a lot of trouble when it all plays out.
Frustrated: With regard to your observation about the addresses, etc., not being helpful to McArdle’s case–the fact still remains that the district itself should take action because of those situations. Of course, it is assumed that the district didn’t know about these alleged impropieties before McArdle reported them; therefore, couldn’t McArle’s reporting of them be considered as whistleblowing?
Every time McArdle tried to talk to Hinton, she was re-routed to MD. She tried over and over to talk to him, but his secretary forwarded all her calls to MD. Believe this when I say MD had it out for McArdle from the day she was hired. If you don’t believe me, ask the janitors, ask the fab five, ask anyone associated either in the past or currently with MD. THAT IS THE TRUTH. The only problem McArdle had at Lindbergh was transitional. Had MD supported her when parents, teachers, or students had “issues” with her, then perhaps McArdle would have had a better go of it. By supporting McArdle, MD would have had to acquiesce her position at Lindbergh, where she still kept her power. But MD never spoke to McArdle EVER. So, those of you on your high horses, how would you know there was a problem if NO ONE EVER TELLS YOU? McArdle has many attributes, but ESP is not one of them. I can also assure you that problems started cropping up almost immediately after McArdle was hired in August. She has EVERYTHING documented. Why do you think Hinton kept rubbing his head at the BOE meeting Tuesday night…..he knows……
“in the know” Problems cropped up immediately after McArdle was hired b/c of her poor administrative practices. MD was inundated with calls from parents who were having “issues” with McArdle. They were not manufactured by MD – they were real issues and frustrations experienced by LMS parents. Yes, MD was in a tricky situation b/c she was now her replacement’s boss, but nonetheless, McArdle was causing problems throughout the building and it had to be addressed by MD. Those bloggers who want to believe that McArdle did nothing wrong and was purely a victim here, were either not directly involved, or they were not listening to all that was going on in that building last year.
Thank you teachpia, you bit, this is exactly what her attorney wanted to hear……
by “poor administrative practices” do you mean; followed school board policy, did not break laws, held people accountable, etc. Do tell, we are curious, as is her attorney……
teachpia – the contents of your latest post makes you appear to be a member of the Fab Five….but maybe you’re not. Perhaps a portion of those calls MD was inundated with included calls from LMS staff who reported to MD everything JM did that the FF didn’t agree with. Since when does a district administrator deal with “problems” by avoiding a building principal who supposedly wasn’t doing her job ‘correctly’, as MD did on her visits to LMS to visit her ‘friends’ without setting foot in the office?…. (oh, but this is Dist 150) It appears MD had no intention of helping JM with anything.
I would bet that the JM supporters at LMS weren’t seen high fiving each other and triumphantly saying “she’s on her way to being gone” when MD was put on administrative leave….. but perhaps they were thinking it.
It’s time to stop the defense of past events from the MD reign and move on for the sake of the students at LMS. If adult behavior at LMS had been professional in previous years, certain aspects of this whole mess would never have arisen.
Silent Majority: You are so correct. There were times when MD would come to LMS, and not even look at JM and proceed into her private meetings with her FAB Five. High fiving and such juvenile behavior did occur when Julie was on her way out, but this was not seen when MD was on her way out. This is because professionalism still reigns at that school with a few teachers and staff.
Hey Teachpia: When JM was dismissed by the BOE members, the PTO moms stood up and clapped. They act the same way that the Fab five does. This un-professionalism is not good modelling for the students of LMS. This attitude then carries over into RHS. Grow up, PTO and Fab Five!!!!!
I still say, the Peoria County Board is the best run public Board in the county. However, I would have loved to have spent a couple of terms on the #150 board. We have our problems and differences but mostly we settle them internally and they are not newsworthy.