John Hart is the new interim superintendent for Danville District 118 after the Board of Education voted unanimously Wednesday to place Dr. Alicia Geddis on immediate paid administrative leave, per her contract with the district.
The board voted 5-2 to dismiss Geddis with a settlement according to the stipulations of her contract, pending legal and Teacher Retirement System review — something Board Attorney Stephanie Jones estimated could take a week or more.
When assistant superintendent John Hart was voted in unanimously to act as interim superintendent, the audience of more than 75 people cheered and gave a standing ovation — most of them staff and administrators working for the district.
Whitney Spencer, who has been teaching special education in the district for six years, was the first to speak during public comment.
“I show up for my students every single day, as does every staff member I work closely with,” Spencer said, before sharing data regarding how poverty impacts children.
“Many students come to school for clean clothes, water, food, and to receive love,” Spencer said.
“You volunteered to serve our students, staff, and community,” she said, asking them to “consider the needs of the students, staff and community” before making any decision which will have a long-term impact on them.
Chelsea Holton spoke next. Holton has served as a social worker for six years at Mark Denman Elementary.
“A majority of the directors have been threatened by a student or parent, as have most of us in this room,” Holton said, adding that she knows of a family of 13 living in a single hotel room, as well as one student who didn’t attend school today because they were covered in feces.
“Despite these challenges, we expect them to show up to school,” Holton said. “Who are you advocating for? What is your purpose of serving on this board. I sincerely hope your only answer is our students. Stand with us and let’s create a better future for our students together.”
Chris Hightower spoke next, delivering a passionate, candid speech.
“When I heard board members say pray for us, it felt like a slap in the face. Because we are the ones out there in the field… How can you say you represent us if you don’t show up?” Hightower asked.
“This entire community suffers from apathy,” he said, reading the definition from his phone.
“I had an admin from a building tell me to be ready to find a second job if I spoke up,” he said, “but I’m standing up here ready to risk it all.”
“I blame a little bit of everybody, but we all hold blame in this,” he said, adding that parents and staff members should have attended more council meetings.
“We let it go on too long, and if we don’t do something now, we are just gonna continue embarrassing a community and a district,” he said. “I should have been here holding your feet to the fire. We all should have been there.”
“Unlike some of you who are going to be gone in a few months,” he said, directly addressing Dr. Randall Ashton, who smiled back aggressively.
Jeremy Stimac, a veteran as well as a home program interventionist for the district and a parent of four students, spoke next. He mentioned purchasing tourniquets for his classroom, just in case the unthinkable were to happen.
“Why aren’t all the buildings as secure as this one we had to get into tonight? Shouldn’t the buildings that educate our future be safest in the district?” he asked.
“When you have board meetings, we can continue to work and support our students,” Mary-Ellen Bunton repeated throughout her speech about ways the district, staff, and students depend on the board to do the behind the scenes work of paying bills necessary for work to go on.
“Did you guys investigate the buildings to make sure she would be safe?” Mary Rothwell asked. “When you made it clear that you wanted her to come back in person, has she made any attempt to make that happen?”
Several audience members agreed, offering “definitely” and “absolutely.”
“What has she really done for the district? Is she worth all this agony and division in the community to keep her going?” she asked. “Please have the courage.”
Toni Towne, who will be running for a seat on the board in April, spoke.
“When you are in that seat, you take an oath to respect taxpayers interest by serving as a faithful protector of the school districts assets,” she said to a round of applause.
She cited data from the Illinois Report Card which shows that since 2016, student enrollment has dropped by 27.7%. Teacher numbers have decreased by 35%. Certified staff like psychologists, sociologists and counselors have decreased by 25%, while the number of administrators has increased by 37.5%.
“There is something wrong with those numbers,” Towne said.
Alderman Ed Butler also spoke, saying, “The colonel, the sergeant, the leader is always on the front line. Is she truly a soldier for our students? You need a soldier that’s out on the front lines for our students, no matter what.”
Just before the vote, counsel advised the room that the severance with Geddis is a settlement.
“Say we settle, where does that money come from?” board member Kimberly Corley asked Jones.
“It would come out of your TORT fund, your tax fund specifically designated for litigation and liabilities,” Jones responded. “Taxpayer dollars that can’t be used for educational funds.”
The vote passed five to two.
“Shame on all of you,” one audience member said before walking out.
The audience went wild when Shroeder moved to approve appointing John Hart as interim superintendent.
“I want everyone to apply. I hope there is a process that’s put in place that’s consistent with norms and practices,” she said, “I’d like to see our H.R. department work in tandem with established guidance and principles. We want to provide the new board and admin as much support as possible.”
“We are taking our time. I plan on the new board being part of this process,” Corley said.
Ashton disagreed with her, saying time was of the essence.
“There is a window of time to hire someone locally. We are in the first wave right now when candidates are looking,” he said.
Counsel advised it’s the second wave of superintendent hiring.
The board voted 4-3 to hire the Illinois Association of School Boards to help them find a new superintendent.
“Mrs. Pabst and I have met with our attorney on the phone and she is currently writing up different proposals from different school districts,” Superintendent Hart said, referring to an agreement in the works with the teacher’s union, the Danville Education Association. He added that the
“This process has taken a toll on this board. I have been wanting to get this thing over a long time ago. But there is a process we have to go by. I’m glad we’re at this point now and this district can move forward,” Elder Parks said, thanking counsel Jones.
“Thank you for showing up. I would ask that most board meetings would look like this,” Darlene Halloran said.
“Our students and our community is what matters to me the most,” Halloran said, adding that she worried about students who had to stay home and miss out on meals yesterday when several staff members called off work in protest.
“It’s your right to speak and our responsibility to listen,” Schroeder said. “This is about kids. And it’s a good, good thing that we’re gonna be able to move forward.”
“It’s nice to see the seat occupied,” Ashton said, patting Hart on the shoulder.
“Yes, we get it. We got it in November. We know the district is limping and we know that everyone has been feeling it. We have, too,” he said. “I don’t want to be here. I don’t want to be doing this. I don’t like this. But I am glad the board is doing something. I wish you could see behind the curtain that had to happen to get to where we are now.”