Letter Sent to Pekin School Board

The following letter, written by anonymous concerned parents and staff members, was sent to the Pekin School Board following the resignation of Derek Philips. The views expressed in this letter do not necessarily reflect the views of The News-Review or Mid America Publishing.

Dear All School Board Members: 

I am deeply saddened at what is transpiring in our school district right now; but I am also a huge proponent of putting my actions where my mouth is. When I learned of Derek Phillips decision to resign, I immediately started asking why. Since Mr. Phillips came to Pekin I could clearly see the positive changes that were starting to take place. I saw, felt it and heard it from the students themselves. I saw and heard it from some teachers as well. So much headed in a positive direction and then suddenly he is leaving...it made no sense. 

It is time to start asking what is happening at Pekin to cause administration to leave- over and over again in a vicious cycle. It’s been proven that strong, stable, long term administration is a key factor in district success. We need to get that under control. At the last SIAC committee meeting, it was specifically discussed and the group (staff, parents, community members and students) were all in agreement that we were extremely pleased with the three current administrators (Phillips, Dorman and Bell) and the things they were doing. We specifically stated that we needed to emphasize the importance of keeping them around long term- to give them time to accomplish the things they had in mind- confident that they have us headed in the right direction. We specifically asked that Ann Swanson and Kortney Baumberger (who were in attendance) make sure that message was relayed to the rest of the board. And then just weeks later, it all started to fall apart. 

We demand answers and accountability on the following situations: 

1) My first and probably most important issue was hearing how threatened the staff feels. I have over a dozen private messages from staff members offering to give me some insight into the struggles that I did not realize they were facing and specifically the difficulties that Mr. Phillips had been facing that had slowly worn him down, until he said enough is enough. EVERY single message was prefaced with “I need this to be kept completely confidential.” “You can’t tell anyone I told you this or I will become a target.” Or “Please don’t use my name, I need to keep my job and if they know I spoke out, it will be bad for me.” For the staff to feel that way is absolutely unacceptable! This is a prime definition of a toxic work environment! 

2) The situation that made the news and is forefront on everyone’s minds- overturning the disciplinary action. The board made the good conduct policy and established the disciplinary actions. Unfortunately, the policy had to be utilized just a few weeks later. Your administration team made a joint decision, investigating the situation and together determined that it was worthy of the protocol that had just recently been established. 

Based on the news story, the other family has confirmed that this incident occurred- the board president’s son used a racial slur directed at another student and administration suspended the board president’s son. If the incident occurred and the disciplinary action was enforced as set forth by policy, why would the board undermine the administration and overturn the decision? It seems highly suspicious that it is solely because of who the parent is (the board president) and that has caused emotions to boil. 

There have been other incidents in the past where board members have tried to use their position- an incident that I heard about was with the softball team- a parent who was also a board member allowed themself into the team dugout during a game and when asked to leave, told the coach “I’m a board member, I outrank you and can be in here.” 

Another incident- our instructional coaches spoke at a board meeting, after they spoke a board member (Kortney Baumberger) personally went to their classroom and yelled at them, told them that she could end their careers at Pekin. When is it ever acceptable for a board member to say this?

And these same instructional coaches are on the chopping block this year- unless they go to the board and make a presentation on why they are “worth the money.” 

Do we need to bring someone in on the proper way for an employer to speak to staff? 

At a boys basketball game, a student got heated with our coach because he had been taken out of the game. At halftime, the student was still yelling at the coach so the coach told him to get out of the locker room, that he was done for the night. The student went directly to his dad, who happens to be a school board member. The dad marched down to the locker room, gave the coach an ultimatum and guess who played in the 2nd half of the game. 

The board tries to use their power inappropriately. 

3) Curriculum- Another situation that has upset people is regarding how the reading curriculum was handled. Reading test scores were lower than what administration wanted to see. Mr. Phillips worked with the curriculum director to come up with a new program. It has been said that some veteran teachers didn’t want the change and went behind the administration’s back, directly to some board members. The board then decided to retract what Mr. Phillips had put into place and instead review the curriculum themselves. Nothing against your professions- but why would a farmer, contractor, business person be a better person to make this determination vs a curriculum person and administrator that have been educated in exactly this subject? 

4) After accepting Mr. Philips resignation, the board placed him on administrative leave. However, he is banned from the premise and can not speak to any teachers. How does that facilitate a smooth transition? 

5) The elementary teachers run to board members with complaints and they refuse to follow the principal’s policies. Aren’t these policies established by the board and the principal is just enforcing them? So why would running to the board get them any different result?? But it does. 

6) I’ve been told the incidents outlined in this letter are “just the tip of the iceberg”. 

There seems to be no chain of command that is followed. The board should be setting the vision for our school, planning for the future, establishing policies and then supporting the administration to enforce the day to day running of the school- not micromanaging and undermining the administration. 

We immediately call for transparency and accountability by the board for their actions; a corrective plan of action for proper management and support of the administration and proper training for the board in employment practices. If proper corrective action is not taken, we will pursue an investigation to be conducted by the state association and if necessary, we will pursue the necessary steps for removal of board members.

Thank you.

A collective group of concerned parents and anonymous staff members