After all this time, the infamous recording is out. It seems the guilty parties still want to pretend that the issue is a sign held up by a student.
We have only had a chance to listen to a little of the recording, but it is sickening. The guilty will squeal that this should be over. It’s just starting. This is what happens when you get caught abusing your power. There is no statute of limitations on bullying.
Thursday, July 25, 2019
Sunday, July 21, 2019
RELEASE THE TAPE AND TRANSCRIPT
Well, we thought we were about done with this blog. Life goes on. The national scene is a dumpster fire and SIU is on the ropes. JALC was seeming like it was gaining some semblance of normalcy, real or imagined. And then the chicken came home to roost.
Those who have followed this site, and those just with an interest in John A. Logan College, know that when the board went into executive session to vote on who would be laid off, three years ago, they were in there a long time. At the next Board meeting, we learned why: they had been discussing more than just the individuals to be laid off, which would be a legitimate use of an executive session. Student trustee, Brandi Husch, revealed that one of the Board members bullied her and whipped out a file regarding her past, unrelated to her career as a student or service on the Board. As she attempted to explain this to the public in open session, she was shut down by the then Board chair and the college attorney.
Well, the wheels of justice turn slowly, but the IL Attorney General has opined that the Board violated the Open Meetings Act. In fact 80% of the discussion was supposed to be public. The AG invited Logan to release the audio recording and transcript to the public.
Conveniently, the Board had voted to destroy the recording before the matter was settled and without consulting the AG's office. But, the AG had a copy.
Board members said they would vote on whether to release the audio file but, alas, it would be a moot point because they had already destroyed it. ...And then the other shoe dropped. On them. The AG gave them his copy.
So, Tuesday night, July 23, the Board will vote on whether to release the verbatim recording. They have scheduled the vote as item 6 on the meeting agenda. They have scheduled public comment as item 7. How convenient.
Maybe they will vote to release the recording. That would be the decent, civic thing to do. On the other hand, not behaving like thugs would have been the decent, civic thing to do too. Tuesday's meeting is scheduled for 7pm, in the Administration Building Boardroom.
Oh, and if you are a Board member and reading this, do the right thing. Release the damn thing!
Those who have followed this site, and those just with an interest in John A. Logan College, know that when the board went into executive session to vote on who would be laid off, three years ago, they were in there a long time. At the next Board meeting, we learned why: they had been discussing more than just the individuals to be laid off, which would be a legitimate use of an executive session. Student trustee, Brandi Husch, revealed that one of the Board members bullied her and whipped out a file regarding her past, unrelated to her career as a student or service on the Board. As she attempted to explain this to the public in open session, she was shut down by the then Board chair and the college attorney.
Well, the wheels of justice turn slowly, but the IL Attorney General has opined that the Board violated the Open Meetings Act. In fact 80% of the discussion was supposed to be public. The AG invited Logan to release the audio recording and transcript to the public.
Conveniently, the Board had voted to destroy the recording before the matter was settled and without consulting the AG's office. But, the AG had a copy.
Board members said they would vote on whether to release the audio file but, alas, it would be a moot point because they had already destroyed it. ...And then the other shoe dropped. On them. The AG gave them his copy.
So, Tuesday night, July 23, the Board will vote on whether to release the verbatim recording. They have scheduled the vote as item 6 on the meeting agenda. They have scheduled public comment as item 7. How convenient.
Maybe they will vote to release the recording. That would be the decent, civic thing to do. On the other hand, not behaving like thugs would have been the decent, civic thing to do too. Tuesday's meeting is scheduled for 7pm, in the Administration Building Boardroom.
Oh, and if you are a Board member and reading this, do the right thing. Release the damn thing!
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