2007 Emails Reveal Unethical Behavior by Franklin School Board Members

The following emails present a glimpse of the corrupt, unethical behind the scenes actions, coordination of tactics and strategies between the Franklin School Board, various school administrators, teachers and a pro-referendum group around the time of the  failed 2007, $78 million school referendum in 2007.

These emails were first brought to light in our story ”Franklin School Board Deserves Close Scrutiny During Run-up to Likely School Referendum” were provided to  by current school board member Janet Evans.  The emails were sent between April 4, and April 30, 2007.  For your benefit here is the “cast of characters” in these email exchanges surrounding the 2007 school referendum:

• Bill Szakacs, District Superintendent.
• Sue Huhn, School board member/Treasurer.
• Jim Ward, school board member/Vice President.
• Scott Bauer, school board member/ President.
• Mary Karolewicz, school board member and former City of Franklin Economic Development Commission (EDC) member.
• Debbie Larson, elected to the school board in 2003 and currently board president.
• Jeff Traylor, elected to the school board in 2007 and presently vice president

We found it interesting that some school board members chose to use personal email accounts when communicating with other members concerning District business.  Now why do you suppose they wouldn’t use their official government-provided email address when conducting District business?

 2007 School Referendum Emails

 

Franklin School Board Deserves Close Scrutiny During Run-up to Likely School Referendum

I see from Bryan Maersch’s “Wag the Dog” blog that our untrustworthy school board is gearing up again for a possible school building referendum for the November, 2012 general election.

With the exception of now-school board President Debbie Larson and Jeff Traylor the current school board has no members remaining from the 2007 board which placed the $78-million school referenda on the April 2007 ballot.

After the referendum failed, rumors persisted that the then-school board had ignored, manipulated and mislead voters into believing a pre-referendum voter survey called for a new high school, when in fact, the new high school reflected the personal agendas of certain board members, completely dismissing the input and wishes of Franklin voters.

There were also rumors that voting-age high school students were taken out of class to attend a propaganda assembly concerning the referendum.  Around the district a pro-referendum group had convinced some school administrations and teachers to include pro-referendum materials in student take-home literature provided by the group, while the school board remained clueless to what was happening under their noses.

Catching wind of all this, Franklin citizen Janet  Evans made an open records request to the school district for email between school board members. To determine whether there was any truth to the rumors or among other accusations, culpability between the board, teachers the pro-referendum group concerning the growing scandal.

Now a school board member, Janet Evans has been kind enough loan THE FRANKLIN INDEPENDENT JOURNAL 132 pages of these emails between board members and then-District Superintendent Bill Szakacs, particularly emails from April, 2007.

Look for these emails here tomorrow.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Update on Monday, January 2, 2012 at 9:13 AM by Basil Ryan

Due to a glitch with our scanner, the 2007 referendum school board emails scheduled for publishing today, will be postponed  until Wednesday, January 4 at the lastest.

Same Auld Lang Syne

DANIEL GRAYLING FOGELBERG

August 13, 1951—December 16, 2007

In May 2004, Dan  Fogelberg was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer. He underwent therapy and achieved a partial remission, which did not eliminate his cancer but reduced it and stopped its spread. On August 13, 2005, his 54th birthday, Fogelberg announced the success of his cancer treatments. He said that he had no immediate plans to return to making music but was keeping his options open. After battling prostate cancer for three years, Fogelberg succumbed to the disease on December 16, 2007, at his home in Deer Isle, Maine with wife Jean by his side. He was 56 years old.

In tribute to Fogelberg and the entire Fogelberg family, the City of Peoria renamed Abington Street in the city's East Bluff neighborhood "Fogelberg Parkway". The street runs along the east side of Woodruff High School, Fogelberg's alma mater, and where his father was a teacher and bandleader. "Fogelberg Parkway" ends at the intersection of N. Prospect and Frye, which is the location of the convenience store where Fogelberg ran into his old high school sweetheart one Christmas Eve, a chance encounter made famous in the song "Same Old Lang Syne.”

HAPPY NEW YEAR!