Story posted Friday, May 15, 2009
District 57 Missed Background Check
Superintendent Hire Resigns After DUI Charges
By RICHARD MAYER Assistant Managing Editor
"You live and learn," said Mt. Prospect Elementary School Dist. 57 Board President Joseph Leane, referring to the district's lack of a criminal background check on Dr. Peggy Kaufmann who resigned Tuesday as incoming superintendent.
Kaufmann was charged with driving under the influence (DUI) last month and pled guilty to a previous DUI charge in 2002, it was revealed this week.
Leane said he and other board members, some no longer on the board due to last month's election, were under the impression that Mark Friedman, partner of BWP and Assoc., the search firm hired to find a replacement for retiring Supt. Dr. Bruce Brown, conducted both reference and criminal background checks.
"We assure that our next superintendent will go through a complete criminal background check," said Leane. "It was the (previous) board's understanding that BWP conducted all background checks but in hindsight we should have made it clear that they conduct a criminal check."
"We would have done that (criminal check) during the process, but we never got that far," said Brown, who expects to retire at the end of the current school year next month.
Prior to a closed session meeting held Tuesday night to discuss Kaufmann's future with the district, Leane announced that Kaufmann earlier in the day submitted a letter of resignation.
"There was no reason given in the letter, it was just a short statement resigning her position," said Leane. "I believe she realized it was in the best interest to step down. I wasn't surprised by her resignation. I personally spoke to her and she apologized for putting the district through this situation."
On Saturday, Apr. 11 around 1 a.m., police reportedly pulled Kaufmann over near Rte. 59 and Stuckman Blvd. in Bartlett for alleged improper lane usage. A short time later, Kaufmann, 52, was placed under arrest for allegedly driving under the influence. She was charged with two misdemeanor counts of driving under the influence of alcohol and given a traffic citation.
Kaufmann is expected to appear in a DuPage County courtroom in Wheaton this Monday, May 18.
"We haven't made a particular decision on what will happen now," said Leane. "We will get in touch with Mark to discuss this matter. We are moving forward as quickly as we can to ensure quality trustworthy leadership for the school district."
A special closed session meeting is scheduled for Monday (May 18) at 5 p.m. to discuss which direction the board will move in to appoint a new superintendent.
According to Friedman, in accordance with their contract, BWP will do another search for no additional charge and work with the district to find a candidate if that is the direction the board wants to go.
Friedman said besides starting over with a whole new search process, the school board might reach out to other finalists identified in the search process as a possible successor to Brown.
When asked if he would stay on past June 30 until his successor is chosen, Brown said, "whatever would benefit the district." Nothing has been discussed, however, and Brown intends to retire June 30.
"We could possibly ask Dr. Brown to stay on passed his planned retirement date," said Leane.
"For anyone to insinuate she was a flawed candidate is untrue and sensationalized," Friedman said.
The entire search process cost the district and its taxpayers approximately $2,000 to find candidates, including Kaufmann.
"We haven't discussed getting any money back, our focus is finding a new superintendent," said Leane.
Kaufmann has spent the last seven years in Schaumburg Twp. School Dist. 54, first serving as principal of Anne Fox School in Hanover Park then transferring to her current position in 2005-06. She has also served as a professor at Loyola, Chicago State, Governors State and Roosevelt universities.
Dist. 54 officials have already hired Kaufmann's replacement for next year and are expected to stick with their decision.
Numerous attempts to contact Kaufmann were unsuccessful.
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