Hinsdale D-86 Leader Rebukes Board Member

BURR RIDGE, IL – The superintendent of Hinsdale High School District 86 usually stays silent when board members argue about issues.

Last week, she weighed in. She accused a member of spreading a "significant amount of disinformation."

The dispute was over emails to the entire board. The district's website has informed the public that emails to the board also go to the superintendent.

But until recently, it failed to say the messages were also copied to the director of communications, Chris Jasculca.

Earlier this month, board member Jeff Waters said at a meeting that the public was kept in the dark about Jasculca being the ninth person to receive such emails. He asked the district to add to its website that the communications director also gets the emails. The district did so.

At Thursday's meeting, Waters said emails being sent to individual board members were also going to the then-board president, Terri Walker, without members' knowledge.

"After that, we discovered the superintendent was copied in on the emails to us," he said.

When that came to light, Waters said, the district posted on its website that the superintendent was copied in.

Then he said it was learned recently that "you, Mr. Jasculca, were also copied in."

"As it relates to this email address, it brings up other questions, Mr. Jasculca, another administrator–"

"I think you should stop trying to impugn our administration. You are leveling an accusation at him," board President Erik Held interrupted, raising his voice.

Waters maintained he was protecting people's privacy.

"Teacher and faculty privacy could be in jeopardy here," Waters said. "This is a conversation for the public because it impacts the public because they were the ones who were maligned by this unknown policy, which is now presented on two fronts."

Raising her voice, Superintendent Tammy Prentiss said, "Member Waters, you are creating a significant amount of disinformation at this table right now that I as superintendent–"

"Can you explain to me how that is the case without maintaining a false narrative again?" Waters asked. "Maintain exactly how I drove a false narrative there."

Addressing Waters' "first misinformation," Prentiss said he and his colleagues approved the protocol in which Walker was copied in on all emails to the board. They later removed that provision, she said.

Waters said he didn't know about it.

Prentiss also disputed Waters' assertion that it was a new procedure that the superintendent was copied in on emails to the entire board. That policy has remained in place since before Prentiss took the helm in 2019, she said.

"OK," Waters said.

Prentiss continued, "I do not appreciate how you're characterizing a member of my cabinet. It happened at the last board meeting. We can do better. If you have questions, you have my number."

Waters said he just gave his questions.

Prentiss said it wasn't appropriate in "this space" for Waters to "attack a member of my cabinet."

Waters disagreed that he was attacking anyone.

"I'm trying to protect the community from having their rights trampled on," he said.

"You're not protecting anyone," Prentiss said. "You're making insinuations."

Held said it has been mentioned in public before that the emails were going to Jasculca, but he did not say when.

Waters said his memory was different. And board member Peggy James said she did not know Jasculca was copied in until recently.

Later in the meeting, Waters said it was certainly not his intention to call out Jasculca, who did not speak during the meeting.

"To the extent that I offended you, I apologize," Waters said.

Waters, James and member Debbie Levinthal make up the board's minority. They have voted against a raise for Prentiss and in favor of formal complaints against the superintendent.

Held and members Terri Walker, Cynthia Hanson and Kathleen Hirsman have stood by Prentiss.

The next election is in April.