| RESIGNATIONS CALLED FOR AFTER CHAOS IN 227 ON SEPTEMBER 30, 2013 To the District 227 Community: It has become clear that with the unfortunate events of yesterday occurring at Rich Central and Rich South, that the "new" administration and Board of Education hasn't a clue on where our District should be going. Key events were indicators which preceded yesterday's tragedy and led up to this embarrassing episode demonstrating incompetence and bad choices made by the new majority board. First, the 2 newest board members, Dr. Delores Woods and Antoine Bass, had the endorsement and support of the Rich Township Teachers Association, "union", and that of current board president Cheryl Coleman. Secondly, the trio, Woods, Bass and Coleman solicited and received the support of area politicians to support Woods and Bass in the April 9, 2013 school board election. Namely Country Club Hills Mayor Dwight Welch, a vocal and ardent opponent of quality education and a political tarzan and equally opposed to Black independent political aspirations in Country Club Hills for over 25 years. Further, Tim Bradford president of the Rich Township Democratic Organization was also solicited and endorsed the Coleman ticket of Woods and Bass. Rick Reinbold, Mayor of Richton Park, was solicited but it is unclear how that turned out because he supported the Betty Owens' ticket. The mayor of Park Forest, Ostertag, [not sure of spelling] was solicited and also threw his supporters behind the Coleman ticket of Woods and Bass. All of these deals, made "before" the April 9, 2013 election, showed that the potential new board members had sold themselves to the existing order and with their sale, the interest and futures of yet more Black students in District 227. Once elected, the new majority led by Coleman, Woods and Bass, re-hired the failed principal of Rich South, Cynthia Hudson, who had accepted another position at Proviso West High School in Maywood, IL. Coleman and the new board "created" a new position for Hudson, "Asst. Supt. of Operations, and with it a pay increase. There was no competent, intelligent, logical reason given by Coleman and the board for this decision. The new board quickly installed Hudson protégé Jennifer Benardcyk as Hudson's replacement as principal at Rich South with no record of accomplishments, leadership or innovative initiative to address the high academic failure rate of Black students, particularly males. In fact, during the interview process Benardzyk repeatedly spoke of her relationship with Hudson as seemingly the "only" qualification she had for the position of principal. More disturbing was Bednarzyk's answer to the committee that "a school's staff should not reflect the population of the community it serves." Instead, Bednarzyk stated the school should hire the "most qualified" candidate, inferring that the "most qualified" candidates for principal only can come from "outside" the community being served. This position is consistent with the discriminatory hiring practices being used in District 227 and supported by the Teachers' union. According to reports from persons attending the hurriedly called school board meeting last night, a parent, who stated that Cynthia Hudson was present at Rich South yesterday during the disturbance, attempted to report to the board and community that Hudson had disrespected her and her daughter at Rich South earlier that day. As she was still speaking, board president Cheryl Coleman interrupted the parent and prevented her from telling her story of how Hudson had disrespected her. Most in the audience read this as Coleman protecting Hudson from public criticism and being held accountable for conduct towards parents and community members. This is the same conduct demonstrated under the Betty Owens 12 year regime of shutting down citizens free speech rights and is more sad and deeply troubling in view of the fact that Coleman, Woods and Bass campaigned on a platform of "Change" and "Accountability" In closing I will have more to say publicly about the situation in our District and evidence to present that we do not have the "change" that was voted for on April 9, 2013, and unless the people stand up and demand accountability from this board for its decisions and the resulting debacle at Rich South and Rich Central on yesterday, we will lose yet another generation of brilliant minds of our youth who are begging for genuine, authentic and culturally based leadership which does not currently exist in the District office, school board nor the three campuses. Respectfully, Mr. Komaa Mnyofu Citizen activist, parent, District resident "Change You Can Depend On" | 
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