U-46 board won't reconsider choral director's resignation

Larkin High School music supporters Monday heard their fight to keep the school's choral director had reached its final act, after the Elgin Area School District U-46 board made clear it would take no further action on the issue.

"The board has heard the concerns (from the community)," board Vice President Donna Smith said. But as board members already accepted Damon Carlson's resignation, "no further action will be taken," she said. "Both school code and ETA contract code have been followed."

Since early May, dozens of students, parents and school alumni have made impassioned pleas to the board to reinstate Carlson, Larkin's choral director since 2004.

Carlson resigned his position at the school's Visual and Performing Arts Academy in late March.

Parents and students say the director was asked to resign by Elgin Area School District U-46 officials.

Neither Carlson nor U-46 has confirmed that.

But Carlson late last month did file a union grievance in which he formally withdrew his resignation. And Community members filed a May 19 grievance requesting an investigation into the issue.

On May 23, Carlson joined that grievance and filed his own, claiming his constitutional and contractual rights were violated and "facts regarding both were misrepresented in the process of that resignation being forced," according to a letter submitted to interim Superintendent Mary Jayne Broncato.

Elgin Teachers Association leaders have maintained that responses to both grievances are in the school board's hands.

At Monday's meeting, union First Vice President Irene Wedemeyer urged the board to reinstate Carlson.

Wedemeyer criticized the current method of evaluating teachers, calling it "antiquated."

"We believe Damon was denied support from the administration at Larkin High," Wedemeyer said, stating that Carlson was never evaluated by Larkin Principal Richard Webb.

"The evidence provided for Damon's dismissal is not compelling," Wedemeyer said. "What is compelling is the outpouring of support from the Larkin community."

In late May, Interim Superintendent Mary Jayne Broncato recommended to board members that there were no due process violations in Carlson's resignation.

The board unanimously voted to uphold that recommendation.

In addition to the grievances, a Facebook petition to reinstate Carlson boasts more than 230 members.

YouTube contains several videos of public comments against Carlson's dismissal at board meetings.

A June 7 letter to the editor of the Daily Herald demanding Carlson's reinstatement listed 64 signatures, including Larkin Academy members, members of the Citizens Advisory Council and several of the school's past salutatorians and valedictorians.

Tony Sanders, district spokesman, said administrators have interviewed several candidates to fill Carlson's position.

"They've narrowed that down to several finalists," Sanders said.

The board must approve any candidate selected for the position during open session, Sanders said.