Mount Prospect District 57's new superintendent charged with DUI

Mount Prospect Elementary District 57's new superintendent, set to take over July 1, has been charged with a DUI and the school board plans to meet Tuesday to discuss if and what actions it may take in light of the charge, board President Joseph Leane said Saturday.

Peggy Kaufmann, currently an administrator in Schaumburg Township Elementary District 54, discussed the DUI charge with the school board in executive session last week, Leane said.

"At this point, we are monitoring the situation," Leane said. "Dr. Kaufmann is presumed innocent, obviously, until the matter with authorities resolves itself... The school board at this point is in the process of determining what our various options are, while monitoring the situation. And we just are committed to having our superintendent be a person that is held to a higher standard than the typical person, somebody whose going to have the trust of the community."

Leane said the charge was lodged on or about April 11, possibly in Bartlett, though he said there was some discrepancy about the exact date of the charge. He said the school board is in the process of getting a copy of the police report. Bartlett police Saturday were not able to confirm or deny that a charge was lodged against Kaufmann in Bartlett and said that any information would not be available until Monday. Kaufmann could not immediately be reached for comment.

"It clearly is something that we're disappointed about and clearly is cause for us to review our plans, and at this point I really try to hold back from forming any kind of judgment," Leane said. "We're really just in kind of the fact finding mode right now."

On Friday, district officials sent voicemail messages to parents to inform them that Kaufmann had received a DUI and that they are investigating, said the district's current superintendent, Bruce R. Brown.

"This is an item that is under review and all of our efforts will be to make sure this is handled fairly and adequately," Brown said.

In February, Kaufmann was named to take over the district top administrative post from Brown, who is retiring, on July 1. Currently, she is assistant superintendent for instructional services in District 54 and has held that job for four years, and was a District 54 principal, at Anne Fox School, before that.

Leane said the school board found out about the charge from a third party, not Kaufmann.

He said Kaufmann met with the board in executive session Monday night.

"She gave us a basic description of what occurred. She said that she is being told by her attorney that he is very optimistic that she will not be found guilty," Leane said.

He does not think that Kaufmann will be asked to attend the meeting on Tuesday evening. "We spoke to her at length this past Monday evening and there's really no developments between last Monday and this Tuesday."

Leane said the school board is committed to being open about the situation with the community and making sure that the person who is superintendent is someone residents can trust.

"We will get through it and we will have quality leadership next year and I'm confident that leadership will have the support of the community," Leane said.

As for what the board's options are now, Leane said that is what it will discuss on Tuesday night.

"It is the desire of the school board to be as candid as we can be because we understand that this whole issue very much affects the level of trust that the community will have with the leadership of the school district," Leane said. "We want to be as open and candid as we can."

Asked if he would be willing to serve past July 1 on an interim basis, Brown said, "We've had no discussions about that so far. So I really don't know at this point."