District 203 censure motion

This is the text of the motion to censure board member Dave Weeks as read Monday by Naperville Unit District 203 school board President Mike Jaensch:

This is a very difficult task for me and I do not take it lightly. As board members, we are elected officials and ultimately answer to our constituents. Having said that, we also need to work within a defined set of rules and shared values if we are to be effective. When a board member steps outside of these norms and values, we have very little recourse.

In my opinion, when there are issues, private discussions and admonishment are the first step, and are clearly preferable. However when such private conversations do not seem to have any effect, the board is forced to take public action.

When the majority of the board believes that a member is acting inappropriately (and possibly exposing the board to liability) and does not respond to private conversations, and the unacceptable behavior happens again and again, I believe that we as a board must let not only that board member, but also let the entire community know that unacceptable behavior will not be tolerated without consequence.

As a board we deal with a multitude of important issues, the vast majority of which are dealt with in the bright light of public discourse. All budget and policy decisions are discussed and voted on in public, and that is how it should be. However certain very limited areas may be discussed in closed or executive session. Among these are negotiations with our employees, pending real estate and legal actions, and perhaps most importantly, individual student and employee discipline and employment matters.

Sometimes these matters are discussed behind closed doors because of strategy reasons, for example negotiations, legal, and real estate matters. But often, we have to deal with sensitive and difficult employee and student issues. When we do, we are constrained by law, and just as importantly, common sense, respect, and courtesy, from discussing these personal matters in public.

What I believe we have here is a pattern of abuse of what is an implied, and sometimes legally mandated, requirement for discretion, specifically when it deals with an individual employee#146;s right to privacy.

Ironically, because we value every employee#146;s right to privacy so much, we cannot list the specific violations that have brought us to this unfortunate point in time. All I can ask the community to do is understand that I and my fellow board members do not take this lightly, and whatever the vote might be, those who vote to support the following motion do not do so without careful and deep reflection.

So, without further ado, I hereby move that: board member Dave Weeks be censured for his pattern of violating the confidentiality of closed session by sharing discussions, information, and deliberations that all participants understood were to be confidential. While past indiscretions have included the admitted leaking of discussions regarding contract negotiations and pending real estate matters, the key item this board will not tolerate is the inappropriate discussion of personnel matters.

In addition to this censure, the Board of Education states that it strongly condemns the release, discussion or allusion to personnel matters discussed in closed session and holds that Mr. Weeks is solely responsible for any potential liability as a result of his actions.