District 225 board member apologizes for meeting outburst
Glenbrook High Schools District 225 board member Joel Taub apologized on Thursday for an outburst against a public speaker at the district's Feb. 14 board meeting.
During an argument with Mark Weyermuller of Chicago, Taub swore at and directed vulgar language at him.
"I apologize for the language I used at our recent board meeting," Taub said in a statement released at 6:33 p.m. Thursday upon request from Fox News.
"My duty is to serve our community with professionalism, and I regret letting my frustration get the best of me at this stage of the global pandemic. I remain deeply committed to the education of our students and will refocus my energy on that integral responsibility."
Taub is a four-term, 15-year board member and Northbrook resident since 1985.
The Feb. 14 meeting was framed by a Sangamon County circuit court judge's Feb. 4 temporary restraining order on Gov. J.B. Pritzker's school mask mandate.
Weyermuller was the 12th of 23 speakers during public comment. All voiced opinions either favoring or opposing a mask-optional policy for students and staff at Glenbrook North and Glenbrook South high schools.
The meeting ran 35 minutes without occasion until Weyermuller took off his mask upon reaching the podium. Told to put his mask on by District 225 board President Bruce Doughty, Weyermuller said, "President Biden and J.B. Pritzker both speak without a mask, and I do have (a medical) exemption," indicating a card hanging from a lanyard around his neck.
After nearly a minute in which Weyermuller stated his humiliation, embarrassment and inability to articulate while wearing a mask, reiterated his medical exemption and repeatedly asked if he could restart his clock for the 2-minute comment period, Doughty said Weyermuller could speak without the mask.
Taub questioned Weyermuller's being allowed to speak without a mask and the validity of his exemption card.
Stating he was being interrupted, Weyermuller said, "Who's this, are you the mask police?"
Doughty asked Taub if he "had a question," and Weyermuller asked if Taub was "in charge."
Taub then echoed Weyermuller's comment several times. Weyermuller said Taub should be removed from the board room.
Talking to Doughty, Taub said, "This was not what you promised, you said if they don't wear a mask they can't speak."
Weyermuller then said, "I have a mask, I could wear the mask on my head if you want," briefly placing it on his head.
Taub then said, among other things, "If you don't wear a ... mask, get the ... out of here!" swearing as he rose from his seat and pointed toward the exit.
Doughty called for a five-minute recess, Taub again cursing Weyermuller, who put his mask on and walked away from the podium.
After about a three-minute break Weyermuller, wearing his mask, began his comments. He said he hoped he wouldn't be tracked down and bullied "like you're doing now."
He said he promoted mask-optional policy, that he was humiliated, embarrassed being at the board meeting and "embarrassed for the board."
He argued Pritzker's mandate was void and the district could possibly be violating the restraining order, and the board should not decide "who gets to wear a mask and not."
"I speak at a lot of board meetings, I've never had anything happen to me like this before," Weyermuller said.
A contributor to the conservative online publication, Illinois Review, on his Twitter page Weyermuller describes himself as a citizen journalist and frequent guest on Chicago talk radio.
From Feb. 7 to Feb. 16 Weyermuller's articles and social media posts indicated he attended other protests, rallies or school board meetings in Clarendon Hills, Northbrook, Northfield, Wilmette and St. Charles.
Later in the meeting, while discussing district staffing needs to treat students' mental health concerns as a result of the COVID pandemic, Taub called Weyermuller a "professional provocateur" with no affiliation with District 225.