- Fired for FOIA compliance? Chicago State University’s former senior legal counsel claims in a lawsuit that he was fired for refusing to cover up questionable activities by the university’s president, Wayne Watson. Courthouse News Service reports that James Crowley is suing the university for allegedly firing him because he refused an order from Watston to stonewall news media requests for information about whether Watson was improperly using university resources before he was actually on the job.
- Shrink the Council? Reform groups have been calling for drastic cuts in Chicago City Council spending for years, but the cries usually fall on deaf ears. We still have 50 aldermen, their staffs, their offices, their expense accounts, etc., etc. But according to the story in the Sun-Times, a Southwest Side alderman, Mike Zalewski of the 23rd ward, is suggesting a cut in council committees that could save $1 million a year. That would hardly put a dent in the city’s budget deficit of $600 million-plus, but it’s a start.
- A bully in Rockford? Watchdogs for Ethics in Education, a grassroots organization formed by retired Rockford teachers, accuse Superintendent LaVonne Sheffield of mismanagement, leading by fear and intimidation and lack of transparency (VIDEO from WREX Rockford). The group takes issue with the increase in central office administrators, along with some of their qualifications, since Sheffield took the helm last year. Sheffield responded yesterday.
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