Unit 4 schools Superintendent Shelia Boozer says of her text exchange with ISBE Superintendent Tony Sanders: "Our discussions took place at a difficult time during a year in which the board leadership, administration, staff and I have been subject to relentless, unfair attacks." To pitch a ‘My Turn’ guest column, email jdalessio@news-gazette.com .
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Sign up for our daily newsletter here CHAMPAIGN — Three days after the unflattering results of an anonymous Unit 4 teachers survey were posted to a school board member’s Facebook page for all to see, an exasperated Shelia Boozer texted a “trusted colleague” — the highest-ranking public school official in the state of Illinois — looking for advice and to vent. “Hey friend ..
. I hate to disturb you on the weekend but I’m so troubled right now,” Champaign schools' superintendent wrote to Tony Sanders, the state superintendent of education. It was just after 3:30 on a Saturday afternoon in April.
Accompanying Boozer’s text was a screenshot of school board member Betsy Holder’s social media post, which included PDFs of 30 pages of feedback for district leaders from Unit 4’s teachers. The teachers didn’t hold back, with their 243 survey recommendations ranging from constructive (more transparency, more accountability, more of a presence in schools) to scath.