DEVELOPING: Last week, we reported on concerns shared with us made by the public about alleged electioneering happening at Unit 5. A McLean County board member Chuck Erickson had told Cities he’d be checking into it and said Curt Richardson, the Unit 5 attorney, should be checking into the allegations.
Now Wendy Davis, A Unit 5 Assistant Principal, has taken to social media and revealed that Curt Richardson addressed fliers being stuffed into teachers’ mailboxes.
Kristin Grundler, the wife of McLean County Republican chair Dennis Grundler, raised concerns about fliers being put into school mail boxes.
“Why does the union have a vested interest in this…oh that’s right their contracts are due this year. Talk about pay for play,” said Kristin Grundler on Facebook.
Contract negotiations will be going before the Unit 5 school board in June of 2023, this is after the April election.
In response to Kristin Grundler, Wendy Davis said, “This was addressed with all staff by our district attorney.”
Cities has filed a FOIA request with Unit 5 asking for correspondence from over the weekend since we talked with a county board member on the issue and received physical copies of the fliers that were allegedly stuffed into the Unit 5 teachers’ mailboxes.
According to Article VIII Section I of the Illinois Constitution, public funds, property, and credit shall only be used for a public purpose and the use of the public property for a private purpose can constitute Official Misconduct by the County Sheriffs.
And according to Unit 5’s website, “Distributing, preparing for distribution, or mailing campaign literature, campaign signs, or other campaign material on behalf of any candidate for elective office or for or against any referendum question,” is prohibited.
At a band concert, a McLean County board member and band instructor of Unit 5 Corey Beirne gave a speech that BLN News obtained video of.
Here are some official answers to FAQs regarding referendum activities conducted by school officials, published by Illinois Council of School Attorneys.
