Former Superintendent Suing Lincolnwood SD 74 For $250K

Update 10:16 a.m. 07/27 -  

Lincolnwood District 74's former assistant superintendent of business, Kevin Nohelty, filed a lawsuit against the school board last week. Nohelty, who was dismissed on June 13, alleges that he was wrongfully terminated by the school board. He is seeking $250,000 plus the cost of legal fees, according to the suit.

The complaint specifically lists board members Scott Anderson, John Vranas, Kevin Daly and Georjean Nickell as defendants. The aforementioned voted 4-0 to terminate Nohelty on June 13.  

"The filing of the lawsuit does not change my belief that we made the right decision," said school board president Scott Anderson. "Anybody with a computer can file a lawsuit these days. The real test is if they can prove the allegations. Nohelty cannot prove [those] allegations."

Anderson added that the school district has insurance that protects the board from lawsuits such as Nohelty's. That being said, little to no money would directly come from the school district if Nohelty is successful, according to Anderson.

"I am confident that we have insurance," Anderson said. "We are in the process of tendering this to our insurance company."

According to the suit, then superintendent Mark Klaisner was "under substantial public scrutiny for questionable spending practices." On March 9, the school board asked Klaisner, Nohelty and then assistant superintendent Susan Brandt for their immediate resignations, according to the suit. Ultimately, Klaisner would resign and Brandt retired. However, Nohelty declined to leave the school district.

The following are some key points taken directly from the suit:

• Immediately after Nohelty declined to resign, the Board of Education placed him on an unspecified paid administrative leave of absence. No allegations or charges of any kind were filed or mentioned at that time.
• On May 29, Interim superintendent Dr. Kenneth Cull sent Nohelty a letter directing Nohelty to meet for the sole purpose of serving "a bill of particulars justifying your dismissal."
• Nohelty was "never reprimanded, warned, questioned or disciplined in any manner by his employer for anything let alone the conduct that was the subject of the original bill."
• The defendants prosecuted these false charges against Nohelty in retaliation for his refusal to resign from his position AND in retaliation for Nohelty's refusal to voluntarily terminate his employment contract as demanded by the individual defendants.

Why Nohelty was placed on administrative leave is not immediately available at this time. Skokie Patch should have that information live on our site Friday morning. 

Read our previous coverage on Lincolnwood School District 74

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