GionMatthias Schelbert
, president of District 202 Teachers’ Council, said District 202 superintendent Eric Witherspoon’s announcement was an abrupt end to their time spent working together.
“(The announcement) was a shock. We were not counseled and were not talked to,” Schelbert said. “It was just decided, and it appears that the decision was a unilateral action by Dr. Witherspoon that was not supported by other administrators or teachers.”
At a board meeting just two weeks ago, Schelbert said the administration and board members applauded the district’s current model, where academic courses are entirely remote and some extracurricular activities are offered in-person. Administration and board members agreed the model was working well and complimented it as “thinking outside the box.” The change in plan, then, felt sudden to Schelbert.