McHenry County Board Refuses to Reveal Applicants for Regional Superintendent of Education Post

You can read the names provided after a previous Freedom of Information request.

The first time I asked, I had no problem getting applications from those applying for the vacant McHenry County Superintendent of Schools post.

This is the elected official, you will recall, whose shoes have been filled by the Lake County Regional Superintendent of Education.

The clerical folks are still pushing the teachers’ and other paperwork, but, when signatures are needed, the Lake County official has kindly agreed to affix hers.

After the last nominee withdrew, three school board members, past and present, wrote comments that the post was unneeded.

Now, it’s

“TOP SECRET, HUSH, HUSH!”

I’m guessing it’s because a daughter of a former elected county official is interested in the job.

Undoubtedly qualified, considering the statutory requirements.

But, come on.

Even the Circuit Court releases the names of applicants for Associate Judge vacancies.  Surely that’s are more important than a Regional Superintendent of Schools vacancy.

Here’s the reason for hiding the name or names.  It involves

“an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy due to the disclosure of information that may be highly personal or objectionable to a reasonable person in which the person’s privacy outweighs any legitimate public interest in obtaining the information.”

What’s that all about?

Think “a reasonable person” might decide to vote against such a person if the information surfaced before the fall election in which the appointee will be on the ballot?

In any event, here is the Freedom of Information denial letter. Read it for yourself.


Comments

McHenry County Board Refuses to Reveal Applicants for Regional Superintendent of Education Post — 5 Comments

  1. Labaj’s answer isn’t surprising.

    Whatever the County can keep from the public, the more they think they can control.

    When someone’s applying for a position in public office, I think the “public” has a right to know who these people are.

    Certainly the applicants couldn’t be objecting to their names being made available, could they?

    if they are, then somethings fishy.

  2. Cal,
    Please state the meeting date in which the “County Board” voted to not reveal the names.

    I may have missed that on the agenda but I don’t think so.

    You might mean that the staff at the County Administrator’s office chose not to reveal this.

    Probably not as sexy of a headline but more truthful don’t you think?

  3. Nick- The Freedom of Information Officer speaks for the County Board.

    If you, as I, think he has made a mistake, please urge him to change his mind and release the information.

    Or, we can wait for the Public Access Division of the Illinois Attorney General’s Office to make a ruling.

    I can observe that transparent government it is not.

  4. Although having this information public is preferable, I believe the law with respect to personnel decision and FOIA is pretty clear … no disclosure.

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