Elmhurst Schools May Settle Retaliation Case Soon: Agency

ELMHURST, IL – Elmhurst School District 205 may soon settle a union's allegation that the school board retaliated against a teacher after she appealed a one-day suspension, according to a state agency.

In response to an inquiry, John Brosnan, an attorney with the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board, said both sides recently got back to him about the status of the negotiations.

"The settlement is proceeding, and it looks like it'll be wrapped up by the end of the month or in early September," Brosnan said in an email.

In 2023, York High School teacher Kelly DeLoriea received a suspension after the district accused her of revealing information about the child of her critic, conservative activist Tom Chavez, on social media.

In a complaint afterward, the local union, the Elmhurst Teachers Council, alleged retaliation.

In addition to the one-day suspension DeLoriea had already served, the union contended the school board gave her a public reprimand in the form of a "notice to remedy." The discipline, the district said, was because DeLoriea revealed information about Chavez's child. Chavez complained to the district.

A two-day hearing was set for last spring, but it was delayed after the labor board got word that the parties were in settlement talks.