Hinsdale D86 Ends Warning Letter Practice

HINSDALE, IL – Hinsdale High School District 86 appears to have dropped its policy of warning departing board members to keep information deemed confidential under wraps.

In September 2023, board member Debbie Levinthal resigned from the board, effective immediately, criticizing the board's leadership.

A month later, member Kay Gallo did the same. She expressed similar frustrations.

Both later received warnings from the board's attorney.

Earlier this month, the terms for members Peggy James, Terri Walker, Heather Kartsounes and Abed Rahman ended. None of them left criticizing board President Catherine Greenspon or any other board member.

Patch filed a public records request for any warning letters sent to the four members. None got one.

It appeared the letters were a new practice with Levinthal and Gallo.

The letters to the two former members were from Joseph Perkoski of the Chicago-based Robbins Schwartz law firm, which terminated its relationship with District 86 a year later.

In the letters, Perkoski said the former members still had "legally binding obligations with regard to confidentiality."

"In particular, the attorney-client privilege is held by the Board as a whole and may not be waived by any individual Board member, current or past," he wrote.

At the end of the letter, Perkoski thanked the members for their service.

A few months ago, the Evergreen Park-based Odelson law firm was hired to represent the district.

The district's spokesman, Alex Mayster, did not return a message for comment on the warning letters.

In March, the district settled with Levinthal's family for up to $80,000 in response to an allegation of a breach of student privacy.