The dismissal of controversial Blaine Elementary School Principal Troy LaRaviere had nothing to do with a meeting he’d scheduled this week with other school principals on the South Side, a Chicago Public Schools spokeswoman said Thursday.
LaRaviere had said in another media report that CPS told him Wednesday he’d been removed from his job at Blaine, after district officials tried to shut down a meeting he was supposed to attend, along with other principals, at a South Side elementary school.
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But CPS spokeswoman Emily Bittner said Thursday that LaRaviere’s removal is “unrelated to the meeting at the elementary school.”
“Principal LaRaviere was asked to come to a meeting at CPS on Wednesday to discuss his removal and employment status,” said CPS spokeswoman Emily Bittner. “He did not show up to the meeting.”
In a message to parents, LSC and community members, Chicago Public Schools announced Wednesday that the vocal principal and frequent critic of Mayor Rahm Emanuel had been reassigned from his post at Blaine Elementary School.
Effective Thursday, Pedro Alonso, the principal of Von Steuben High School from 2006 to 2014, will take his place, according to a CPS email obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times.
Blaine will hold a meeting next Monday evening “to discuss the school leadership change and transition plans,” according to the email, which did not disclose disclose specifics of LaRaviere’s role.
LaRaviere declined to comment on the matter Thursday before he could speak to his attorney.
Blaine Elementary School Principal Troy LaRaviere was removed due to "alleged acts of misconduct," according to a statement from Chicago Public Schools. | Sun-Times file photo
Blaine Elementary School Principal Troy LaRaviere was removed due to “alleged acts of misconduct,” according to a statement from Chicago Public Schools. | Sun-Times file photo
In August 2015, LaRaviere was formally censured by Chicago’s Board of Education in a warning resolution that’s an early step in the district’s termination process. A CPS spokesman then denied that the discipline came in retaliation for LaRaviere’s work as an education adviser to Emanuel’s mayoral challenger Jesus “Chuy” Garcia.
At the time, LaRaviere also was accused of “insubordination directed toward the CEO” during a July 13, 2015, budget meeting in which he “asked a provocative question from the audience attempting to highlight financial missteps of the Board and demanding an answer to those missteps.”
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# Blaine Elementary School Troy LaRaviere Chicago
Chicago News 04/20/2016, 09:30pm
Fired Cicero parks worker, who spoke to FBI, gets $166,000 award
Cicero Town President Larry Dominick in 2009. | Brian jackson/Sun-Times
Cicero Town President Larry Dominick in 2009. | Brian jackson/Sun-Times
Andrew Schroedter and Dane Placko
A federal jury recently awarded $166,000 to a former Clyde Park District employee who claimed in a lawsuit she was fired for speaking to the FBI about alleged misuse of taxpayer money.
While the park district is on the hook for that payout, the tab for taxpayers could approach $1 million if a judge rules the agency — which maintains recreation programs and parkland in west suburban Cicero — must also cover the attorney fees for the former employee, Laura Perez-Garcia, court records show.
An elected board controlled by political allies of Cicero Town President Larry Dominick oversees the park district. His son, Brian Dominick, is on the park board and was named as a defendant, as was Larry Dominick, though the elder Dominick was later dismissed.
Either way, Perez-Garcia claimed Larry Dominick was behind her firing.
Attorneys for the park district have asked for a new trial, claiming in court filings, “This case involves a disgruntled former employee, who let a fantasy go to her head. . . . Her belief that ongoing corruption and fraud were occurring within the district is unreasonable due to her complete lack of knowledge.”
In court filings, Perez-Garcia alleges park district officials used agency credit cards for personal expenses and failed to produce receipts or other documentation for various payment and reimbursement requests.
At the center of her allegations is Anthony Martinucci, a precinct captain for Larry Dominick’s political organization and chairman of Morton College’s board of trustees. Martinucci holds three taxpayer-funded jobs, including executive director of the Clyde Park District.
His three positions collectively paid him more than $130,000 last year, payroll records show.
In court filings, Perez-Garcia alleges that Martinucci’s park district credit card was used to pay for personal items at Sports Authority, Toys “R” Us and Jewel. Additionally, he and other district officials allegedly submitted invoices for expenses related to work outside the district.
Perez-Garcia met with the FBI on two occasions in 2012 to report “suspicious and fraudulent billing activity” by Martinucci and others, she says in court filings. An FBI spokesman had no comment. The FBI typically does not confirm or deny the existence of an investigation.
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# Municipal corruption Anthony Martinucci Berwyn
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LaRaviere had said in another media report that CPS told him Wednesday he’d been removed from his job at Blaine, after district officials tried to shut down a meeting he was supposed to attend, along with other principals, at a South Side elementary school.
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But CPS spokeswoman Emily Bittner said Thursday that LaRaviere’s removal is “unrelated to the meeting at the elementary school.”
“Principal LaRaviere was asked to come to a meeting at CPS on Wednesday to discuss his removal and employment status,” said CPS spokeswoman Emily Bittner. “He did not show up to the meeting.”
In a message to parents, LSC and community members, Chicago Public Schools announced Wednesday that the vocal principal and frequent critic of Mayor Rahm Emanuel had been reassigned from his post at Blaine Elementary School.
Effective Thursday, Pedro Alonso, the principal of Von Steuben High School from 2006 to 2014, will take his place, according to a CPS email obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times.
Blaine will hold a meeting next Monday evening “to discuss the school leadership change and transition plans,” according to the email, which did not disclose disclose specifics of LaRaviere’s role.
LaRaviere declined to comment on the matter Thursday before he could speak to his attorney.
Blaine Elementary School Principal Troy LaRaviere was removed due to "alleged acts of misconduct," according to a statement from Chicago Public Schools. | Sun-Times file photo
Blaine Elementary School Principal Troy LaRaviere was removed due to “alleged acts of misconduct,” according to a statement from Chicago Public Schools. | Sun-Times file photo
In August 2015, LaRaviere was formally censured by Chicago’s Board of Education in a warning resolution that’s an early step in the district’s termination process. A CPS spokesman then denied that the discipline came in retaliation for LaRaviere’s work as an education adviser to Emanuel’s mayoral challenger Jesus “Chuy” Garcia.
At the time, LaRaviere also was accused of “insubordination directed toward the CEO” during a July 13, 2015, budget meeting in which he “asked a provocative question from the audience attempting to highlight financial missteps of the Board and demanding an answer to those missteps.”
Read More
# Blaine Elementary School Troy LaRaviere Chicago
Chicago News 04/20/2016, 09:30pm
Fired Cicero parks worker, who spoke to FBI, gets $166,000 award
Cicero Town President Larry Dominick in 2009. | Brian jackson/Sun-Times
Cicero Town President Larry Dominick in 2009. | Brian jackson/Sun-Times
Andrew Schroedter and Dane Placko
A federal jury recently awarded $166,000 to a former Clyde Park District employee who claimed in a lawsuit she was fired for speaking to the FBI about alleged misuse of taxpayer money.
While the park district is on the hook for that payout, the tab for taxpayers could approach $1 million if a judge rules the agency — which maintains recreation programs and parkland in west suburban Cicero — must also cover the attorney fees for the former employee, Laura Perez-Garcia, court records show.
An elected board controlled by political allies of Cicero Town President Larry Dominick oversees the park district. His son, Brian Dominick, is on the park board and was named as a defendant, as was Larry Dominick, though the elder Dominick was later dismissed.
Either way, Perez-Garcia claimed Larry Dominick was behind her firing.
Attorneys for the park district have asked for a new trial, claiming in court filings, “This case involves a disgruntled former employee, who let a fantasy go to her head. . . . Her belief that ongoing corruption and fraud were occurring within the district is unreasonable due to her complete lack of knowledge.”
In court filings, Perez-Garcia alleges park district officials used agency credit cards for personal expenses and failed to produce receipts or other documentation for various payment and reimbursement requests.
At the center of her allegations is Anthony Martinucci, a precinct captain for Larry Dominick’s political organization and chairman of Morton College’s board of trustees. Martinucci holds three taxpayer-funded jobs, including executive director of the Clyde Park District.
His three positions collectively paid him more than $130,000 last year, payroll records show.
In court filings, Perez-Garcia alleges that Martinucci’s park district credit card was used to pay for personal items at Sports Authority, Toys “R” Us and Jewel. Additionally, he and other district officials allegedly submitted invoices for expenses related to work outside the district.
Perez-Garcia met with the FBI on two occasions in 2012 to report “suspicious and fraudulent billing activity” by Martinucci and others, she says in court filings. An FBI spokesman had no comment. The FBI typically does not confirm or deny the existence of an investigation.
Read More
# Municipal corruption Anthony Martinucci Berwyn
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