Board member alleges FOIA filed in her name; trustees say independent review and law-enforcement inquiry underway

A board member at the Naperville Community Unit School District 203 meeting July 14 accused the board president and the superintendent of actions that warrant an independent review, saying a Freedom of Information Act request was submitted in her name without consent and that taxpayer-funded legal counsel may have been used in a personal matter. "I recently learned that a Freedom of Information Act request was submitted in my name and entered into the public record without my consent," the board member said, reading a prepared statement that asked for an independent third-party review of the circumstances and any use of district legal services. The speaker also cited board policy 2240 and the Illinois School Code while urging a review "to clarify the circumstances around the submission of the FOIA request using my name" and "ensure that all board members are treated equitably." Board President Charles Kush and other trustees responded that law enforcement had been notified and that a third-party investigation was already underway. "There was no personal claim against you by the superintendent," Kush said, calling the allegation "a complete falsehood" and saying the superintendent's follow-up stemmed from a statement made at a prior meeting. Superintendent Dan Bridges told the board he followed up on a statement the board member had made during a June meeting and said the matter was referred to appropriate authorities. Trustees debated whether the superintendent acted appropriately and whether the board needed to vote before an official report was filed, with some members saying a public official who believes a law was broken has a duty to report it to law enforcement. One board member said that if the reported allegation occurred on district property, an independent review of whether public funds or district legal counsel were involved would be appropriate. No board action was taken July 14; trustees said they would await outcomes of the law-enforcement inquiry and any independent review. The transcript shows repeated requests from the member who raised the matter for clarity and an insistence on an outside review; board leadership reiterated that a third party is investigating and that any related decisions will follow that determination.