Sycamore school board criticized over superintendent split

Some community members admonished the Sycamore school board this week for recently voting to enter into a mutual separation agreement with former superintendent Steve Wilder.

That agreement, which was approved on Aug. 1 – a Friday evening – means Wilder will be paid through the end of March. Every member of the school board, aside from Christian Copple, who was absent from the Aug. 1 meeting, voted in favor of the separation.

During another special board meeting held on Wednesday, two members of the public expressed their dissatisfaction with the board’s decision.

Dan Lichthardt, a 15-year community member who said he had two children attend Sycamore schools, said he felt there was a sense of “secrecy” around the Aug. 1 meeting. School board members previously have told Shaw Local News Network that the contract separation terms don’t allow them to divulge details.

“To me, it shows just how self-serving, backhanded and closed-door politics they are truly undertaking, and feel they don’t need any leadership to dissent from their views, how they conduct their business and their future agendas,” Lichthardt said.

The Sycamore parent said he thinks board members should be embarrassed by their actions.

“If we are going to continue to conduct business this way,” Lichthardt said, “we are no better than the political theater we have all come to bemoan in our state, country and beyond.”

Former Board member Eric Jones expressed disappointment with Wilder’s separation from the district and said he’s deeply concerned about the process that led to his departure. He argued that Wilder was shown a “lack of respect” by the way the agreement was handled.

Jones, who was on the school board when Wilder was hired in December 2019, said the board that hired Wilder had a combined 64 years of experience. He said board members at the time personally conducted the search that resulted in Wilder’s employment.

“It took less than four months for a board with no more than 10 years of collective experience to undo that and put our district on a questionable and peril-laden path,” Jones said.

School Board members have not explained why they voted to separate the district from its top, highest-paid employee. Board president Michael DeVito did not directly respond to the comments made by Jones and Lichthardt. It is not typical for sitting governing bodies to respond to public comments during meetings. He did thank them for their comments, however.

“I understand how stressful public speaking can be, especially addressing a group of people in a large audience,” DeVito said. “It takes a lot of courage and bravery, and I commend you for that. To everyone who spoke tonight, thank you.”