The flagrant and disgusting zeal of those political hacks controlling the Proviso Township High School Board of Education was in full effect Monday when the board made its appointment to fill a recently vacated seat. Not only was the board rounded out by a longtime employee of Cook County Recorder of Deeds Eugene Moore–one of the school board president’s puppet masters–but the rush to do so leaves no doubt that this school system is far from safe so long as it remains in the hands of the current board.
On July 2 the school board declared a vacancy within its ranks after one of its members refused to turn in his resignation. Charles Flowers, who was elected to the Suburban Cook County Regional Superintendent’s office in November, holds a supervisory position over the District 209 board as of July 1. The conflict of interest here is obvious and Flowers should have stepped aside to let the local body appoint a new member. He didn’t, so the Proviso high school board did it for him.
Under state law the District 209 board has 45 days to make its appointment. After voting on Monday, July 2 to declare the seat vacant, the district announced on Tuesday, July 3 that applications would be accepted until 4 p.m. on July 6. Mind you, this was a holiday week that saw many area families skip town for a few days to celebrate the Fourth of July.
Brian Cross was interviewed and appointed on July 9.
Rather than hang the welcome sign and throw the doors open to the district’s 10 taxpaying communities, the school board conducted the most superficial search it could legally get away with.
Cross, the newest member of the school board, has worked in Moore’s county office since 1999 and makes more than $60,000 as an administrative assistant. He helped organize Chris Welch’s unsuccessful bid for state office last year. Despite claims to the contrary, Cross’ interest in local education appears to have come from nowhere.
We’re quite sure he’ll be comfortable working alongside Sue Henry, another school board member who is Moore’s chief of staff. And let us say this delicately: Eugene Moore is one of the most grotesque political hacks we have ever encountered.
Forgive the hasty conclusion, but we’ll gladly eat crow if Cross ever casts a meaningful vote in opposition to another bloated, patronage laden proposal passed through Welch from on high.
