Will County Gazette

After a heated debate at the March 21 Crete Monee School District 201-U Board of Education meeting, the resignation of Monee Elementary School principal Dr. Amos Vaughn was approved.

The decision was met with opposition from teachers and staff members who spoke out in support of the principal during the public comment period. 

"I hope that we are not pulling him prematurely from the position of a leader in a place that ... takes time," board member Todd Hall said. "I know he started in the cold that year and up to now. I trust our leaders, but I definitely think that sometimes that we can pull somebody too."

Vaughn, who has worked in education for more than 20 years, recently tendered his resignation. He began working at Monee Elementary as the assistant principal during the 2014-2015 academic year and later assumed the principalship in the 2020-2021 school year, serving for three years.

Monee Elementary teachers expressed their unhappiness with the resignation. Kindergarten teacher Gretchen Quirke said during the public comment section that the teachers were taken by surprise and that they had many unanswered questions.

Quirke also said that Vaughn had been a highly supportive presence for the teachers at Monee Elementary, and that the school's teachers had never before experienced such a level of support from administration.

Hall acknowledged the support for the principal and said that the administration's focus remains on the best interests of students.

Despite the opposition, the board ultimately approved the resignation. As per policy, the topic was tabled so that it could be discussed in an executive session since matters related to employment cannot be addressed in an open session. The session lasted approximately an hour before the board members returned to publicly announce their decision.