The Paxton-Buckley-Loda school district’s assistant superintendent, Tara Chandler, far-left, and school board members, from left, Jason Rust, Brittney Gehrt and Dawn Bachtold look on during the board’s monthly meeting on Wednesday, June 11, in the board room at the unit office in Paxton. Daniel L. Chamness/Ford County Chronicle
PAXTON — The president of the Paxton-Buckley-Loda school district’s teachers’ union told the school board on Wednesday, June 11, that a Chicago law firm enlisted by the district to investigate claims of sexual misconduct by suspended teacher Rob Pacey was nearly finished with its work.
Amy Johnson, a second-grade teacher who serves as president of the PBL Education Association labor union, asked the board — and community as a whole — to remain patient as the process plays out.
“This specific firm was selected to ensure objectivity and fairness, which is undoubtedly necessary,” said Johnson. “This selection permitted our district to preserve neutrality and further (limit) the influence of Ford County’s local politics, dynamics and personal relationships. I, as the president of the PBLEA, place my steadfast trust in the facts — facts that are verifiable and are not opinions, conjecture or hearsay.”
Once the district’s investigation is complete, both Pacey and the involved complainants will “rightly have the opportunity to review the outcome of the investigation and appeal (the resulting decision), should they believe there was a mistake in the investigation that impacted the decision,” Johnson noted.
Johnson stressed that “appropriate processes are in place to ensure transparent and fair procedures.”
“After all, that is why we trust our district,” Johnson said. “We are fair; we are transparent; and we are methodical. What is not appropriate, however, is to hold personnel discussions in a public forum before the investigation has concluded and any verdict has been reached. It is not appropriate to call for decisions … without the benefit of a completed investigation. I trust that this board will act and behave responsibly and professionally, and I sincerely hope that this community will do the same. Let the facts lead; let the process work; let fairness guide us all.”
Johnson’s comments came a month after the board was urged during its May meeting to hold administrators accountable for not promptly suspending Pacey and notifying the Illinois Department of Children & Family Services of numerous claims of sexual assault and grooming. On Friday, June 6, a lawsuit was filed in Ford County Circuit Court alleging that Pacey inappropriately touched numerous female students over the course of more than a decade and that administrators repeatedly ignored the students’ claims of abuse.
As of this week, Pacey was also being investigated by law enforcement but had not been criminally charged or arrested. Pacey remained on paid administrative leave as a STEM and technology teacher at Clara Peterson Elementary School, where he is paid an annual base salary of $53,179, according to online district records.
A former head PBL Junior High School cross-country and girls’ track coach, Pacey has denied any wrongdoing.
While no further action was taken regarding Pacey’s employment Wednesday, the board did vote to accept the resignation of Travis Duley as district superintendent, effective June 30. The pending lawsuit — filed on behalf of a former student, a parent of a former student and a parent of a current student — names Duley as a defendant, along with four others: Pacey, the school district, former Superintendent Cliff McClure and PBL Junior High School Principal Josh Didier. The 14-count lawsuit seeks more than $50,000 in damages for each count.
Duley — who has been superintendent since July 1, 2023, when he replaced the retired McClure — did not attend Wednesday’s board meeting. Filling in for Duley was Assistant Superintendent Tara Chandler. Meanwhile, Didier was present.
The board’s next regularly scheduled monthly meeting is at 6 p.m. Wednesday, July 9.