Since we are taking a look back at misrepresentations by District staff, a few others to consider:
1. The infamous $3.25 million in transportation savings from the District staff
2. The nominating letters for the awards given to Dr. Horton, most notably the one signed by Sergio Hernandez claiming $5 million in transportation savings.
I think not only staff but the board at the time needs to be examined. Not sure who does that. Does D65 have the equivalent of an Inspector General? Does the City??
No and the City disbanded the ethics committee which was as close as you get. This is the role of journalism, which is why things have gone amok as local journalism dies.
CPS, by the way, has a very good inspector general who is probably part of this case.
Also sad to me that anyone who even *hinted* at questioning Horton’s poor leadership, or that of the Board at the time, were persecuted! And now, one of those Board members has been named to the City’s finance committee, with no expertise other than a fat donor check to Biss.
The graft and cronyism has had long-term and lasting effects, and I worry the upcoming school closures are just the tip of the iceberg. I would suggest no big decisions be made and everyone hits pause until the entire case is settled and we see how far-reaching this was. I don’t have kids in the district anymore, but anyone who is a taxpayer has skin in this game. Thanks, Tom, for all your hard work!
One of the "issues" on the Biss campaign website is "Cleaning Up Corruption and Restoring Trust in Our Democracy." I'd like to hear him reconcile that with his finance committee shenanigans along with what will likely happen regarding who becomes the next mayor if he wins his congressional race: https://evanstonroundtable.com/2025/10/07/city-council-rules-committee-acting-mayor/
I wonder if he'll resign early enough so the people of Evanston can actually vote on who replaces him? I have a good guess.
I really do think we need to slow down the school closure process given this indictment. There needs to be an investigation of who knew what when. Anyone on the board or administration who had knowledge of this needs to step down and not participate in the decisions about closures.
I honestly don’t feel joy at this, it’s sad. He’s a man with a family and kids and this was so needless and completely avoidable. So many victims of his crime, the kids of Evanston and now his own family.
Re District staff representations, I do not read the paragraph that you excerpted from the indictment as saying that these firms provided NO services, but that they submitted SOME receipts for services not ultimately rendered. Then I read the excerpts from the District responses that you excerpted as saying that the District received SOME services from the firms, not necessarily that they received ALL services contracted for. So I would want to make sure I know if we're talking about degrees of services rendered or not in determining whether the District misrepresented anything, esp at this early stage in the legal filings. (I have not read the full indictment closely at this point, though I have started skimming it, so this comment is based on your excerpts and framing of them.)
I think this is a good point, the legal language here is more careful than the media language. Thank you for this. I guess, stay tuned we will learn more!
Can you tell me where I can find more information about this? What exactly was the scheme that involved Hyde Park Academy High School?
“Dr. Horton’s own company, Altering the Education Xpectation LLC, received approximately $10,000 from Chicago Public Schools through a similar fraudulent scheme at Hyde Park Academy High School”
Thank you! As you know Horton placed Khelghati at Oswego 308. The CFO at 308 also came from D65. Have you ever looked at the bills for payment for 308? There are recurring payments to Hyde Park. And also ACB Consulting. It seems like Khelghati learned a lot from Horton.
It’s a very wild story indeed. The district is now considering giving that property to the village for free. The village is considering some apartment scheme. The property is in a TIF.
Yep and it's many of the characters as here. That apartment developer (Cordogan-Clark) also tangled up here in the Foster School mess. Your lawyers? The same as D65's lawyers. The one thing truly unique to Oswego in that whole mess is Mr. Kennedy
Yes! The grift continues in Oswego. There are credit card charges and lots of travel expenses. The attorney is bad news. 308 is currently focusing on transportation and I noticed that was an issue at 65 too. Any light you can shed on that? I keep seeing a lot of payments to other school district for homeless transportation
Since we are taking a look back at misrepresentations by District staff, a few others to consider:
1. The infamous $3.25 million in transportation savings from the District staff
2. The nominating letters for the awards given to Dr. Horton, most notably the one signed by Sergio Hernandez claiming $5 million in transportation savings.
You are the absolute best. Thank you for documenting everything shady this man did!
This is an indictment of sorts of Sergio Hernandez, too. Just resign already, Sergio, and spare yourself more humiliation.
Save room in the cell for Sergio!
I think not only staff but the board at the time needs to be examined. Not sure who does that. Does D65 have the equivalent of an Inspector General? Does the City??
No and the City disbanded the ethics committee which was as close as you get. This is the role of journalism, which is why things have gone amok as local journalism dies.
CPS, by the way, has a very good inspector general who is probably part of this case.
Shouldn't Kwame be looking into this?
(https://illinoisattorneygeneral.gov/open-and-honest-government/public-integrity/)
Also sad to me that anyone who even *hinted* at questioning Horton’s poor leadership, or that of the Board at the time, were persecuted! And now, one of those Board members has been named to the City’s finance committee, with no expertise other than a fat donor check to Biss.
The graft and cronyism has had long-term and lasting effects, and I worry the upcoming school closures are just the tip of the iceberg. I would suggest no big decisions be made and everyone hits pause until the entire case is settled and we see how far-reaching this was. I don’t have kids in the district anymore, but anyone who is a taxpayer has skin in this game. Thanks, Tom, for all your hard work!
One of the "issues" on the Biss campaign website is "Cleaning Up Corruption and Restoring Trust in Our Democracy." I'd like to hear him reconcile that with his finance committee shenanigans along with what will likely happen regarding who becomes the next mayor if he wins his congressional race: https://evanstonroundtable.com/2025/10/07/city-council-rules-committee-acting-mayor/
I wonder if he'll resign early enough so the people of Evanston can actually vote on who replaces him? I have a good guess.
I really do think we need to slow down the school closure process given this indictment. There needs to be an investigation of who knew what when. Anyone on the board or administration who had knowledge of this needs to step down and not participate in the decisions about closures.
https://www.dekalbschoolsga.org/news/news-details/~board/news-showcase/post/statement-from-the-dekalb-county-board-of-education
YES!
Option C on Tom’s last comment is that they knew and were bullied into doing it.
Yeah I think that’s probably the likely outcome
Tom, just say it, you must be dying to.. "I TOLD YOU SO!"
I honestly don’t feel joy at this, it’s sad. He’s a man with a family and kids and this was so needless and completely avoidable. So many victims of his crime, the kids of Evanston and now his own family.
15!!!! counts! He really put his all into it!
Re District staff representations, I do not read the paragraph that you excerpted from the indictment as saying that these firms provided NO services, but that they submitted SOME receipts for services not ultimately rendered. Then I read the excerpts from the District responses that you excerpted as saying that the District received SOME services from the firms, not necessarily that they received ALL services contracted for. So I would want to make sure I know if we're talking about degrees of services rendered or not in determining whether the District misrepresented anything, esp at this early stage in the legal filings. (I have not read the full indictment closely at this point, though I have started skimming it, so this comment is based on your excerpts and framing of them.)
I think this is a good point, the legal language here is more careful than the media language. Thank you for this. I guess, stay tuned we will learn more!
Sounds like D65 isn’t getting the full $25k back….Remember that one???
Who at AG is following the case?
Can you tell me where I can find more information about this? What exactly was the scheme that involved Hyde Park Academy High School?
“Dr. Horton’s own company, Altering the Education Xpectation LLC, received approximately $10,000 from Chicago Public Schools through a similar fraudulent scheme at Hyde Park Academy High School”
I have that all detailed here:
https://www.foiagras.com/p/dr-hortons-consulting-firm-worked
Thank you! As you know Horton placed Khelghati at Oswego 308. The CFO at 308 also came from D65. Have you ever looked at the bills for payment for 308? There are recurring payments to Hyde Park. And also ACB Consulting. It seems like Khelghati learned a lot from Horton.
Stay tuned on D308 - I'm working on a whole story about Unity Fields, which is a pretty wild story
It’s a very wild story indeed. The district is now considering giving that property to the village for free. The village is considering some apartment scheme. The property is in a TIF.
Yep and it's many of the characters as here. That apartment developer (Cordogan-Clark) also tangled up here in the Foster School mess. Your lawyers? The same as D65's lawyers. The one thing truly unique to Oswego in that whole mess is Mr. Kennedy
Yes! The grift continues in Oswego. There are credit card charges and lots of travel expenses. The attorney is bad news. 308 is currently focusing on transportation and I noticed that was an issue at 65 too. Any light you can shed on that? I keep seeing a lot of payments to other school district for homeless transportation