A former Morton School District resident who was banned from attending Morton School Board meetings indefinitely by Superintendent Craig Smock in 2023 had that ban changed Tuesday by the board.
In its place is a two-month ban — again from school property and events—– except for school-sponsored extracurricular activities through Aug. 12.
The board made that unanimous decision after a more than two-hour closed-door hearing related to Tammy Woodmancy that followed a regular board meeting.
Smock declined to comment on the two-month ban, saying it was a board decision, and deferred to board president David Cross.
"This was the first time the board had an opportunity to weigh in on this issue. We felt we had to do something because board policies were violated," Cross said. "The two-month ban was created to end at the start of the new school year."
Even though her ban was changed from indefinitely to two months, Woodmancy said she's still considering taking legal action against the district for violating her right to free speech.
The standing-room-only audience at the emotionally charged board meeting included State Rep. Bill Hauter, R-Morton, who publicly and financially supported a four-candidate slate of school board candidates who ran against and defeated candidate Ashley Fischer, a Woodmancy advocate, in the April 1 election.
In its decision Tuesday involving Woodmancy, the board admonished her "that any further unprofessional or disruptive behavior or conduct on school property or at school events will not be tolerated."
Woodmancy, who moved to Peoria in 2024, was given the indefinite ban from Morton school property and events Dec. 18, 2023, because of her conduct at contentious board meetings on Nov. 28, 2023 and Dec. 12, 2023, according to a letter from Smock to Woodmancy.
Those meetings included heated discussions about thousands of emails from controversial organizations found on now former Grundy Elementary School Principal Michael Saunders' school computer, and accusations that the district doesn't respond appropriately to the bullying of marginalized students.
Woodmancy was accused by the district of harassing, intimidating and insulting a community member who spoke at the Nov. 28 board meeting.
On Dec. 12, according to Smock's letter, Woodmancy interrupted the meeting by clapping after then-board president Tim Braker warned the audience about disruptive conduct, then argued with him.
Also Dec. 12, Woodmancy was accused by Smock of pointing at audience members during her public comment time and accusing them, among other things, of being "bigots" and "hateful," and referring to their religion as a "sickening version of Christianity."
As part of its Dec. 18, 2023 decision, Woodmancy was allowed to attend school-sponsored extracurricular activities following a one-year ban that expired Dec. 18, 2024.
A group of about two dozen flag-waving protesters including Woodmancy walked and yelled into bullhorns outside the Morton School District office along East Greenwood Street before Tuesday's meeting.
Protesters' signs proclaimed that "Violating Students' Rights is Abuse," "It's OK To Say Gay," "Black Lives Matter," "Color Is Not a Crime" and "We Moved to Morton for Educational Excellence, Not Educational Bigotry."
Not far away from the protesters was a group of six counter-protesters expressing their opposition to transgender girls competing in girls sports.
Several speakers spoke in support of Woodmancy at the board meeting.
They said her right to free speech guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution was violated, and her indefinite ban — which they called a lifetime ban — was unwarranted and a retaliatory measure for criticizing the board and the district's administration.
One speaker was Fischer.
"Other people clap at board meetings. Why is Tammy the only one being punished?" she said. "And why is the accuser the judge and jury at the hearing that's coming up?
"District parents have told me they're afraid to speak out [at board meetings] because the same thing might happen to them that happened to Tammy. I'll tell you this: I'm not going anywhere."
Lawyer Deanna Brown said the board had no legal nor ethical justification for issuing a ban against Woodmancy after she spoke at a public meeting, and the district could face lawsuits if it continued to do that.
After Brown spoke, several audience members yelled that she is not an attorney. Cross banged his gavel on the board table and called for order, which was restored.
The State Bar of California lists Brown as a licensee and lists her address in Morton. Brown was admitted to the California Bar in 2000.
Josie Kneller, a Morton High School graduate and now a student at the University of Illinois-Chicago, said Woodmancy supported her during a 2021 controversy when Kneller spoke out against a part-time French teacher who was accused by ex-students of making racist and homophobic comments in her classroom.
"I don't agree with everything Tammy says and she can be loud. She scares me sometimes, too," Kneller said with a smile. "But she does that because she cares about kids and wants to protect kids who are not protected.
"She's not a cookie-cutter Morton person. Neither am I, I guess."
Smock pushed back against what he called a false social media narrative about Morton High School that teachers don't want to teach there by quoting statistics from the 82% of the high school's teachers who participated in the state's 5Essentials Survey this year.
According to Smock, 100% of the teachers agreed or strongly agreed with these statements:
- "The principal (Kirk Edwards) has confidence in the expertise of the teachers."
- "I trust the principal at his or her word."
- "The principal takes a personal interest in the professional development of teachers."
- "The principal at this school is an effective manager who makes the school run smoothly."
Among the four statements at a 99% level for agree or strongly agree listed by Smock were "The principal places the needs of children ahead of personal and political interests" and "It's OK at this school to discuss feelings, worries and frustrations with the principal."
"We have fantastic administrators and teachers in our district, and our parents are doing a wonderful job of raising very respectful and kind students, for the most part," Smock said. "This is why teachers and substitutes flock to Morton Schools to work and people move here for our schools. Our leadership and culture are excellent."
It was the final board meeting as superintendent for Smock, who is retiring July 1 and handing the reins of the district to Assistant Superintendent Joe Sander.
Smock was hired as assistant superintendent in 2007 and was in that position for 15 years before being named superintendent in 2022, replacing Jeff Hill. Sander replaced Smock as assistant superintendent.
Board members and Sander praised Smock for his mentoring and leadership and he received a clock with the engraving, "Thank you for Your Time."
"These last couple years haven't been fun at times, but we've made it fun," said board member Jerry Rudd, one of the four-member candidate slate that included fellow incumbent Diane Krall, Wes Ohnesorge and Krystiana Purdy.
