On May 20 I wrote about the f-word hitting the halls at Marengo's Locust Elementary School, and on Friday I picked up the police report from the Marengo Police Department. It was released promptly upon submitting a FOIA Request.
The officer's report covered a "dispute", as it was termed, between parents in the hallway at about 4:45-4:47PM on Thursday, May 14. The police were called at 4:50PM and arrived at 4:53PM. The officer's report stated that the principal of the school, Suellen Lopez, informed him that a "verbal altercation" had occurred in a hallway between two parents.
Now, in these days of zero tolerance in schools for "altercations", what follows is more than a little interesting. Ms. Lopez told the officer that Steven Cohen had been walking in a hallway and, when he passed by Jeffrey Hoffmann, Hoffmann called him a "jerk". Steven stopped, turned and said, "Excuse me." As in, "Excuse me?" She said Hoffmann got in Cohen's face and bumped his chest with his own chest.
Lopez and Hoffman informed the officer that Hoffmann said the f-word (the actual four-letter word is stated in the police report) in a loud tone.
Here's the "more than interesting" part. Principal Lopez has banned a parent from school grounds and threatened her with arrest for trespassing, when all that parent was doing on school grounds was advocating for her children. Yet, when another parent, who just happens to be a member of the School Board, uses the f-word in a loud tone during an after-school program inside the school, the principal doesn't have him arrested. Is there a double standard in Marengo?
The officer spoke with Mr. and Mrs. Cohen at the school and talked to two witnesses; three, actually, when you include the principal.
But the officer telephoned Jeffrey Hoffmann. When he told Hoffmann that he could be cited for disorderly conduct, then Hoffmann told the officer that Cohen "hit him with his elbow", and Hoffmann said he wanted to sign a complaint against Cohen.
Hoffmann told the officer that he was driving on the expressway, and the officer told Hoffmann to call him when he got home. The officer then called Cohen to tell him that he had spoken with Hoffmann.
There must have been one heckuva traffic jam on that "expressway", because there is no follow-up report at Marengo Police Department. Did Hoffmann ever call the officer back? That was on May 14th. I picked up the report on May 22, and the Marengo PD telecommunicator told me there was no further report.
Battery on school grounds by adults is a very serious offense, but this will turn into a "he said/she said" situation, and charges for the chest-bumping and elbow "hit" at will probably not be filed.
But the use of profane language in a loud tone inside a school building? Principal Lopez herself ought to be filing the complaint about that one with the P.D. and taking it straight to the School Board. Will she?
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9 comments:
Why didn't the Principal tell both of the individuals to immediately leave the school grounds and never comback until they could control themselves...end of problem. Does every word or lack of civility have to wind up a federal case? Stupid!
Mr. Hoffmann is a School Board Member and should be removed as such for using profanity in the halls during a student led conference night at Locust School. The hallway was filled with children. His behavior is not that of which is acceptable to me as a representative of our school. He's an embarrassment.
Well this is interesting...It seems as though the Advocate only prints one side of the story, If you want some facts, one would find out that the parent that was "Advocating" for her children did it in a manner that is absolutely deplorable. She approached a child she did not know on the school playground during recess. She not only scared this poor child out of his wits, but never checked into the office for a pass. During these times of NO Tolerance, I'd have her restrained as well. Funny thing is if it happened to her child - believe me she'd be having a lawsuit against the school. She's been known to threaten and act out to the school board and the administration. I wonder why the NW Herald didn't print this story when a parent went to them with this. Oh I know, because the NW Herald checks facts - that's why and realized this was nothing more than the continued witch hunt from 3 women in Marengo who have a beef with the school board and administration. It's personal to them. I'm ashamed that the Advocate didn't check all the facts, since the description of the altercation isn't factual either.
If you read the police report, you'll see that the principal reported the use of the f-word to the Marengo officer.
Oh boy,
I guess you were there when the issue happend with the advocate mom? Why didn't you call the police? The truth is that what you have stated here is not true. Its nasty gossip.
But what is true is you are the wife of a school board member and a next door neighbor to Hoffman. I was there when the issue happened to the advocate mom and she did ask for permission to ask the 8-9 year old boy his name which is all that she did. He had given the finger to her husband and children. More parents should do the same and maybe just maybe we can teach kids as a community that they will be held accoutable for their behavior. There is no law aganist anyhting that this parent did and no child was left upset excpt for her own two children who watched their Mother get verbally and physically battered by two part time school employees.
But from what I hear your kids have foul mouths so I guess you would indeed be offened if someone held you accountable. I guess if you use filthy language in public and at home your not bothered by someone else using it.
If it happened like you said there would be a police report..where is it? This same advocate Mom had human excrement on her daughter by a child at the school just the week before. This week the daughter got a chipped tooth while un supervised in the class room.
I guees you want all of Marengo to behave like the rats nest over there in Kennedy homes. My ggoodness all the police reports going on over there. Everyone calling the police on each other costing the tax payer a fortune. One neighbor pitted aganist another. Awful.Keep it all over there we don't want it spreading to the rest of Marengo.
Well noapathy - I'm not the person you think I am and I take great offense to the fact you think my kids are what you think they are. You need to watch what you say and who you're accusing. I don't live in the "rat's nest Kennedy homes" as you refer to them, but I know your friend does, and maybe you need to point your finger at them and tell them to stop bullying.
Hey "Oh Boy", well, at least somebody prints facts unlike the Northwest Herald. Perhaps the facts should be checked into in their entirety before you bash me. First of all, the lady that "approached" a child did so while walking her child to school and ran across a child who not only flipped off her 8 year old but also her (an adult). Why is it that Locust school seems to condone this type of behavior from not only their school children but also their school board members? Funny, they're willing to kick her off school grounds for defending her kid but God forbid the school do anything to reprimand their own School Board Member for using the F word in a hallway filled with elementary level children. Sounds like a double standard to me. You say "you'd have her restrained as well", really???? Well, what about Jeff Hoffman and his faux pas?? This is somehow ok with you? How? I think what Jeff Hoffmann did is much more (how did you put it..."deplorable". The facts are clear. I have a copy of the police report. Nothing I have stated has been non-factual. If the Northwest Herald would've actually checked facts, they too would've read the police report to find the accuracy of the story sent to them but they, unlike you, don't do their homework. There is no "witch hunt". We are all working toward a common goal, fighting for the rights of our kids. We are not out to win and popularity contests and yes we have beefs with the school. They have ripped off our children of Art and Music this year, illegally I might add, they have put kindergartners on busses with high schoolers, they allow their own school board members to use profanity in the halls at Locust during Student Led Conference night with no recourse. That, my dear, is despicable. Unlike our attempts to right these wrongs. Oh, and one more thing, if anyone thinks we are going to go away without seeing justice regarding the above issue, may I suggest they jump on board or move out of the way because we are not going away.
I don't condone the behavior of either parent. They were BOTH wrong to behave that way, whether in a school or not. You say you're not going away and that's fine - that's your right as a US Citizen. But, it should be done constructively and not by pointing fingers and making accusations that aren't always the complete truth. People's nerves are begining to fray and I'm hoping it doesn't end with someone getting hurt in an altercation.
Oh Boy - When you say I don't condone the behavior of either parent. They were BOTH wrong to behave that way, whether in a school or not. Hmm...I hope you aren't pointing the finger or accusing anyone yourself because I'm sure you weren't even present at the time of the altercation. You need to watch what you say and who you're accusing! There was only one parent who used profanity in the school hall way that day and that my friend would be your friend the school board member. The other parent reacted to your friends actions. There were witnesses! Maybe you should obtain a copy of the report before you decide to go forming an opinion. Your friend the school board member admitted to using the "f" word in the school hall way during the conferences. Maybe your friend should learn how to conduct himself in public and learn to control himself and his emotions when around individuals he may not take a liking to. It's a small town and he is going to run into people he may not like from time to time and if this is how he reacts then god help him! Your friend the school board member sure does know how to stir up trouble around town from what I hear. Oh and if you do live next to this guy then I'd be careful if I were you not to cross him, who knows how he may react.
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