District 81 losing key enabler

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Updated: February 14, 2012 10:19AM

For a school district that operates only a small school along Cherry Hill Road between Joliet and New Lenox, Union District 81 has been in the news a lot lately.

Most stories have dealt with controversial school board president John LaRocca and his implementing the LaRocca Family Full Employment Program. His wife, the cafeteria manager, has a higher salary than any employee but the superintendent, three daughters also are on the payroll, and his two sons, one of whom is a board member, have worked for the district.

Helping enable the rampant nepotism in District 81, where most board members have a relative on the payroll, has been Supt. Barbara Littlejohn, who announced recently that she’s retiring June 30 after 35 years in the district.

When the SouthtownStar reported in October that Patty LaRocca’s salary was nearly $60,000, some board members said they didn’t know that and the board had not approved her hiring or pay. Littlejohn, a personal friend of the LaRoccas, explained she never brought a contract for Patty LaRocca to the board. How convenient. After all, friends should help friends.

Now, Littlejohn says she’s retiring because of concern about proposed reform this spring of Illinois’ seriously underfunded public pension systems.

“I want to get out before the Legislature goofs up our retirement system,” she said. “It’s scary. Who knows what they are going to do with it. ... I will miss my kids and my staff, (but) I cannot not do it (leave).”

So she’s in step with most Illinois public officials in putting personal concern above what’s best for taxpayers. And we’re skeptical of the timing of her departure — as the school board looks into Patty’s pay, her driving a district minivan for personal use and accusations that a board member doesn’t reside in the district. Again, how convenient.

Considering that the LaRoccas are her pals and she’s allowed such a clubby environment to exist, it might be good that Littlejohn is going. We’re sure John and Patty can use her help in hiring her successor.