Dist. 7 Democratic state House candidate Chris Harris is calling on District 209 board members to apologize to Proviso East boys basketball Coach Donnie Boyce for firing him last month.
The board voted to fire Boyce based on allegations that he choked a student while breaking up a fight, along with other issues the board declined to detail at the time.
Boyce was later cleared of the allegations by the Cook County Sheriff's Office and the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services. Boyce successfully appealed his case in arbitration and resumed his coaching post at Proviso East earlier this month.
Harris accused board members Brian Cross, Theresa McKelvy and Dan Adams of supporting Boyce's firing because they were influenced by funding from Harris' Democratic primary opponent and former board member Emanuel "Chris" Welch.
Harris said the ordeal was one of the inspirations behind him getting in the race. Harris brought his concerns directly to the board at a recent District 209 board meeting.
"How much money did it cost in legal fees to send this to arbitration," Harris said. "How much money did that take away from our children? I think certain people on this board need to come out and publicly apologize to Donnie, and I think there is a certain political puppet master in Springfield who needs to as well.”
Voters will go to the polls for the Dist. 7 Democratic primary and other elections on Tuesday.
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