Metro East Superintendent Silent on District’s Financial Troubles

FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS, Ill. – A Metro East school principal declined to discuss the district’s handling of money.

Parents in Grant Community Consolidated School District 110 in Fairview Heights are looking for answers about the stability of the district and the Illinois State Board says they are facing financial problems.

At one point, the district had a $1.8 million deficit, raising concerns for parents like Theresa Mathis.

“They’re talking about cutting arts programs, cutting teachers, cutting grade levels, making class sizes bigger,” she said. “There’s going to be less individual attention for kids, they’re not going to have extracurricular sports. … I want my kids to have the opportunity to be in band or arts programs, and they’re just not going to have that.”

Mathis blames Superintendent Matt Stines, who she says has given no indication that anyone other than him is causing the problems.

FOX 2 attempted to question Stine about the issues during a school board meeting, but was repeatedly turned down.

The district has also been criticized by the state for being late in applying for federal grants, missing out on more than $400,000.

“There didn’t appear to be any applications filed until the state board forced the issue and made it public,” said former board member Tiffany Baldwin. “Dozens of reminders to the superintendent … went unanswered until the state board of education finally said, ‘Enough is enough.’ I want to see new management, I want to see a new board.”

There are 582 students in the district and Baldwin says changes are needed.

“He hasn’t done it (appropriately reported) in six years; how can you expect him not to continue doing it?” she said.