Fired Argo High Worker Returning; Split Board OKs Deal

SUMMIT, IL – An Argo Community High School employee whom a former school president is accused of pressuring to fire is being reinstated.

On Monday, the school board approved a settlement with former employee Cassandra Vasquez. She starts Nov. 2 as an instructional aide and will be on probationary status for her first year.

The board voted 4-3 for the agreement. President Jennifer Grenier, Catherine Jozwiak, Luz Rangel Rayond and Diane Ponce voted for it.

The board's former president, Dan Kozal, and Nick Caprio dissented, while Mike Vasquez abstained.

In August, a board-hired law firm's investigation resulted in several allegations against Kozal.

Among them was that Kozal requested the administration fire Cassandra Vasquez in mid-2024. Kozal was believed to have targeted Vasquez at the request of his girlfriend, Tracy Tough, whose title at the time was the school's communications director.

Witnesses told investigators that Kozal had inquired about Vasquez's absences and directed an investigation into them. One witness said others were told that they needed to find a reason to let Vasquez go, the investigation's report said.

Vasquez was ultimately terminated because of concerns with her attendance and tardies, the report said. The law firm said it could not determine whether the earlier discussions involving Kozal impacted the later decision to dismiss Vasquez.

In the report, Kozal denied playing any role in Vasquez's departure. Vasquez said she felt that she was held to a different standard from others in similar positions who had missed time, the report said.

In May, Vasquez filed a grievance alleging the school terminated her because Kozal used his influence and board position to make it happen.

Under state law, board members, including the president, develop policies and oversee spending and operations. They are not supposed to manage the district or its employees.

The settlement bars Vasquez and school officials from defaming each other.

In its report, the law firm, Oakbrook Terrace-based F3 Law, alleged Kozal was alerted to then-Superintendent William Toulios' spending of taxpayer money on porn, but did nothing about it. Toulios was later ousted and now faces felony charges.

The report also said Kozal tried to fire an employee who blew the whistle on the spending and pressured the school into giving his girlfriend a job.

Earlier this year, Patch reported that Kozal called the whistleblower a "f-----g c--t" and accused her of "f-----g spilling information." That was in text messages to the new superintendent, Brandon Cotter, formerly the principal.

Kozal later told Patch that the messages were inappropriate.