Dr. Sonya Whitaker, a former Deputy Superintendent of Schools, has filed a lawsuit against her previous employer, alleging wrongful termination and retaliation for whistleblowing activities. The complaint was filed on April 30, 2025, in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, against Dr. Kevin J. Nohelty and the Dolton West School District 148 Board of Education.
The case centers around Dr. Whitaker's claims that she was terminated from her position after raising concerns about financial mismanagement within the school district. According to the complaint, Dr. Whitaker had been employed under a contract that extended through June 30, 2026, and had consistently received excellent performance evaluations. However, issues arose when she discovered potential misallocation of federal funds (ESSER III) amounting to $13 million without proper documentation or board approval.
Dr. Whitaker alleges that after voicing her concerns to various board members and Defendant Nohelty in mid-2024, she faced exclusion from meetings and decision-making processes as a form of retaliation. She further contends that she was suspended without due process and subjected to a pretextual investigation aimed at justifying her termination.
The lawsuit accuses Defendants of violating several laws including the Illinois Whistleblower Act by retaliating against Dr. Whitaker for disclosing suspected violations of state or federal regulations concerning grant fund usage. Additionally, it alleges breach of employment contract, due process violations under Illinois law, defamation, and tortious interference with contract.
Dr. Whitaker seeks multiple forms of relief from the court: declaratory judgment declaring Defendants' actions unlawful; injunctive relief to prevent further unlawful conduct; damages exceeding $250,000 for economic harm; compensatory damages including back pay and emotional distress; liquidated damages under the amended Illinois Whistleblower Act; civil penalties up to $10,000 per violation; reinstatement to her former position; removal of adverse actions from her record; attorney's fees and costs.
The attorneys representing Dr. Whitaker are Chiquita Hall-Jackson from Hall-Jackson & Associates PC based in Chicago and Sheridan "Todd" Yeary from The Yeary Firm LLC based in Columbia, Maryland. The case is being overseen by Judge Mathias Delort under Case ID 2025L005724.