Oak Park and River Forest High School District 200 is paying former special education teacher Anthony Clark $25,000 to resign.
Clark, who had taught at Oak Park and River Forest High School since 2012, resigned from his teaching position last month as part of an agreement that was unanimously approved Dec. 19 by the School Board and became effective last month when the semester ended.
Although Clark received his final paycheck Dec. 27, the agreement, obtained through a public records request, states the district will pay Clark an additional $25,000 on Jan. 25, and that in accepting that payment Clark acknowledges it is a complete and final settlement of any claims he might have against the school.
The agreement also states that in consideration of Clark’s resignation the board “shall not undertake further discharge proceedings” against Clark.
School officials declined to confirm or deny whether discharge proceedings had begun against Clark or say why they paid him $25,000 to resign, stating that they wouldn’t comment on personnel matters.
When School Board President Tom Cofsky was asked whether Clark had been on administrative leave before his resignation he indicated that it wouldn’t be unusual if he had been placed on leave before the agreement was reached.
“When there’s things going on it’s not atypical for people to be on leave, if there’s any investigation or anything going on,” Cofsky said.
School Board candidate Nate Mellman has accused Clark of making antisemitic social media posts, but that apparently played no direct role in his resignation.
“The one thing I can tell you is that it doesn’t have anything to do with the tweets last year,” said Karin Sullivan, the school district’s executive director of communications .
The resignation agreement bars Clark, an OPRF graduate, from ever seeking employment at the school again. It also states that Clark “shall refer all requests for references from future employers to the Board’s chief administrative officer in human resources, who shall be directed to respond by confirming only his time of employment and positions with the Board, except to the extent required by law.”
In a prepared statement, Clark said he appreciated “this community for providing the space and opportunity for someone like me to contribute and strive to make a difference.”
“My time at OPRF was transformative,” he said. “I accomplished so much and had the privilege of working alongside amazing colleagues and even more incredible students. To those students, both past and present — especially those who are no longer with us — you are forever in my heart. For those still here, know that I love you and hope your lives are filled with fulfillment and purpose.”
Clark has been an activist throughout his time at OPRF. He ran unsuccessfully for Congress in the Democratic Primary against incumbent Danny Davis in 2018 and 2020. In 2021 Clark ran for a seat on the Oak Park Village Board, finishing sixth out of six candidates but receiving 4,961 votes.
At OPRF Clark was a special education teacher who co-taught history classes. He was the faculty sponsor for the boxing club and founded the school’s hip hop club and comedy club. In 2019, according to published reports, Clark helped organize a student walkout to protest police violence. In 2016 Clark founded the Suburban Unity Alliance. He also organized a march against racism that drew about 100 people to march from Oak Park to Forest Park in 2016. Clark also helped create the annual Juneteenth celebration in Oak Park. In 2017 he was interviewed on radio and television about hate speech after a student airdropped a swastika at an OPRF assembly and racist graffiti targeting Clark was found on the OPRF campus. At that time Clark spoke out against all forms of hate, including antisemitism.
“I know that antisemitism is another form of hate and oppression,” Clark said during a 2018 radio interview. “I will get behind my Jewish brothers and sisters and help them because I know while they may be attacked today I can be attacked as a Black male tomorrow, and vice versa.”
But over the last year Clark made a number of controversial posts, including tweeting that the student who airdropped the swastika was Jewish. Oak Park Rabbi Max Weiss, who counseled the student after he was identified, said the student who airdropped the swastika is not Jewish.
Bob Skolnik is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
