Several community members used the public-comment portion of the May 29 Hinsdale Township High School District 86 board meeting to criticize board behavior toward a local family and to accuse board leaders of creating a climate of fear.

A speaker introduced as "the mayor" criticized the board for its handling of the Levinthal family's public statement and for what the speaker described as repeated retaliation. "It is confirmed that community members fear retaliation," the mayor said, and said donors were reluctant to be publicly identified because of that fear.

Kara Kuo, a named community speaker, addressed the board directly and urged members to "figure it out" and stop spending public money to "protect your cover up," citing a figure she said was $80,000 to address the family's dispute. Kuo said the community had attempted to place an ad in a local paper but feared legal retaliation.

Other speakers echoed those concerns, saying teachers and administrators had expressed fear of retaliation by board members and urging the board to be more transparent. The comments prompted emotional responses from the audience and a series of back-and-forth exchanges among speakers.

Board members did not take formal action on the allegations during the meeting; the remarks were heard during the public-comment portion and recorded in the meeting minutes. The district previously settled or authorized payments in the context of personnel and litigation matters mentioned by speakers; however, no board action at this meeting changed any legal positions related to those claims.

Speakers who addressed this topic included the mayor (name not provided in the public record), Kara Kuo, and other residents who identified themselves during public comment. The board did not respond with actions at the May 29 meeting; concerned community members asked for greater transparency and accountability in future board work.