Controversial Freeburg school board member resigns after judge rules against him
A controversial school board member in Freeburg Community Consolidated School District 70 has resigned.
David Stein confirmed Friday that he had tendered his resignation.
“I’m grateful for the opportunity, but it’s time for a more positive path forward,” he said.
Stein’s resignation follows a ruling by St. Clair County Circuit Court Associate Judge Stacy Campbell on May 6 to extend a workplace protection restraining order against him until December.
The judge had issued an emergency order last November on request from district officials. Stein was prohibited from entering school property, forcing him to attend board meetings via Zoom.
The district’s request alleged that he had screamed and used profanity at board meetings and, in a phone call with Interim Superintendent Mark Janssen, threatened to run over officials with his vehicle. Stein denied the allegations.
Elected in 2023, Stein was a frequent critic of board and administration decisions related to everything from the alleged hiring of a felon to work in the school cafeteria to what he saw as poor treatment of former Superintendent Melanie Brink, who resigned earlier this year.
A majority of board members voted in November to ask St. Clair County Regional Superintendent of Schools Lori Costello to remove Stein from office. They accused him of “erratic” and “aggressive” behavior and threats of violence against district officials.
In January, Costello declined to take action against him.
“Statute defines the standard for removal of a school board member as ‘(willful) failure to perform his official duties,’” she wrote in an email to Janssen and board President Michelle Foppe.
“After reviewing both your initial and updated email requests for consideration of the removal of School Board Member Mr. David Stein and conferring with St. Clair County State’s Attorney’s Office, the documentation provided does not support the statutory standard.”
April’s consolidated election brought change to the Freeburg board. Foppe was defeated after eight years in office. Voters elected new members Erin Shook and Ben Mueth and reelected incumbents Bill May and Ed Scheibel.
Three incumbents — Amber Trout, Jamie Smith and Stein — weren’t up for reelection due to staggered terms.
“It’s pretty obvious that there have been problems with the Freeburg District 70 board of education over the past four years, and I think the election results show how the District 70 taxpayers feel about it,” Stein said in April. “But I’m optimistic that we’re through the worst of it.”
The board recently hired a new superintendent, Mark Bearley, who is currently principal of Southwestern Community Unit School District 9 High School in Brighton and a former social studies teacher.
This summer, Bearley will replace Janssen, who has served in that role since Brink left in January.
Janssen didn’t respond to a request for comment Friday on Stein’s resignation and the process for his replacement.
“I’m optimistic,” Janssen said in April, after the election. “We look forward. We always do. We’re excited about what the future holds. I’m looking forward to meeting with (the two new board members) and getting them up to speed in the days and weeks ahead.”
District 70 consists of Freeburg Elementary School and Freeburg Primary Center.
Issues in the past three years have included staff resignations, board infighting, civil lawsuits and other court filings, a police investigation and heated debates among local residents.
This story was originally published May 19, 2025 at 5:30 AM.
