Former Oak Park Elementary School District 97 Superintendent Ushma Shah, who abruptly resigned her position just days before the new school year began last week, did not leave for personal or family reasons, according to her resignation letter obtained by Pioneer Press through a public records request.
Rather, Shah wrote that she resigned because she believed that the board was ready to take “punitive action” against her, and that she and the board did not have the level of mutual respect that she needed to continue on in her job.
“The Board has made it clear that, immediately following tonight’s Board’s meeting, you will move forward with what I understand to be punitive action that will further set us back in terms of trust and collaboration,” Shah wrote in her resignation letter sent on Aug. 12. “The Board has informed me that the direction you have outlined with your outside legal counsel will not be revised and is non-negotiable.
“I imagine that you would like to employ a superintendent that you see and believe in just as much as I would like to be employed under those kinds of positive conditions. I am resigning in hopes that we might both get closer to what we are seeking.”
Ushma Shah resigned earlier this month as superintendent of Oak Park Elementary School District 97. (School District 97)
However the District 97 School Board issued a statement late Monday afternoon, shortly after the district released Shah’s resignation letter, indicating officials did not seek to take any punitive action against Shah. No action was taken regarding Shah at the Aug. 12 meeting.
“We appreciate the vision Dr. Shah brought to District 97 and extended her contract this past spring with the intent to continue our work together,” the statement from the School Board said. “Consistent with that intent, the board sought to provide timely support and feedback on aspects of her leadership. The board did not seek to take any punitive action, and we did not ask her to resign. Her decision on August 12 to step down was unexpected, and we wish her well in her next chapter.
“We understand that the news of Dr. Shah’s departure came as a surprise and has raised questions within our community. We are sharing what we can while striving to respect Dr. Shah’s privacy, as we do with all personnel matters. We remain focused on supporting our students, staff, and families, and our priority as a district continues to be a strong start to the 2025-26 school year.”
The district’s communications director, Amanda Siegfried, said the statement would be the board’s only comment on Shah’s resignation letter. District 97 refused to provide copies of emails sent by and to Shah in her final three days on the job in response to a public records request, saying that the request was unduly burdensome.
The district knew of Shah’s impending resignation three days before it took effect but did not announce it until late on Friday afternoon Aug. 15, the date her resignation took effect.
At a special meeting on Aug. 18 the School Board voted 6-0 to appoint current assistant superintendent Patrick Robinson to be acting superintendent until Sept. 15. At that time retired superintendents Griff Powell and Patricia Wernet will take over as co-interim superintendents for the remainder of the 2025-26 school year while the board searches for a new leader.
Bob Skolnik is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/08/25/oak-park-ushma-shah-resignation-letter/
