A former Lake Forest District 67 special education teacher claims she was forced to resign earlier this year after questioning district practices and receiving a series of negative evaluations that she senses were retaliatory.
Mary Gould Moorhead, who first joined District 67 in 2002, submitted her resignation in March after receiving a series of negative evaluations during the 2025-26 school year. She contends the evaluations were linked to concerns she raised about district practices and future plans for the special education program.
“I always thought I was extremely well regarded and I still believe I am,” Moorhead said in an interview.
Moorhead began teaching in District 67 in 2002 but left in 2010 after getting married and starting a family. She returned in 2019 as a substitute teacher and, during the 2023-24 school year, became a second-grade learning behavior specialist at Cherokee Elementary School, working with students receiving special education services.
She remained in that position for the next two years and said she never received a negative evaluation. However, she sensed a change after May 2025, when she asked for additional support for the special education staff.
From September through January of the 2025-26 school year, Moorhead said she and several Cherokee staff members met with District 67 administrators to discuss the structure of the special education program and ways to better support second-grade students.
Beginning in November, Moorhead said she received negative feedback that resulted in nine “needs improvement” ratings across multiple evaluation categories. She also said administrators expressed concern that her Georgia accent could make it difficult for some students to understand her.
“I’ve never received any negative feedback and I believe there were irregularities in these evaluations as there was no paperwork provided and they did not meet the district’s evaluation criteria,” she said.
Moorhead said she welcomes constructive criticism and would have adjusted her teaching if concerns had been raised.
“I regard myself as someone who is open and is always willing to learn,” she said. “Teaching these days has changed and evolved and continues to do that every year.”
Moorhead also said she filed a grievance through her union after one meeting with a District 67 administrator. She said she was told another administrator would conduct her evaluation, but that person ultimately was not permitted to do so.
The situation came to a head in March during a meeting with district officials to discuss her evaluations and concerns about the direction of the special education program. Moorhead said she was asked to resign.
“I am disappointed in the way I was treated and the way I was spoken to (and) the things that were said to me,” she said during the May school board meeting.
District 67 spokeswoman Melissa Oakley said the district could not comment on personnel matters or pending legal issues after receiving a series of questions regarding Moorhead’s claims.
At the May board meeting, Moorhead also received support from community members, including parent Courtney Payne.
“This woman doesn’t represent the gold standard for teaching,” Payne said. “She is far above that.”
Her former Cherokee colleague, Michelle Miedema, also praised Moorhead.
“MG has a true magical talent with belonging,” Miedema said. “Her students, families and colleagues all feel like they belong and they truly matter when they are in her presence.”
Moorhead said she is now looking for another teaching position in the area.
“I enjoy being with the children, and I enjoy watching them grow in their understanding that they can do hard things,” she said.
While she is considering legal action against District 67, Moorhead said she is reluctant to pursue litigation.
“I wasn’t raised to sue people. I wasn’t raised to file a grievance,” she said.
Instead, she hopes her experience leads to positive changes within the district.
“My intentions have always been about supporting the children,” she said. “It is my hope something good comes out of this for Cherokee and these types of irregularities never happen to another staff member in the community.”
Daniel I. Dorfman is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
