Arrogance not plagiarism

Certainly it was a major gaffe that Superintendent Attila Weninger made the week before last at Oak Park and River Forest High School‘s Memorial Day assembly. But it was not plagiarism and so it is time to cool down and move ahead.

Weninger erred in multiple ways, though, that are worthy of a second look. The misspeaking, the putting of an uncredited story told by Senator John McCain into the mouth of Weninger’s brother, is actually the least troubling issue. We buy the superintendent’s convoluted explanation that McCain’s story had been sent to him by a student, that he chose not to credit it to McCain to avoid bringing presidential politics into an assembly, that he was working without a script, and, that, as a result, he did not remember attributing the story to his older brother-like McCain, a Vietnam veteran.

It is all too wacky to make up. And our definition of plagiarism would have to result in the benefit redounding to the speaker, not to his brother.

Weninger was quick to apologize for not crediting McCain when confronted by a Chicago Tribune which is extraordinarily attuned this spring to speeches given by high school administrators. He apologized repeatedly, and quite abjectly. However, his apologies did not allow that he had, in fact, connected McCain and his brother until a video of Weninger’s remarks surfaced and proved the case.

That troubles us. People at the assembly know what they heard. They heard the superintendent link McCain’s story to his veteran brother. They said so. It ought to have been enough for Weninger to accept that added aspect of his error. He needn’t have waited for the videotape, which in this day and age was certain to surface.

And that brings us to an arrogance about this man that troubles us more than a stumbled over speech in an assembly.

Circling back on vacant buildings

Here’s a confluence of events that is worth noting. Last week Harrison-bound Circle Theater decided to stay in Forest Park for now. They have two issues. In a difficult fundraising economy they hadn’t raised enough in contributions to make the move at this time. Second, they found negotiating a lease with Chris Kleronomos, the baron of empty storefronts on

Then on Monday night, Oak Park‘s village board, which had previously anted up $200,000 to ease Circle’s move to Harrison, began discussion on a Vacant Buildings Ordinance. While any ordinance will apply village-wide and impact both commercial and residential properties, truth is the Kleronomos family is the most frustrating and inexplicable holder of vacant buildings in Oak Park.

Clearly the village needs new tools to bludgeon certain property owners with. Property inspections are not adequate when you have a major Kleronomos storefront that has been empty for 25 years. Eminent domain has fallen into disfavor with the courts, but we’re ready for a new package of carrots and sticks-sooner than later.

Outspelling Spel Chek

Before we are done with these editorials we will run the spell check program. We note however, that several of the words that River Forest‘s Rose Sloan spelled correctly on ABC-TV last Friday as part of the national spelling bee do not even register on spell check.

In her second and final go-round in the annual spelling bee, Rose placed fourth out of 288 contestants from around the country. Now that’s some good spelling, Rose.