Dr. Dawn Hill has taken legal action against the Board of Education of the City of Chicago and other associated parties, alleging violations of her due process rights during a principal dismissal proceeding. On February 23, 2026, Dr. Hill filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, against the Board of Education of the City of Chicago, Macquline King in her capacity as CEO of Chicago Public Schools, Illinois State Board of Education, and Peter Meyers in his capacity as Hearing Officer.
The case revolves around Dr. Hill’s role as principal at Wilma Rudolph Learning Center within the Chicago Public School system. Her contract was set from July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2027. However, on March 13, 2025, the Chicago Board of Education selected Peter Meyers as the hearing officer for her dismissal hearing without mutual agreement from both parties as required by law. This selection initiated a series of events that Dr. Hill claims violated statutory timelines and procedural requirements under Illinois law (105 ILCS 5/34-85(a)(5) and 23 Ill. Adm. Code § 51.40(b)(1)).
Dr. Hill argues that several scheduling orders were issued with false statements indicating mutual agreement to waive statutory timelines—a claim she refutes by stating she never agreed to such waivers. The scheduling orders inaccurately reflected proceedings meant for tenured teacher dismissals rather than her position as principal and contained discrepancies about mutual agreements which Dr. Hill insists did not exist.
Throughout this ordeal, Dr. Hill repeatedly requested documentation outlining her due process rights and applicable rules governing her dismissal hearing but received no satisfactory response from Hearing Officer Meyers or the Board. She asserts that these failures constitute a breach of contract and violation of her constitutional rights under both state and federal law.
In seeking relief from the court, Dr. Hill requests declaratory judgment to declare the scheduled Principal Dismissal Hearing unlawful due to non-compliance with relevant codes and statutes. She also seeks a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction to prevent any further actions towards terminating her employment without adequate due process.
Representing herself pro se in this matter is Dr. Dawn Hill while Laurel C. Baker serves as Senior Assistant General Counsel for the Board of Education involved in this case under Case ID: 1:26-cv-02017 with Judge Thomas G Bruton presiding over it.
Source: 126cv02017_Dawn_Hill_v_Board_of_Education_Complaint_Northern_District_of_Illinois.pdf
