Moline school board takes action against board member accused of personal misconduct

MOLINE, Ill. (KWQC) - The Moline-Coal Valley school board voted 6-0 Monday to censure board member Jason Farrell and request his removal from the board to the regional superintendent.

Monday’s vote stems from allegations of personal misconduct made against Farrell in late March.

According to school board president Andrew Waeyaert, a man named Matthew Harris confronted the board with evidence that Farrell committed infidelity while impersonating Harris’ likeness on the dating app Tinder while meeting women.

At Monday’s board meeting, Waeyaert said although Farrell may not have committed a crime, the evidence and subsequent response from the community left the school board with no choice but to take action.

Members of the community in attendance at Monday’s meeting agreed with the board’s decision, including Joe Schilling, a business owner in both Moline and Coal Valley.

“I think it’s really important that they do remove him just over the allegations alone,” Schilling said. “Because we can’t take any risk over these types of people being involved with our children.”

Farrell told TV6 the reason he did not attend Monday’s meeting was because of the Emergency Order of Protection filed by Harris on March 28, which was granted by a Rock Island County judge.

Despite the board’s decision, Farrell maintains the allegations are false and that he intends to keep his seat on the board.

A court hearing for the protection order against Farrell is set for April 11 in Rock Island County.

It is unclear when the regional superintendent will make a decision regarding his removal from the school board.