Regional Superintendent Cannot Conduct Investigation: 'It's a Local Issue'

Roycealee Wood's e-mail Inbox has been filling up Tuesday with requests from the Lake Forest community regarding the role of the Lake County Regional Office of Education in the actions of District 67 Superintendent Harry Griffith and the Board of Education's handling of former

after new information came out last Thursday in a conviction in 2009, which included sexually graphic text messages, voicemails and a lewd photo sent to a 22-year-old student, who was an intern with the

Wood, Lake County's Regional Superintendent of Schools, said Tuesday that she has no jurisdiction over District 67 despite a c

"This is a local issue," Wood said. "I don't have the authority to remove anyone. It's not that I don't want to be helpful, but this needs to be dealt with locally."

Woods said any disciplinary action against Griffith has to be done by the School Board. Wood said it's possible a group of residents could retain an attorney, who would then contact the school district's attorney for recourse regarding the issue.

Wood said she did contact the Illinois State Board of Education Legal Department, and she is following up on the State Board's investigation of whether Steinert's education certificate should be suspended or revoked based on his conduct,

Wood said she would prefer any further communication by residents to be done by telephone instead of e-mail.

She can be reached at (847) 543-7833.