The District 150 school board Monday night voted to terminate the contract of Lindbergh Middle School principal Julie McArdle.

McArdle's termination was criticized as "shooting the messenger" by her attorney, and derided by some Lindbergh teachers.

The Board members terminated Julie McArdle's contract without comment this evening.

The only person to comment – at all –was Lindbergh teacher Terry Cole..

He told the school board, " I'm sure you are privy to knowledge that I am not, but I can say this principal is dedicated, they have been fair, they have been nice."

District 150 Superintendent Ken Hinton, following the meeting, said he would not discuss the reasons for McArdle's termination: "It's a personnel matter and I really don't –it's district policy that we don't respond to issues involving our personnel"

But Julie McArdle's attorney, Richard Steagall is talking.
He says McArdle's firing is "shooting the messenger"

Steagall tells news 25 that McArdle corrected wrongs at Lindbergh Middle School, including a student teacher who was being paid, and , Steagall says, McArdle alerted District 150 officials to illegal credit card purchases made at Lindbergh during the tenure of the previous pincipal, Mary Davis, now a District 150 assistant superintendent.

District 150 spokesperson Stacey Shangraw says two reports of possbile illegal activity were made last Friday: She says, " One outlined missing district financial documents from the 2007–2008 school year. A separate report also indicated there was an allegation of misappropriation of funds".

Peoria Police Lt. Vince Weiland, himself a former District 150 Board member, told reporters: "It's still the infancy of the investigation. There are a number of people who will be interviewed...including people from the school district".

Attorney Richard Steagall told News 25 that he will sue District 150 over McArdle's termination, saying the school board has "sided with the wrong-doer".

He says he'll sue over violations of McArdle's rights as a "whistleblower" under Illinois law.

Under her contract, McArdle will be paid five–thousand dollars for early termination of her contract.

McArdle is paid $86,608 yearly.

She will remain at Lindbergh until the end of June.