By The FirstA bombshell report from the Chicago Public Schools Office of the Inspector General (OIG) shows that hundreds of CPS teachers sexually groomed, assaulted and raped CPS students last school year.
The report reads:
In 2022, the SAU closed more than 600 cases — over 300 more than it closed in 2021 — marking a period of significant progress for the unit. The SAU has implemented strategic changes to manage its extraordinarily high case volume without compromising the quality of its investigations (outlined further below). The unit remains dedicated first and foremost to prioritizing student safety, while conducting fair and thorough investigations that respect the rights of victims and subjects alike.
Amongst the complaints in Fiscal Year 2022, there were 81 instances of sexual touching, 35 cases of grooming, and 26 cases of unspecified “Sexual Acts,” according to the OIG.
The report also includes accounts of incidents that involved criminal charges against teachers–including one instance in which a high school teacher groomed and sexually assaulted a female student.
Prior to the sexual assaults, the teacher groomed the student by establishing an emotional connection with her and breaking down her inhibitions. She said that she began to think of him as her friend and therapist. The teacher would make remarks about the student’s hair and body, saying things like, “I like the way you look in your jeans.” The teacher also touched and groped the student while hugging her, touching her thighs and buttocks under the pretext of removing lint from her clothing.
Other sex incidents include:
- A high school teacher who sent pornographic videos of himself to a student and exposed himself to another student. According to the report, the student was “frustrated over not being believed and by the failure of staff members to take appropriate steps,” and eventually “posted a comment on social media about the teacher exposing himself.”
- A high school teacher groomed multiple students for sex and engaged in sexual acts with a student at school. An investigation into the teacher found “serious incidents of sexual activity with other students, including a possible instance of indecent solicitation of a minor” according to the report.
- A high school gym teacher who repeatedly exposed himself to one sophomore girl and connected with another 15 year old student on social media and “sent her photos and videos of himself masturbating and engaged in other sexual acts.”
- An elementary teacher who “sexually touched” a Chicago Public School student repeatedly over several years, when he was 11 to 14 years old. He also “purchased food and gifts for the student and members of his family,” and “spent the night in the student’s bedroom, having sex with the student.”
“While the volume of allegations and the number of substantiated cases of sexual misconduct understandably causes concern within the District and impacted school communities,” the report goes on to say, “there is no indication that the frequency of these occurrences is higher within CPS than in other districts nationwide.”