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CHICAGO - The Archdiocese of Chicago says it fired a substitute teacher this month after learning he has a history of child molestation allegations.
What we know:
The teacher, identified by the Archdiocese as Brett Smith, reportedly worked with students in at least four South Side and south suburban Catholic schools over the past 16 months.
According to the Archdiocese, Smith worked as a long-term substitute at St. Walter–St. Benedict School in Chicago and Blue Island during the 2024-25 school year. He also worked for a third-party vendor assigned to Pope John Paul II School in Chicago at the beginning of the 2025-26 school year.
Most recently, Smith worked as a substitute teacher just this month at Queen of Martyrs School in Evergreen Park.
The Archdiocese also said Smith worked as a private tutor for at least one family with a child enrolled in a Catholic school in the south suburbs, and possibly more than one family.
After the Archdiocese learned of his history, officials said he was barred from their schools and fired.
"Despite his history of allegations in Illinois and other states, Mr. Smith passed state background and fingerprint checks at the beginning of his employment in the Archdiocese in 2024," a letter sent to Catholic school families read.
Dig deeper:
According to the Archdiocese, Smith has used multiple names, including "BJ Smith," and was previously known as Brett Zagorac before legally changing his name in 2019.
The Archdiocese also said it "read reports" that he used the name "BJ Wilhelm."
Officials said they are not aware of any allegations of sexual misconduct involving Smith during his time at St. Walter–St. Benedict, Pope John Paul II, or Queen of Martyrs schools.
"We have learned, however, that one family in the south suburbs filed a complaint against Mr. Smith with their local police for conduct that occurred while he was tutoring in their home," the letter to families read.
What they're saying:
"The presence of this individual in some of our schools and with some of our students is very alarming," Superintendent of Schools Greg Richmond and Office for the Protection of Children and Youth Director Leah Heffernan wrote in a letter to families.
The Archdiocese thanked parents at Queen of Martyrs School, saying they were instrumental in bringing attention to the situation.
What's next:
The Archdiocese said it is cooperating with the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services and two suburban police departments as the investigation moves forward.
Families are encouraged to report any interactions with Smith that made a student uncomfortable.
- First call the DCFS hotline at 800-25-ABUSE and/or your local police department.
- Then, call the Archdiocese’s Office for the Protection of Children and Youth at 312-534-5254 before informing your school principal.
"The presence of this individual in some of our schools and with some of our students is very alarming. We want to thank parents at Queen of Martyrs who have been instrumental in shedding light on this situation," the letter read.
The Source: The information in this story came from the Archdiocese of Chicago.