Ex-Chicago Public Schools dean found guilty in student sex abuse case, attorneys confirm

CPS sued after former dean had sex with student, posed as parent to get her abortions: lawsuit

A former CPS student filed a lawsuit against the school district alleging it covered up for a former dean of students who groomed and repeatedly sexually assaulted her when she was 15 years old.

CHICAGO - A former Chicago Public Schools dean was convicted Wednesday of sexually abusing a 15-year-old student at Little Village Lawndale High School, according to the law firm representing the victim.

Brian Crowder, former dean of students at the Greater Lawndale School for Social Justice, was found guilty of sexual abuse, the firm Stinar Gould Grieco & Hensley PLLC confirmed Thursday.

What we know:

Crowder was accused of grooming and repeatedly assaulting the victim while she was a student at the school, which led to two pregnancies and abortions, the firm said. The abuse allegedly occurred between 2013 and 2015.

The victim, now an adult, filed a civil lawsuit in April 2024 against CPS. The complaint alleges the district allowed staff to exploit students in their care and failed to act on reports of abuse.

In a statement, the victim’s attorneys called the verdict a critical step toward justice — not just for their client, but for other survivors of abuse at the school.

"The guilty verdict against former Chicago Public Schools Dean, Brian Crowder, yesterday evening is a critical step toward justice — not only for our brave client who testified this week, but for every young woman who was targeted, manipulated, and abused by staff within the district.

"We are deeply proud of our client’s strength and composure as she courageously testified in open court about the grooming, exploitation and sexual abuse she endured by her Dean which began when she was a 15-year-old student. Her voice — and those of the seven other survivors we represent who were groomed and abused by Little Village Lawndale High School staff — have pierced the silence that allowed this pattern of abuse to persist for far too long.

"We are especially grateful to the prosecutors and their team for their tireless, diligent work in pursuing this case and bringing it to trial. Their professionalism and dedication were instrumental in securing justice and ensuring this survivor’s voice was fully heard and believed.

"We commend the jury for seeing the truth and holding Mr. Crowder accountable. But this case is about more than one man. It raises urgent questions about institutional failures and the systemic grooming of students by trusted adults within the Chicago Public School system. That’s why we continue to pursue justice on all fronts, including the ongoing civil litigation on behalf of these survivors.

"We are committed to ensuring every survivor is heard, and that meaningful reforms are made to protect students from ever facing this kind of betrayal again," the statement reads.

Further details on Crowder's conviction haven't been released.

The backstory:

According to a previous FOX 32 report, Crowder had sex with the victim multiple times a month.

In 2014, she became pregnant and Crowder allegedly posed as her stepfather to authorize an abortion. The lawsuit also claims a CPS employee was informed about the abuse but failed to act.

The victim reported the abuse to Chicago police in September 2021. Crowder was later fired and charged with one felony count of criminal sexual assault.