Lawsuit accuses CPS of ignoring report of sexual assault by school security guard

Lawsuit accuses CPS of ignoring report of school security guard sexual assault | FULL REMARKS

A new lawsuit accuses Chicago Public Schools of ignoring a report that a security guard was sexually assaulting a student.

CHICAGO - Chicago Public Schools and the Chicago Board of Education are accused in a new lawsuit of ignoring a report that a school security guard was sexually assaulting a student, allowing the abuse to continue for years.

What we know:

The lawsuit alleges a district-employed security guard at Farragut Career Academy groomed and sexually abused a student, identified as Jane Doe, between 2012 and 2015.

According to the complaint, the guard presented herself as a mentor and communicated with the student privately on Instagram. The lawsuit says the guard later bought Doe a cellphone to engage in unsupervised contact.

The complaint describes sexually explicit messages that escalated into physical abuse when Doe was a junior in 2015. The alleged abuse included kissing, groping, oral sex and sexual assault that occurred in the guard’s car and apartment.

The lawsuit also alleges the guard threatened to report Doe’s family to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to prevent her from speaking out.

Attorneys claim the guard’s ex-wife discovered inappropriate messages and reported them to school administrators, prompting an internal investigation. Despite that warning, the lawsuit alleges CPS did not notify child protection authorities or law enforcement as required under the Illinois Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act.

"CPS had a clear warning and a clear legal obligation, and failed both," attorney Nicholas Wainwright said in a statement. "That failure didn’t just break the law; it allowed the abuse to continue."

The complaint further alleges the guard’s mother held a senior administrative role at the school with access to student records, raising concerns about conflicts of interest and discouraging the student from reporting the abuse.

"This case exposes how institutional silence protects abusers," said attorney Jennifer Cascio. "When insiders have access and the district still fails to act, it tells survivors that reporting is unsafe. That silence doesn’t protect students. It empowers abusers."

Dig deeper:

The lawsuit follows a recent $17.5 million settlement involving separate allegations of repeated sexual assault by a former CPS dean.

"This is just one more instance of a decades-long trend that we have seen within the Chicago Public Schools," said attorney Bryce Hensley. "The district is warned about sexual abuse, mandatory reporters fail to act, and no meaningful reforms follow. It’s a predictable and devastating trend for students and raises questions as to whether the School District has any concern for its students whatsoever."

What they're saying:

In response to the lawsuit, CPS issued the following statement.

"Chicago Public Schools (CPS), prioritizes and takes seriously its responsibility to ensure the safety, security, and well-being of all students. All schools across the District are committed to building a physically and emotionally safe teaching and learning environment for students, staff, and families."

What's next:

The lawsuit seeks compensatory damages against the Board of Education, including claims of willful and wanton conduct.