Sexual misconduct accusations lead to removal of 13 CPS staff members

The Office of the Inspector General conducted an investigation at Marine Leadership Academy in Logan Square into allegations of misconduct between students and adults.

CPS CEO Pedro Martinez said the investigation uncovered inappropriate relationships between staff and students. 

"Unfortunately, some of these relationships appeared to have been tolerated or even covered up by other adults who vowed to protect our children and their care," Martinez said at a news conference Friday.

Martinez said there are "substantiated findings" against 12 Marine Leadership Academy employees and one volunteer at the academy.

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All 13 individuals have been removed from their positions, CPS said.

The investigation alleges that several of those accused had inappropriate relationships with students at Marine Leadership Academy while others are accused of covering up the sexual misconduct.

The district’s inspector general substantiated allegations against the 13 individuals dating back more than two years, district officials said.

Martinez said he learned of the investigation only late last month and that other central office officials did not previously know the widespread nature of the allegations.

The former principal of the school, Erin Galfer, was one of the employees determined to have failed to report misconduct and has since been fired, Martinez said.

The findings uncovered the following:

  • One adult had a sexual relationship with a student
  • One adult groomed a student and then began a sexual relationship after the student graduated
  • One adult sexually harassed and retaliated against a student
  • One groomed a student and crossed the boundaries with others
  • Six failed to report and actively hid suspected violations

There was a "culture of behavior and distrust that occurred at Marine Leadership Academy that is not tolerated by our district," Martinez said.

Martinez did not disclose the exact number of student victims, saying only that it was fewer than a dozen.

Associated Press contributed to this report.