CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- The Chicago Public School system “lost” tens of thousands of computers following the return from remote learning, according to the Office of Inspector General. The CPS OIG's annual report also has details regarding sexual allegations.
More than 77,000 electronic devices assigned to students and staff during the pandemic were listed as missing – either lost or stolen - at a cost of about $23 million and no one was held accountable.
About 12,000 were later located. An audit found that at three dozen schools, 100% of the computers were missing.
In one case, a student lost five devices. The OIG report said the inventory and recovery processes are flawed.
Recommendations include a new inventory management policy, creating an amnesty program to recover lost computers – they’ve been deactivated – and making students and staff responsible for their assigned devices.
Eight cases of adult-on-student sexual abuse were substantiated, according to the OIG report. Five resulted in criminal charges. There were 446 investigations by the Sexual Allegations Unit.
The report states that most – 67 % - were non-sexual and there were instances of misconduct ranging from sexual harassment to non-sexual conduct that raises the appearance of impropriety or possible grooming.
Those include staff members driving, calling or texting students, buying gifts, invading personal space, staring and showing an inordinate amount of attention.
Over the past five years, there have been nearly 2,200 cases investigated.
More than 1,700 raised concerns about adult-on-student sexual misconduct and policy violations were found in more than 345 cases.
“We take seriously the findings and recommendations from the Office of the Inspector General,” a CPS spokesperson said in a statement, according to multiple reports “and will continue to ensure our District policies and procedures support the highest ethical standards and that our employees act in the best interest of our students, the District and our city.”
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