CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- A Chicago Public Schools Inspector General investigation has found that a dozen staff members at high school in Logan Square were involved in inappropriate relationships with students or they looked the other way.
The school under investigation is Marine Leadership Academy, located on the 1900 block of North Hamlin Avenue, in Chicago's Logan Square neighborhood.
Chicago Public Schools CEO Pedro Martinez said the “behavior uncovered represents a stunning betrayal of trust and a colossal failure of judgement and character on the part of far too many individuals."
He said there was a culture of misconduct at the school, involving teachers, administrators, and staff.
"There are substantiated findings against 12 Marine Leadership Academy employees and one volunteer at the Academy. Ten of these individuals have already been terminated or are in the process of being dismissed," Martinez said.
"One had a sexual relationship with a student; one groomed a student and began a sexual relationship with the student immediately after the student graduated. Six failed to report and actively hid suspected violations."
He said the misconduct predated the 2019 start of an investigation; and added that it took so long, because of a backlog in the Inspector General’s Office.
Some staffers were immediately removed. Ten have been or are being fired. Others are still under investigation.
Martinez said this involves fewer than a dozen students.
The principal was transferred and later fired.
Martinez said, with frustration, that grooming and failing to report do not currently rise to the level of crimes; and sex between teachers and students did not occur until the students were 18.
“As of today, it is not illegal to be grooming students,” Martinez said. “As of today, it is not illegal for staff to wait for students to turn 18 to have sexual relationships...That’s what exists today...These are loopholes that exist today," Martinez said.
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