New CPS lawsuit alleges neglect led to pregnancies, abortions by student sexually abused by dean
CHICAGO — A new lawsuit alleges a former student was failed after she was sexually abused for years at the hands of a dean at a Little Village high school, and when she confided in a teacher who attorneys said failed to report the incidents, it allowed the abuse to continue even after she graduated.
According to the lawsuit filed against CPS Wednesday, former Little Village Lawndale High School (LVLHS) Dean of Students Brian Crowder is alleged to have repeatedly sexually abused a former student between 2013 and 2014, where she was subjected to a pair of pregnancies and corresponding abortions.
To circumvent Illinois state law and get an abortion, the lawsuit alleged Crowder posed as the student’s stepfather and signed consent forms under a false name.
The victim, now 25 years old, spoke out Thursday on the repeated abuse. WGN News is withholding her identity for her protection at the request of her attorneys.
“I just bottled a lot inside for years and now that I spoke up about it, it did make me feel a little better because I’m finally saying something. It’s still hard. It still brings back all those emotions,” the victim told WGN News.
The former student said she tried reporting the abuse to a teacher, who is required by law to report such sexual abuse. But attorney’s said nothing was done.
In a statement released Wednesday, CPS said:
“Chicago Public Schools (CPS), prioritizes the safety and well-being of our students. We take seriously our responsibility to ensure all employees act in the best interest of our students. The District does not comment on pending investigations or litigation. Our CPS team follows District policies and procedures as we respond to issues.”
CPS Spokesperson
During a press conference Thursday, attorneys said an investigation revealed other grooming and sexual abuse incidents by educators at Little Village Lawndale High School.
“Our client met this dean through school who was going around getting the Snapchat usernames from various students, which is already a big red flag,” said Attorney Martin Gould. “Through our investigation it’s revealed that this was not an isolated incident. This was not an isolated teacher.
“This specific school has several other teachers and administrators that were grooming, on a regular basis, different students and sexually abusing them.”
A former investigator with the Illinois Office of the Inspector General for CPS, who spoke on condition of anonymity, reiterated Gould’s concern about there being more victims from the same school involving other teachers.
“Mr. Crowder is not the only staff members at the high school engaging in sexual misconduct with students,” the investigator said. “What I can say is more than two.”
According to the lawsuit, Gould and fellow attorneys Michael Grieco and Nicholas Wainwright allege “a cadre of of school administrators and teachers at CPS’s Lawndale Little Village High School were grooming, preying upon and abusing students.”
The lawsuit continues, “These teachers and administrators were aware of the abuses within the CPS’s system, often targeting the same victims at the same times … On more than one occasion, reviews of survivors’ phones unveiled sexually explicit messages from multiple teachers and/or administrators to a single student.”
Attorneys said they are not planning to take civil action against the other teachers, but rather pressure for other charges, whether through DCFS or criminal.
“The main goal is for other girls to speak up if anything like this is happening to them or has happened to them,” the victim said.
In the lawsuit, attorneys are seeking damages in excess of $300,000 for six counts alleged against CPS and Crowder, which include willful and wanton conduct (CPS and Crowder), negligent retention — willful and wanton (CPS), battery (Crowder), negligent infliction of emotional distress (Crowder), intentional infliction of emotional distress (Crowder) and respondeat superior (CPS).
According to Forbes, The legal doctrine of respondeat superior applies in certain tort cases and allows an employer or principal to be held liable for actions done on their behalf by staff members or agents.
Crowder was previously charged with criminal sexual assault, his case is pending. He is currently out on bond.
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