The Cook County Sheriff’s office investigated an incident of sexual contact between a student at Proviso East High School and a staff member in March.
According to Frank Bilecki, spokesperson for the sheriff’s office, the incident occurred on Feb. 15 and was reported by a student to a school administrator on Feb. 27.
Bilecki said the staff member was male and not a coach, teacher or administrator and that the student was over 18 years old. No charges have been filed. When asked about allegations that a cellphone sex video had been confiscated, Bilecki said no video was mentioned in reports. The staff member was terminated from District 209, according to sources familiar with the investigation.
At the D209 school board meeting, March 13, the board approved the termination of a male full-time security guard and truancy officer, age 69, from Proviso East and a female attendance secretary from Proviso West. The security guard submitted a resignation date of March 6, 2012.
At the March board meeting during public comments, a parent, Norma Mendez, told the board that she had heard about a case of “sexual harassment” at Proviso East and asked for an explanation. Board President Emanuel “Chris” Welch told her that the board could not address her concerns at that meeting.
Proviso school board member Theresa Kelly declined to comment on the allegations, saying, “You should ask the superintendent.”
Taquoya Kennedy, the district’s spokeswoman, said the district takes “swift and appropriate action” in cases like this and said personnel information is kept confidential by law.
This article was corrected to reflect the status of the sheriff’s investigation and the legal status of confidentiality in District 209 personnel records.
