Law Firm Files Suit Against Chicago Public Schools on Behalf of Student Repeatedly Sexually Abused by Dean of Students for Years

A former Chicago Public School student has retained the Chicago law firm, Stinar Gould Grieco & Hensley, PLLC, to represent her regarding her claims that Chicago Public Schools negligently hired, supervised, and retained a former Dean of Students who raped her, failing to protect the then 15-year-old student even after they learned of the abuse. The lawsuit alleges that the Little Village Lawndale High School maintained a pattern of practice of exploiting children entrusted to their care, identifying a cadre of teachers and administrators who have allegedly abused other students during the same time frame and covered it up.

The lawsuit alleges that the former Dean of Students at Chicago Public Schools’ Little Village Lawndale High School, Brian Crowder, groomed and repeatedly sexually abused the child, subjecting her to two pregnancies and abortions while a student. To circumvent Illinois law which requires familial consent for a minor to receive an abortion, the CPS Dean allegedly misinformed the clinic that he was the student’s stepfather, signing consent forms under a false name. The survivor alleges that she reported the abuse to a teacher—who is required by law to report sexual abuse committed by a CPS employee—but the teacher did nothing. Employees of the school allegedly commented on how much time the child spent in Dean Crowder’s office and made jokes about their romantic involvement with Dean Crowder while she endured years of sexual abuse.

Chicago Public Schools’ longstanding problem of perpetuating and concealing sexual abuse was first exposed by the Chicago Tribune’s “Betrayed” investigative series. The Tribune analyzed 523 Chicago Police Reports from 2008 through 2017 and found a staggering 72 school employees alleged to have sexually abused students, including teachers, counselors, coaches, security guards, and more. The series alleged that ineffective background checks exposed students to educators with identifiable criminal convictions, and that teachers and principals routinely failed to uphold their legal duty to alert child welfare investigators or police of known abuse. The Illinois Office of the Inspector General (“OIG”) has taken over all investigative duties regarding child sexual abuse at Chicago Public Schools. Since then, the OIG has received an additional 2,188 reports of sexual misconduct from students against CPS employees. The OIG has substantiated policy violations in 363 of those cases.

The victim’s attorney, Martin Gould, Founding Partner of Stinar Gould Grieco & Hensley, PLLC, released the following statement:

"The Chicago Public Schools have ignored a longstanding and egregious problem of sexual abuse of minors within its schools. No child should have to experience sexual abuse at the hands of the very adults entrusted with their personal development and safety. Our schools should be a place where students feel safe and where parents feel safe sending their children. Unfortunately, CPS has treated mandatory reporting as an optional guideline, providing a platform for abusers to access children and creating a safe  haven where their actions will be tolerated if not concealed. As a result of clear disregard for mandatory reporting requirements, children like our client were repeatedly subjected to incomprehensible trauma. We are here to ensure that survivors receive the justice they deserve, that their abusers are held accountable, and that appropriate policies are put in place and followed to ensure this does not happen again. We are inspired by the bravery of our client who chose to speak out about her experiences in the hope of ensuring that school administrators take seriously their duty to protect students from experiencing the sexual abuse she was forced to endure. We encourage anyone who may have information related to this matter to contact our law firm."

The victims are additionally represented by Mike Grieco, Founding Partner of SGGH Law, and Nicholas Wainwright, also a lawyer with expertise in sexual abuse at the firm. The attorneys will discuss survivor experiences and harms, legal theories, and a demand for justice during a press conference on Thursday, April 11 at 10:00 a.m. CT, at Thompson Hotels, 21 E Bellevue Pl., Chicago, IL 60611. Media are asked to arrive early to set up.

Press Conference Details:

Date: Thursday, April 11, 2024
Time: 10:00 a.m. CT
Location: Thompson Hotels, 21 E Bellevue Pl., Chicago, IL 60611

Please note the student sexually abused in this case will be in attendance at the press conference tomorrow and available for interviews. IMPORTANT: We ask journalists to please conceal her identity.

If you are a former student, or the parent of a current student, who experienced sexual abuse at the Chicago Public Schools, or have any information, please contact Stinar Gould Grieco & Hensley, PLLC (justice@SGGHLaw.com; www.sgghlaw.com) to discuss your legal rights. For media inquiries, please contact lynn@lynnsmithtv.com.

About Stinar Gould Grieco & Hensley, PLLC

Stinar Gould Grieco & Hensley, PLLC is a prestigious, boutique, national personal injury firm dedicated to advocating for victims of abuse and catastrophic injuries in high-stakes litigation. SGGH’s lawyers have represented hundreds of survivors of rape, sexual assault, and childhood sexual abuse across the country in finding justice, financial compensation, and closure through the legal system. These cases include claims against institutions such as the Boy Scouts of America, the Boys & Girls Club, University of Michigan (Dr. Robert Anderson), Michigan State University (Dr. Larry Nasser), professional sports teams, Jeffrey Epstein, private and public schools, elite private boarding schools, orphanages, foster care programs, hospitals, mental health facilities, Fortune 500 companies, and numerous religious institutions. Recent successes include participating in global settlements valued at nearly $3 billion. For more information, visit https://www.sgghlaw.com.

Media Contact

Lynn Smith
+1 646-717-0354
lynn@lynnsmithtv.com