New faces on the fifth floor of City Hall mean it’s time to probe how Chicago Public Schools officials handle allegations of bullying inside the classroom.
That’s according to several Chicago families and their lawyers, who on Tuesday renewed their call for Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx to conduct a criminal investigation of several high-profile bullying cases across city schools in recent months — and for Mayor Lori Lightfoot to spearhead a “full investigation” of her own.
“We have a new Chicago Public Schools board. They should do something,” attorney Michael Oppenheimer said during a press conference at the Dirksen Federal Building. “They should step in, hit the ground running and fix this problem.”
Oppenheimer represents four families who have sued the district over the last year, including Teirra Black. Her 11-year-old son attempted suicide in February after months of bullying by students and teachers at Woodson Elementary in Bronzeville, according to Black, who has said that her complaints went ignored.
The boy’s hanging attempt left him with severe brain damage, and he’ll never breathe without a ventilator.
“I don’t understand why [an accused teaching aide] is still working at this school, why they’re still around these children,” Black said. “Too many incidents have happened.”
CPS Inspector General Nicholas Schuler’s office is still investigating those “highly concerning allegations,” according to the district.
”CPS is committed to fostering safe and welcoming learning environments in all schools, and the district has no tolerance for adults who harm or fail to protect students,” district spokeswoman Emily Bolton said. “All allegations of bullying and student harm are taken seriously by the district, and we are fully committed to ensuring all students are supported and adults are held accountable.”
Lightfoot’s office referred to CPS’ statement.
The state’s attorney’s office noted that just two of the attorney’s cases cited were presented and both resulted in criminal charges.
”Our office is committed to seeking justice and protecting public safety, including the care and safety of children in our schools. When we are presented with information from law enforcement regarding allegations of abuse, we review that information and seek criminal charges where appropriate based on the evidence and the law,” Foxx’s office said.
Oppenheimer also represents Anthony Townsend, who claims teachers at Horizon Science Academy in McKinley Park — which is overseen by the Illinois State Charter School Commission, not CPS — forced his 7-year-old son to move his desk to face a wall.
“Mentally, and psychologically its destroying him. And it’s been going on for months,” Townsend said.
Christopher Murphy, a spokesman for the charter operator, said the school is “committed to maintaining a safe academic environment free of all forms of misconduct, and bullying of any kind is not and will not be tolerated.”
