One of the three administrators who were removed from Lincoln Park High School in January has been reinstated after district officials determined it was “safe” to do so.
Chicago Public Schools officials said in a letter to the school community Monday that allegations against the three administrators were substantiated, but that the school’s dean, John Johnson, will return to the school.
“Although the Office of Student Protections and Title IX (OSP) found these allegations to be substantiated, the district decided that it was safe for Dean Johnson to return to Lincoln Park after reviewing his role in the allegations,” wrote Laura LeMone, the CPS official in charge of the network of schools that includes Lincoln Park.
“In order to ensure a smooth transition and the appropriate application of all district policies, Dean Johnson will receive training and support from the Network, the CPS Office of Social Emotional Learning, and the CPS Office of Student Protections and Title IX,” LeMone added.
Another staffer, a teacher who was removed last month because of a sexual misconduct allegation, has also been allowed back to the school after the CPS inspector general’s office investigated the accusation and deemed him safe to return.
Lincoln Park spent more than a month in the spotlight after several allegations led to the firing of the school’s interim principal and assistant principal and the reassigning of Johnson. Four basketball coaches were also removed.
The school community has fiercely defended its administrators through it all, calling for their immediate reinstatement. CPS has said the principal and assistant principal, who were placed on a “do not hire” list, will not return.
