Chicago Board of Education Approves $17.5 Million Settlement in Largest School Sex Abuse Case in Illinois History
The Chicago Board of Education has unanimously approved a $17.5 million settlement for a former student who was sexually abused by a former dean at a Little Village high school, making it the largest settlement for a school sex abuse case in Illinois history.
The victim, identified as Jane Doe, filed a lawsuit against Chicago Public Schools and Brian Crowder, the former dean of students at Greater Lawndale High School for Social Justice, who started messaging her when she was 16. He brought her to his home and twice posed as her stepfather when she became pregnant so she could get an abortion, court records show. The abuse continued after she left high school.
Crowder was removed from his position at the school in 2021 after the student filed a police report, and he was sentenced to 22 years in prison this summer for sexual assault and sexual abuse of a minor. CPS will pay $10 million of the settlement, while insurance is covering the rest.
In a statement, CPS denied wrongdoing but acknowledged that it chose to resolve the case through a settlement to avoid the uncertainty, cost, and emotional toll of a trial. The district expressed its commitment to student safety and well-being.
However, the watchdog overseeing the district says his office is investigating fewer cases involving allegations of sexual misconduct by adults against students, despite schools reporting a similar number of allegations. This trend follows a recent decision by the Inspector General's Office to prioritize investigating more severe allegations, such as those involving sexual abuse and sexual acts.
Board members expressed concerns about the number of reports, with some suggesting that more needs to be done to protect students. The law firm representing the victim plans to use a portion of the settlement to evaluate CPS policies and training and provide recommendations for improvement.
The Office of Student Protections and Title IX also reported worrying trends, including an increase in investigations related to dating violence. The office is looking for partner organizations to conduct intensive workshops with students who engage in this behavior.
As the district continues to grapple with issues of student safety, critics say that more needs to be done to ensure that schools are protecting students from abuse and misconduct.
The Chicago Board of Education has unanimously approved a $17.5 million settlement for a former student who was sexually abused by a former dean at a Little Village high school, making it the largest settlement for a school sex abuse case in Illinois history.
The victim, identified as Jane Doe, filed a lawsuit against Chicago Public Schools and Brian Crowder, the former dean of students at Greater Lawndale High School for Social Justice, who started messaging her when she was 16. He brought her to his home and twice posed as her stepfather when she became pregnant so she could get an abortion, court records show. The abuse continued after she left high school.
Crowder was removed from his position at the school in 2021 after the student filed a police report, and he was sentenced to 22 years in prison this summer for sexual assault and sexual abuse of a minor. CPS will pay $10 million of the settlement, while insurance is covering the rest.
In a statement, CPS denied wrongdoing but acknowledged that it chose to resolve the case through a settlement to avoid the uncertainty, cost, and emotional toll of a trial. The district expressed its commitment to student safety and well-being.
However, the watchdog overseeing the district says his office is investigating fewer cases involving allegations of sexual misconduct by adults against students, despite schools reporting a similar number of allegations. This trend follows a recent decision by the Inspector General's Office to prioritize investigating more severe allegations, such as those involving sexual abuse and sexual acts.
Board members expressed concerns about the number of reports, with some suggesting that more needs to be done to protect students. The law firm representing the victim plans to use a portion of the settlement to evaluate CPS policies and training and provide recommendations for improvement.
The Office of Student Protections and Title IX also reported worrying trends, including an increase in investigations related to dating violence. The office is looking for partner organizations to conduct intensive workshops with students who engage in this behavior.
As the district continues to grapple with issues of student safety, critics say that more needs to be done to ensure that schools are protecting students from abuse and misconduct.
This settlement is like a weight lifted off Jane Doe's shoulders, I'm so happy she gets justice and $10 million from CPS! 
17.5 million is insane for one case, but honestly its about the principle that schools have to take responsibility for protecting their students. We need to make sure teachers are being held accountable when they mess up like this. 
I also feel bad for the CPS watchdog who's investigating fewer cases... it's just not right! 
The law firm doing this settlement is doing an amazing job, let's hope they can bring about some real change in our schools! 
what kind of system allows a teacher to pose as a stepdad to a 16-year-old girl so she can get an abortion? 
$17.5 million is NOTHING compared to the trauma that poor Jane Doe has gone through and I'm still trying to process how CPS could've messed up so badly 
they're all just sweeping it under the rug with a settlement instead of making real changes to prevent this kind of abuse from happening again 
it's disgusting that they even denied wrongdoing in their statement, what more proof do they need? 
This settlement is a reminder that school administrators have a huge responsibility to protect their students from predators like Brian Crowder. The fact that he was able to abuse Jane Doe for so long without anyone catching on is a stark warning sign that more needs to be done to ensure student safety 
. It's not just about passing laws or regulations, it's about creating a culture of transparency and accountability within schools 
️. The district's decision to settle rather than go to trial might have saved them money, but it's come at the cost of justice for Jane Doe 
The watchful eyes are supposed to be on these adults, not just reacting when some poor kid finally comes forward with a complaint.
It seems like they're going down, but I'm not buying it. There's gotta be some shady goings-on that we don't know about. Maybe CPS is covering up something? 
We just need to keep digging and asking questions until we get to the bottom of this.
. I mean, 22 years in prison ain't exactly gonna prevent anyone from committing similar abuse, if you ask me 
. And what really gets my goat is that the CPS is just kinda... acknowledging wrongdoing without actually admitting to it 
. Like, they're saying they did nothing wrong, but also saying they chose to settle to avoid a trial and all that jazz 
. I'm no expert, but from where I'm sitting, this whole thing reeks of cover-ups 
. The fact that there are fewer investigations into adult-on-student abuse is, like, super concerning 
. The fact that she had to hide her pregnancy and get an abortion in secret is just heartbreaking 
. I mean, 22 years in prison isn't even enough for someone who did such heinous crimes 
.
. We need to get to the bottom of what went wrong here and make sure that no one else has to go through what she did 
. The Office of Student Protections and Title IX needs to be doing more to address these worrying trends, especially when it comes to dating violence 
. And what's really concerning is that there are more cases out there that aren't being reported or investigated. This whole thing just reeks of "we've got this under control" 
and I'm still trying to get used to it... anyway back to this news... $17.5 million is like, crazy 
17.5 million dollars for one person's suffering is just insane. I mean, I know CPS has a lot on their plate, but to me it feels like they're giving in too easily. Don't get me wrong, the victim deserves justice and a hefty payout is definitely part of that. But $10 mil from them seems like a bit too much.
. But we need more than just tweaks to our system. We need systemic change, and that starts with holding our leaders accountable for their role in protecting students. This case is a wake-up call, let's hope it sparks real change 
.
. Like, shouldn't we be doing more to prevent abuse from happening in the first place? My friend told me that she saw a PSA about consent and stuff at school last year, but it was just a quick thing without really getting into the details 
.
. We need more support for survivors of abuse and better training for teachers and staff so they can recognize the signs and take action 
. It's not enough just to pay off a victim, we need real change 
. i feel for all these students who got affected by this kinda abuse 
it just seems like the system is so broken and schools don't take these allegations seriously enough