Three U-46 teachers on leave after district learns of Chicago Public Schools ‘grooming' probe
A months-long investigation by NBC Chicago into allegations involving seven teachers previously employed at Little Village Lawndale High School found that three of them are now working for Elgin-based U-46.
'We care very deeply for our students, and our fundamental commitment is to their well-being,' said Kristine Rogowski, director of communications and community relations. 'We believe that fostering a culture of safety is necessary for student learning and development so we have taken immediate action.
'The individuals (Charles Smith, Michael Abeja and Hans Krueger) identified in the report as being employed by our school district are on leave pending an internal review,' Rogowski said.
Chicago Public Schools has been investigating allegations against the seven teachers for three years, with the final report expected to be done in June. The probe is looking at allegations made between 2009 and 2019 by former students in which it was alleged the teachers groomed teens and then started relationships with them after graduation, NBC Chicago reported.
CPS was not required to disclose that information to U-46 or that the teachers were on their 'Do Not Hire' list, the news station reported.
Rogowski said U-46 will reach out to CPS as well as state, county and law enforcement officials as part of their own review. Parents, guardians and students with information or concerns are asked to contact their building principal, she said.
An internal records review showed that no formal complaints have been filed in regard to the three teachers during their time with the U-46, Rogowski said.
'When the Illinois State Board of Education takes action on a teacher's teaching license, the action is listed on the teacher's record in the licensing portal,' she said. 'We review all teaching licenses prior to hiring. As of today, there continues to be no notation on the licenses of the three teachers.'
U-46 administrators learned about the investigation through the televised report, which aired this week. In response, the district sent letters to parents about its internal review and identified the teachers.
Smith is an assistant principal at Abbott Middle School in Elgin. He was a principal at the Little Village Lawndale campus until being removed in February 2023, according to NBC Chicago. He resigned a few months later while being investigated, the TV news report said.
He became assistant principal at Abbott Middle School in the 2022-23 school year, according to the school's website. Smith is a Loyola University Chicago graduate and earned a master's degree from National Louis University.
His attorney told the TV station that Smith is confident he will be cleared of any alleged wrongdoing.
NBC Chicago reported CPS's Office of Inspector General substantiated misconduct allegations against Abeja but did not go into further details.
Abeja was born and raised in the Little Village neighborhood in Chicago. He received a bachelor's degree in art education from the University of Illinois at Chicago. He taught eight years at CPS and two years at U-46, according to his bio.
A third teacher, Hans Krueger, is part of CPS's ongoing investigation. He left the school system in 2017 and became a music teacher at U-46 in July 2020. Krueger works at the district's Dream Academy, an alternative education program in Elgin, as a music recording and production teacher.
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