Earlier this month, the Chicago Tribune published an investigation into sexual abuse allegations at Chicago Public Schools.

They found that not only did Chicago Public Schools fail to protect children from sexual abuse and assault, that administrators covered it up and “failed to alert child welfare investigators or police despite the state’s mandated reporter law.”

Even in situations where school employees acted swiftly, “they subjected young victims to repeated interrogations, inflicting psychological pain and defying basic principles to preserve the integrity of an investigation.”

Illinois lawmakers held a hearing Wednesday about sexual abuse allegations against Chicago Public Schools employees.

Here is an excerpt of an original story about the hearing as reported by ABC7 Chicago:

Lawmakers hold hearing about CPS sex abuse allegations

Illinois lawmakers held a hearing Wednesday about sexual abuse allegations against Chicago Public Schools employees that had been mishandled over the last 10 years.

CHICAGO (WLS) — Illinois lawmakers held a hearing Wednesday about sexual abuse allegations against Chicago Public Schools employees that had been mishandled over the last 10 years.

Two victims and their families gave tearful testimony about being assaulted and then mistreated by the system.

CPS inspector general ramps up sex abuse investigation
Chicago Public Schools Inspector General Nicholas Schuler has been tasked with investigating sex abuse allegations by students.

The hearing of state representatives and senators was held in Chicago following a Chicago Tribune report that chronicled hundreds of allegations over the last 10 years, as well as CPS’s ineffective background check system and the district’s failure to respond to complaints.

“I’m here for what CPS subjected to me in the months following. I’m here to shed light on the re-traumatizing, intimidating interrogations,” said Morgan Aranda, now-22-year-old who was assaulted by her Walter Payton High School world studies teacher during her freshman year.

After reporting the abuse, school officials questioned her without her parents or a lawyer present.

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This story originally appeared in ABC7 Chicago on June 20, 2018, and was written by Sarah Schulte and Megan Hickey

“I’M GOING TO SPRINGFIELD TO DEFEND OUR HOMES, REPRESENT THE PEOPLE’S INTERESTS AND STOP THE RAISING OF PROPERTY TAXES.”

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