Teacher resigns amid ‘gross misconduct’ allegations at charter school

SHARE Teacher resigns amid ‘gross misconduct’ allegations at charter school
police_lights91_300x18812.jpg

Sun-Times file photo

A teacher resigned Friday amid allegations of “gross misconduct” with a 16-year-old boy at a Southwest Side charter high school.

Chicago Police confirmed Thursday they were investigating the alleged misconduct by a teacher at Horizon Science Academy Southwest Chicago at 5401 S. Western Ave. in the Gage Park neighborhood.

Police said Friday the investigation is ongoing and no charges have been filed.

“As the allegations involved a minor, the school contacted the [Illinois] Department of Children and Family Services and Chicago Police,” Christopher Murphy, director of strategic growth & PR for Concept Schools, said.

The school’s administration began an internal investigation on Monday, Murphy said. As a result of that investigation, the teacher, who has worked at the school since 2014, officially resigned Friday.

“DCFS is investigating a case involving a teacher at Horizon Science Academy,” a representative for the agency said. “The investigation is pending.”

The Latest
A witness told police they saw a white SUV fleeing the scene.
A pedestrian was in a crosswalk near 2100 W. Armitage Ave. about 10:51 p.m. Saturday when a blue sedan hit the person and fled westbound on Armitage from North Hoyne Avenue, police said.
The weather made the Big Ten championship game anticlimactic, but goal-scoring machine Izzy Scane and the Wildcats won it anyway. That’s just what they do — and an NCAA title defense comes next.
Three men were in the 7900 block of South Cottage Grove Avenue about 5:07 p.m. Sunday when four people with handguns approached and fired shots, police said. One man died. Three others are hospitalized.