Former Grant High teacher pleads not guilty in sex case
A former Grant High School teacher denied during an arraignment hearing Thursday in Lake County court that she had sex with a student. Amber Kraus, 30, formerly of the 0-100 block of Belvidere Road in Grayslake, pleaded not guilty to criminal sexual assault and two counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse in front of Lake County Judge James Booras.
Kraus remains free on bond after posting the required 10 percent of her $100,000 bail.
She is due back in court for a pretrial hearing Jan. 21. Her trial is scheduled for Feb. 7.
Kraus, who has since moved to Mundelein, faces 15 years in prison if found guilty of the most serious sexual assault charge. She faces seven years in prison on the sexual abuse charges.
Kraus resigned from her job as a science teacher at Grant High School in Fox Lake when the allegations of an inappropriate relationship with a student came to light this fall.
She did not confess to having sex with the unidentified student, authorities said, but she admitted to some sexual contact with the victim.
Kraus was employed at the district for eight years before her resignation was approved by the Grant High School District 124 board Oct. 8.
As part of her bail conditions, she remains on an overnight curfew, is not allowed to have contact with any minors under the age of 18 and is not allowed to have any contact with the victim.
District 124 Superintendent Christie Sefcik said she could not comment on the court proceedings Thursday.