District 128 draws heat for handling of grooming accusations against former teacher

A lawsuit alleging a former special education teacher at Libertyville High School engaged in sexual grooming, assault and abuse has sparked criticism of how the school board and administrators handled the matter.

Several speakers during public comment during Monday night’s Libertyville-Vernon Hills Area High School District 128 board meeting said the claims were known to administrators yet the teacher was allowed to keep his job and retire with a pension.

The teacher, Libertyville High School and District 128 are named as defendants in the suit filed in January. The teacher started with the district in August 1997 and retired in March 2025.

The action was taken on behalf of Jane Doe, a 15-year-old junior with Down syndrome who the suit states met the teacher in the fall semester of 2024, when the alleged actions were said to have occurred.

Among the allegations are that the teacher exploited Doe’s disability and trust by coercing expressions of love and physical contact in exchange for grades or extra credit.

The suit claims that despite the teacher’s “extensive history of misconduct,” including disciplinary action for entering a student’s home and other actions, the district reassigned rather than fire him.

“Who is protecting the students?” District 128 resident Laura Weber said during the school board session. “As a parent with two children who will soon be entering Libertyville High School, my confidence has been shaken.”

The suit alleges some of the teacher’s alleged misconduct took place on school premises and in spite of “the actual or constructive knowledge” of school staff and administrators.

School board members did not respond to the public comments, as is their policy for board meetings.

In a statement, district officials said they are is aware of the lawsuit, but because it contains claims related to a student and school personnel it can’t disclose details under federal and state law confidentiality requirements.

The district said it “will share additional information if and when it becomes appropriate to do so.”

The suit seeks more than $50,000 in damages on each of eight counts plus legal fees.