Chicago Board of Education reaches $17.5 million settlement in sexual abuse case involving former high school dean
The Chicago Board of Education on Wednesday approved a $17.5 million settlement with a former Chicago Public Schools student who was sexually abused by her high school dean for years.
The former dean, Brian Crowder, was charged with criminal sexual assault in 2022 after the victim, who has not been publicly identified, said she was coerced into a relationship with him. In August, he was convicted and sentenced to 22 years in prison.
Her attorneys, Gould and Mike Grieco, said Wednesday's settlement came just hours before the trial was about to start in the case, calling it the largest school abuse recovery ever reported in Illinois.
In an interview with CBS News Chicago, the victim said she was sexually abused from 2013 until 2016 by Crowder, who was the dean of the Greater Lawndale School for Social Justice in Little Village. Her attorneys said she was just 16 when the abuse began, and that Crowder got her pregnant twice, even posing as her parent for her abortions.
The lawsuit also claimed that school employees had failed to report the relationship to the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services after learning about it.
She remained silent for years before opening up about the abuse in June in hopes of helping others in a similar situation, her attorneys said.
"This case was about sending a message that children and their safety must always be the Board of Education's number one priority and when they are not, there is a steep price to pay," attorney Bryce Hensley wrote in a statement.
Chicago public schools also released a statement on Wednesday that read:
"Chicago Public Schools takes all reports of misconduct seriously, and the District remains committed to the safety and well-being of every student entrusted to our care," the school district said in a statement. "While the District denies any wrongdoing, we recognize the seriousness of the allegations in this matter and the impact the student has reported experiencing. After careful consideration, the District chose to resolve this case through a settlement in order to avoid the uncertainty, cost, and emotional toll of a trial for all involved. The District's focus continues to be providing a safe learning environment and supporting our students, staff, and community."