Chicago Archdiocese fires teacher with history of child molestation allegations
The Archdiocese of Chicago has fired a teacher with a history of child molestation allegations in Illinois and other states.
The archdiocese said Brett Smith, formerly known as Brett Zagorac, worked in at least four Catholic schools in the city and suburbs over the past 16 months.
Smith was a long-term substitute teacher last school year at St. Walter-St. Benedict School, which has campuses in the Morgan Park neighborhood and south suburban Blue Island. He also worked for a third-arty vendor at Pope John Paul II School in the Brighton Park neighborhood at the beginning of this school year. He was a substitute teacher at Queen of Martyrs School in Evergreen Park this month. He also has worked as a private tutor for at least one family enrolled at a Catholic school in the south suburbs.
While the archdiocese said they are not aware of any allegations of sexual misconduct against Smith while working at St. Walter-St. Benedict, Pope John Paul II, or Queen of Martyrs schools, one family in the south suburbs filed a complaint against him for conduct while he was tutoring in their home.
"The presence of this individual in some of our schools and with some of our students is very alarming. We want to thank parents at Queen of Martyrs who have been instrumental in shedding light on this situation," the archdiocese said in a statement. "We regret that this individual has been in several of our schools and are deeply committed to providing a safe environment for all our students."
The archdiocese said they immediately moved to remove Smith from their schools and to fire him after they learned of his history of child molestation allegations. Officials said, despite that history, he had passed state background checks and fingerprint checks when he was first hired in 2024.
Smith has also gone by the names BJ Smith and BJ Wilhelm, according to the archdiocese.
The archdiocese said it is cooperating with the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services and two suburban police departments as it seeks to learn more about Smith's background.
Officials asked anyone whose child has had contact with Smith that makes them uncomfortable to call their local police department or the DCFS Hotline (1.800.25.ABUSE). They can also contact the Archdiocese Office for the Protection of Children and Youth at 312-534-5254.