Chicago Public Schools (CPS) officials announced that 12 employees at Marine Leadership Academy and a school volunteer either committed or covered up sexual misconduct that dates back five years, The Chicago Tribune reported.
Ten adults have been fired or are in the process of being fired stemming from the incidents at the Logan Square school, CPS CEO Pedro Martinez said.
The sexual misconduct, involving staffers with male and female students, occurred between 2016 and the spring of 2021, Martinez told Marine Leadership Academy parents in a letter Friday. CPS' Office of the Inspector General said it received complaints in April 2019 about two staff members alleged to have been engaged in sexual abuse of students at the school, and "the investigation quickly expanded" because of new allegations.
Three adults remain under investigation for inappropriate personal relationships with students, but "we don't have evidence of sexual abuse," Martinez said. All staff members have been removed from Marine Leadership Academy, he said, with the district requesting the Illinois State Board of Education "pull their licenses."
According to its website, Marine Leadership Academy is affiliated with the U.S. Marine Corps JROTC program and is currently the only 7-12 MCJROTC academy in the country.