Former CPS student repeatedly sexually assaulted by security guard during school hours: lawsuit

CHICAGO – A lawsuit was filed against him Chicago Board of Education and a former security guard at a local high school, on charges of repeated assaults and sexual abuse of a then 15-year-old student.

The complaint, which was filed by Lane Brown, LLC on behalf of the plaintiff, identified as John Doe, details the sexual assaults that occurred in 2021 during school hours.

John Doe, now 18, said he was targeted by a school security guard, Tywain Carter, on his first day at Dunbar Vocational Career Academy because of his age, size and status as a new transfer student. The guard promised to protect John Doe from school bullies and gained his family’s trust by meeting his mother, attorneys said.

The complaint detailed how Carter’s grooming tactics involved daily encounters with the student, including taking John Doe out of the classroom almost daily to secluded areas, such as a faculty-only computer lab, to sexually assault him.

The lawsuit accused Carter, who pleaded guilty in 2023 to sexually assaulting and abusing John Doe and another Dunbar student, with repeated acts of sexual assault and abuse. According to the documents, six high school staff members allegedly witnessed Carter’s behavior and failed to report it to proper authorities, as mandated by Chicago Board of Education policies and training.

The lawsuit alleged that Carter used physical force on John Doe, such as pushing him against a wall, choking him, and sexually abusing him.

The abuse came to light when John Doe reported the incidents to his mother, leading to reports filed with the Chicago police and the school, the subsequent arrest of the security guard, and his guilty plea.

“How many unauthorized removals from the classroom does it take before the staff begins to question the behavior of the security guard? The school let me down,” John Doe said in a statement.

John Doe’s attorneys are seeking at least $50,000 for each of the six charges filed in the complaint.

“(John Doe} should be compensated under our laws for the immense harm he has suffered,” said John Doe’s attorney, Nick Kamenjarin. “He certainly would like an apology and an acknowledgment of what happened to him by to CPS, which they didn’t get to. show him at all to see how he feels or to apologize.”

CPS released the following statement in response:

“The safety and well-being of our staff and students are top priorities and fundamental to our school communities. Chicago Public Schools (CPS) actively works to prevent sexual abuse and thoroughly addresses all reports of abuse. District leaders and staff understand the trauma impact of sexual abuse and make ongoing efforts to educate leaders, teachers, and students about the topic and the reporting process.