ILLINOIS SCHOOLS SEXUAL ABUSE LAWSUITS

Fighting for Survivors of Sexual Abuse in Illinois Schools

When a child is sexually abused by a teacher or school official, trusted to care for and educate that child, it is heartbreaking for the child and the child’s family. No family should endure the pain of knowing their child was harmed in a place meant to protect them. 

At Levy Konigsberg, we stand with families demanding accountability and real change.  If you or your child was sexually abused in an Illinois school, reach out today.

Sex Abuse Scandals in Illinois Schools

Examples of alleged abuse, and of conditions likely to lead to abuse within Illinois schools, include the following:

• In December 2025, the Chicago Board of Education proposed a $17.5 million settlement for a former student who was sexually abused by Brian Crowder, the former dean of discipline of the social justice program at Little Village Lawndale High School.  Crowder reportedly sexually abused the Plaintiff beginning when she was 15 years old.  As a result, the Plaintiff became pregnant with Crowder’s child and Crowder convinced her to have an abortion.  Court records show that Crowder twice posed as the Plaintiff’s stepfather so that she could get two abortions while she was still in high school. A third, she says, happened after she stopped attending Little Village Lawndale High School.  Crowder was charged and convicted in the summer of 2025 on four of seven criminal charges he faced, including aggravated criminal sexual abuse and sexual assault. He was sentenced to 22 years in prison. During his criminal trial, prosecutors showed documents that Crowder’s cell phone number was on the abortion clinic’s records and that he called off from work at CPS on the same days Jane had the abortions.

• In March 2025, a $3.5 million settlement was reached in a lawsuit against the Board of Education of Homewood-Flossmoor High School District 233 involving the alleged sexual assault of a student during a theater class in October 2022. The school reportedly notified the victim’s mother about the rape, but then confined her mother to a conference room at the school without providing any information about her daughter’s condition.  Flossmoor police confirmed that they reported to the school for a report of criminal sexual assault and that a juvenile was detained and questioned, but not charged.

• In March 2025, a jury awarded $15 million against the Board of Education of J. Sterling Morton High School District 201, finding it liable for failing to protect a male student from grooming and sexual abuse by a female teacher.

• Also in March 2025, Christina Formella, a former Downers Grove South High School teacher and soccer coach, was charged with criminal sexual assault of a student. In December 2023, the victim and Formella were reportedly in a classroom for a tutoring session before school began, when Formella sexually assaulted the boy.  The victim’s mother reportedly discovered the alleged assault when looking through her son’s text message thread on his cell phone.

• In November 2024, a former student at Westchester Middle School filed a lawsuit against the school district alleging she was sexually abused by her volleyball coach and teacher, Dawn Chester (then Dawn Lach). According to the lawsuit, in 1998, the victim participated in a school-sponsored overnight camp in Wisconsin, where Chester served as a chaperone. During the trip, Chester reportedly touched the victim inappropriately. Afterward, the lawsuit alleges that Chester wrote fake detentions for the victim, requiring them to spend time alone together before school, where Chester sexually abused her. Chester reportedly resigned after the girl’s mother told the school about the abuse, but she went on to teach at other Chicago area middle schools for more than two decades.

• In January 2023, it was reported that Chicago Board of Education Inspector General Will Fletcher reported 470 sexual misconduct complaints against Chicago Public School employees from students in 2022. The report details students being abused, groped, groomed, assaulted and threatened by school officials.

LK is Investigating Sexual Abuse Claims in Illinois Schools

Levy Konigsberg is investigating cases of sexual abuse and assault that occurred in Illinois schools.

You may have a potential claim if you were sexually abused in any Illinois school, including but not limited to, the following schools, archdioceses, or districts:

• Bishop McNamara High School
• Board of Education of Homewood-Flossmoor High School District 233
• Board of Education of J. Sterling Morton High School District 201
• Downers Grove South High School
• Holy Angels Catholic School
• Marist High School
• Marmion Academy
• Mount Carmel High School
• Providence Catholic High School
• St. Ann’s Elementary School
• St. Cyril Catholic School
• St. Rita High School
• Westchester Middle School

Do I Have a Case?

You may have grounds to file a civil legal action if:

• You were sexually abused by a teacher or staff at a school.
• The abuse occurred at any school.

Levy Konigsberg represents survivors in civil lawsuits that aim to hold schools accountable for their failures to stop abusive teachers and staff.

As civil claims, these cases are separate from any criminal proceedings that may arise from abuse and focus instead on holding institutions liable for damages. This means you may still have a claim even if:

• Your abuser is no longer alive.
• Your abuser was never charged with or convicted of a crime.

Recoverable Damages in Sexual Abuse Claims

In addition to providing accountability and a sense of justice, civil sex abuse lawsuits allow survivors to recover financial compensation for their damages, which may include:

• Past medical and mental health expenses
• Future mental health expenses, including therapy, medications, etc.
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional anguish and psychological harm
• Lost income
• Other economic and non-economic damages

Illinois Sexual Abuse Attorneys

Sexual abuse lawsuits, like other claims brought by plaintiffs who seek damages for injuries, are subject to a legal deadline known as the statute of limitations. When the statute of limitations expires, victims will not be able to file a claim or recover compensation.

Determining the statute of limitations in your claim can be challenging, as there are many factors to consider. In Illinois, the statute of limitations for civil sexual abuse claims brought by victims who were abused as minors is generally as follows:

• Claims brought by survivors of childhood sexual abuse (abuse that occurred when the victim was under 18 years of age) may be commenced at any time for victims who were born on or after July 24, 1983.

Determining the statute of limitations that applies to your sexual abuse case against an Illinois school or Illinois Catholic school can be challenging, which is why it is best to bring your matter to the attention of an experienced lawyer.

We are committed to protecting the most vulnerable members of our society and seeking justice for survivors of sexual abuse in schools. Our experienced team is dedicated to providing legal representation and support to survivors, and we are actively investigating allegations of abuse. We are working tirelessly to ensure that survivors have access to justice and that future generations of young people are safe from harm within these institutions.