Former CPS Student Repeatedly Sexually Assaulted by Security Guard During School Hours: Lawsuit

CHICAGO – A lawsuit has been filed against the Chicago Board of Education and a former security guard at a local high school, on allegations of repeated sexual assault and abuse from a then 15-year-old student.

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

John Doe, now 18 years old, said he was targeted by 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 security guard vowed to protect John Doe from school bullies and won 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 from class 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 sexual assault and abuse of John Doe and another student at Dunbar, of repeated acts of sexual assault and abuse. According to the documents, six members of the high school staff allegedly witnessed Carter’s behavior and failed to report it to appropriate authorities, as required by Chicago Board of Education policy and their training.

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

The abuse came to light when John Doe informed his mother of the incidents, leading to a report to the Chicago Police Department and the school, the security guard’s subsequent arrest and his admission of guilt.

“How many unauthorized removals from class does it take before staff begins to question the security guard’s behavior? The school has failed me,” John Doe said in a statement.

Attorneys for John Doe 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 enormous harm he has suffered,” said John Doe’s attorney Nick Kamenjarin. “Certainly he would like an apology and acknowledgment of what happened to him from the CPS, which they not reaching out to him at all to see how he is doing, or to apologize.”

CPS released the following statement in response:

“The safety and well-being of our staff and students are top priorities and fundamentals for 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 traumatic impact of sexual assault and continually strive to educate leaders, teachers and students about the topic and the reporting process.