Westchester School District sued after former teacher Dawn Chester was accused of sexually assaulting a student

WESTCHESTER, Ill. (WLS) — A new lawsuit has been filed against the Westchester School District after a former teacher was accused of sexually assaulting a student more than two decades ago.

Last summer, Dawn Chester was charged with aggravated criminal sexual abuse. She was placed on administrative leave from Berkley School District 87 at that time.

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Attorneys for the victim allege that the Westchester School District failed to take proper action to prevent Chester from teaching at another school in 2000 after she resigned over the allegations.

That included writing repeated letters to an 11-year-old student, asking the girl to skip class and come visit her alone in her classroom, the lawyers allege.

The science teacher and volleyball coach allegedly touched the student inappropriately several times.

Attorneys claim the school did not report Chester to police or DCFS.

More than 20 years later, last June, the victim discovered through social media that Chester worked as a teacher at Northlake Middle School and immediately reported her to police.

Attorneys plan to speak later this Tuesday. They believe she may have more victims and are asking everyone to come forward.

Meanwhile, the Westchester School District released a statement claiming that current Illinois School Code requirements to report allegations to the state did not exist in 2000.