Chicago, IL — A lawsuit has been filed by a young survivor alleging that the staff at Dunbar Vocational High School in Bronzeville failed to protect him when a security guard sexually abused him during the 2021 academic year. The victim, referred to as John Doe in legal documents, endured repeated assaults by Tywain Carter, a then 29-year-old security officer, who has since been convicted and sentenced.
At the time of the incidents, Doe was a 15-year-old sophomore and alleged that Carter cultivated a relationship with him under the guise of offering protection. The lawsuit details harrowing weeks during which Doe was systematically pulled out of classes and assaulted in the faculty computer lab. Documents reveal that another student was subjected to abuse by Carter during the same period, leading to separate legal action against the Chicago Public Schools (CPS).
In May 2023, Carter pled guilty to criminal sexual assault, resulting in an eight-year prison sentence at Centralia Correctional Center. This guilty plea came as part of a deal where other charges, including additional accounts of criminal sexual assault, criminal sexual abuse, and aggravated battery were dropped.
According to Scott Lane and Nick Kamenjarin, attorneys representing Doe, the school’s negligence is underscored by the failure of six Dunbar employees to report Carter’s illegal activities as mandated by the Illinois Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act. They describe a disturbing disregard by school personnel, who overlooked multiple opportunities to intervene.
Doe, now 18, confronts ongoing challenges catalyzed by the traumatic experiences. Once an honor roll student aspiring to be a psychologist, his academic performance plummeted in the aftermath of the assaults. The young man’s distress led to a transfer from Dunbar and a winding journey through several institutions before obtaining his diploma from an alternative school. His employment capacity persists as an area of difficulty, further complicating an already arduous recovery journey.
The legal team pointed out flaws in the CPS system—highlighting trained procedures and state laws that were ignored by the district’s staff. They contend that multiple staff members observed suspect behaviors yet failed to report them. The attorneys criticized CPS for not only failing to protect Doe but also for not reaching out post-disclosure of the incidents or offering any apology.
The broader context presents a systemic issue within CPS, noticing an uptick in sexual misconduct allegations involving district employees. Reports to the Office of the Inspector General indicate a 12% increase in such complaints over the last year alone, totaling 446 with 17 specifically categorizing as sexual abuse.
Doe’s legal team attempted to resolve matters before escalating to a lawsuit, however, they described CPS as unresponsive to these efforts. In pursuit not just of justice but also of systemic change, Lane and Kamenjarin hope to heighten public awareness regarding the failures in protecting students within CPS, particularly from inappropriate conduct by security staff.
As this disturbing case unfolds, CPS remains tight-lipped, maintaining that they do not comment on ongoing litigation but stressing that student and staff safety is a paramount concern for the district. Nonetheless, the fallout from this case stands to prompt a closer examination of how seriously CPS enforces its protective mandates.
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