A former dean at Chicago Public Schools has been sentenced to 22 years of imprisonment after a jury convicted him of sexually abusing a student, the Chicago Sun-Times reported. The former dean, Brian Crowder, aged 43, was convicted on four out of seven counts, including aggravated criminal sexual assault and aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a minor, with the abuse commencing over a decade ago at Greater Lawndale High School for Social Justice on Chicago's West Side.
Crowder, who took on the role of the dean of students, initiated contact with the student through social media and later brought her to his home; she was between 15 and 17 years old at the time this started, the student became pregnant twice, and Crowder masqueraded as her stepfather while taking her to get abortions, according to the prosecution statements. The Chicago Tribune outlines that Judge Stanley Sacks from the Leighton Criminal Court Building dealt out the 22-year sentence in three consecutive terms: 12 years for aggravated criminal sexual assault and bodily harm, and five years each for two counts of criminal sexual assault and aggravated criminal sexual abuse.
Removed from his position in 2021 after the student filed a police report, Crowder faced a possible sentence of 14 to 60 years in prison. The now 24-year-old woman has since filed a civil suit against both Crowder and Chicago Public Schools, signaling a continued fight for justice in the civil courts. Previously, he had pleaded guilty to a single count of sexual abuse in a deal to have the remaining charges dropped, which unraveled when it was determined he would be required to register as a sex offender for life.
The case, enmeshed in a larger controversy over CPS's conduct concerning sexual abuse allegations, has amplified scrutiny of the district, especially in light of a 2018 investigation by the Chicago Tribune dubbed "Betrayed," which exposed failure,s including inadequate reporting of accusations and ineffective background checks. In the civil lawsuit pending against Crowder and the district, the woman alleges employees at Little Village Lawndale High School failed to act on the inappropriate relationship, even though some "would joke about how much time was spent alone" between her and Crowder, the Tribune added.
The aftermath of this ordeal has seen Crowder's former colleagues defend him in court, a act that has drawn ire from the victim's attorneys, Martin Gould and Nicholas Wainwright, who stated, "CPS failed in its most basic duty — to protect its students," and Crowder's sentencing "is a critical milestone in our client’s long and courageous fight for justice," as they shared with the Tribune. Their client confronted Crowder and has persevered through years of legal battles and retraumatization, which they believe demands commendation.
