A teacher at Carl Sandburg Middle School who also coached girls' junior varsity volleyball at Mundelein High School has been arrested and charged with secretly recording a student. Dagoberto Diaz was taken into custody by Mundelein police and now faces one felony count of unauthorized video recording of a juvenile, according to school officials.
The arrest stems from a report by students, who told school officials about the alleged behavior before administrators escalated the matter, as reported by NBC 5 Chicago. School administrators alerted both law enforcement and the Department of Children and Family Services once the allegation surfaced.
Diaz taught at Carl Sandburg Middle School in Mundelein Elementary School District 75, according to Illinois Report Card. He also coached girls' JV volleyball at Mundelein High School, per Mundelein High School District 120. Carl Sandburg is one of the primary feeder schools for the high school, connecting the two buildings where Diaz worked.
District Response and Diaz's Status
Superintendent Dr. Corey Tafoya, who has led both Mundelein Elementary School District 75 and Mundelein Consolidated High School District 120 since July 2025, confirmed the district placed Diaz on administrative leave. Per Tafoya, Diaz has not been permitted to interact with students or enter school property since the allegation came to light. The district is now pursuing his termination.
Tafoya praised the students who came forward, saying they demonstrated courage by speaking up when something did not feel right. He said the district will continue training coaches and staff and will design measures to protect students going forward.
Legal Exposure Under Illinois Law
Under Illinois statute 720 ILCS 5/26-4, a violation of subsections (a), (a-5), (a-6), (a-10), (a-15), or (a-20) is a Class 3 felony when the victim is under 18, according to FindLaw. The statute provides for a Class 2 felony for a violation of subsection (a-25) under specified conditions. The charge is based on alleged conduct.
Illinois law also requires school employees to act as mandated reporters. Under the Illinois Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act, school district employees and administrators are legally obligated to immediately report suspected child abuse or exploitation to the Department of Children and Family Services hotline, according to the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services. Administrators notified DCFS alongside police after students reported the alleged behavior.
A Pattern of Cases Involving School Staff
Mundelein District 75 had introduced a dedicated School Resource Officer from the Mundelein Police Department to Carl Sandburg Middle School in late 2025, an effort aimed at building student trust and direct communication with law enforcement inside the building.
Earlier this month, a high school teacher and football coach in Tracy, California, was arrested after students discovered a phone recording inside a locker room and reported it, echoing the student-led discovery seen in the Mundelein case.
