CPS’ firing of two administrators was ‘influenced’ by an inappropriate, off-the-books investigation: Report

The 2020 firing of the principal and assistant principal at Lincoln Park High School, which set off protests by parents and students, was at least partially informed by an inappropriate, off-the-books investigation, according to a report by the Office of Inspector General for Chicago Public Schools.

CPS says the two administrators were dismissed for what officials characterized as “substantiated findings” of misconduct and a failure to follow protocol related to the boys basketball team, wreaking havoc at the North Side school. The boys’ basketball season was cut short, students staged walk-outs, parents complained en masse and lawsuits by the administrators followed.

Yet according to the OIG report, the initial reasons stated for the firings were mostly not connected to the boys team but to a separate incident that should have been handled differently.

The official who conducted that investigation, CPS Chief Title IX Officer Camie Pratt, resigned this summer with a “do not hire” designation on her record, according to CPS documents. The inspector general recommended Pratt and her deputy be subject to “disciplinary action up to and including termination.”

The attorney representing Pratt said in a statement that “Ms. Pratt adamantly disputes the allegations made in the CPS OIG report and is confident that a review by an independent, third-party investigator would demonstrate that she acted according to applicable standards and policies.”

“Ms. Pratt conducted her work as CPS’ Chief Title IX Officer with integrity and compassion,” according to the statement. She plans to file a “substantive rebuttal” to the report this week.

The circumstances around Pratt’s departure were uncovered by a former longtime CPS substitute teacher who now does his own investigations. After the former substitute published the information on X, WBEZ requested and received the OIG report, in addition to other documents pertaining to Pratt’s employment.

CPS officials declined to offer any more information around Pratt’s departure, including why it took four years for the inspector general to publish a report or for Pratt to be held accountable.

Pratt arrived at CPS amid some fanfare in 2019 in the wake of the Chicago Tribune’s Betrayed series, which found systemic problems in the way the district handled sexual abuse and misconduct cases involving students. In hiring Pratt for the Office of Student Protections and Title IX, then-CEO Janice Jackson said it was part of her effort to leave “no stone unturned” in making sure students were safe and fully compliant with Title IX, the civil rights law that prohibits sex discrimination in educational programs.

At the time of the February 2020 firings of Lincoln Park principal John Thuet and assistant principal Michelle Brumfield, the firings were publicly connected to their handling of an unauthorized overnight boys basketball trip, during which two students were videotaped in a sexual encounter that was shared without consent.

But at the same time that investigation was getting underway, Pratt and her deputy were questioning school officials in an off-the-books investigation about how they had responded to an allegation about a text exchange between a student, who is a relative of Pratt’s, and the girls basketball coach, the OIG found.

Unsubstantiated findings pertaining to the text message were presented in a local school council meeting as substantiated — and a main reason Thuet and Brumfield were fired, according to the OIG report. The investigation into the boys team was not complete at the time of that meeting. School district officials at the time said Thuet and Brumfield were fired "due to multiple allegations of serious misconduct involving the athletic program."

Though Pratt said she informed Jackson of the incident between her relative and the girl’s basketball coach, the inspector general’s report says she did not reveal the investigation she and her deputy were conducting. According to the OIG report, Pratt never should have undertaken any investigation, because it was a conflict of interest to investigate a situation involving a relative and because her office was charged with investigating student-on-student abuse and didn’t have jurisdiction.

Based on that off-the-books investigation, the girls basketball coach was suspended. Later, the OIG Sexual Allegations Unit found that the girls’ basketball coach “did text directly and transport [the relative] in his personal vehicle in violation of CPS policy, but these actions were not sexually motivated.” It recommended disciplinary action but not termination.

The inspector general became involved in this case after Pratt complained about retaliation against her relative by a coach who took over for the suspended coach. Pratt said her relative faced reduced playing time under the new coach.

According to the inspector general’s report, Pratt said she did not know her findings were being used to justify firing Thuet and Brumfield. She also said she did not know her office did not have jurisdiction over the case. The OIG refutes these statements in the report.

The lawyer for Thuet and Brunfield said the two have no comment at this time.

 Sarah Karp covers education for WBEZ. Follow her on X @WBEZeducation and @sskedreporter.