What's Happening?
A substitute teacher, previously known as Brett Zagorac, has been terminated from his position at a Catholic school in Evergreen Park following revelations of a history of child molestation allegations. Zagorac, who legally changed his name, was previously convicted
in 2007 for battery involving students in Naperville and Downers Grove. Despite passing background checks, his past offenses were not detected due to an erroneous expungement of his records in 2009. The Archdiocese of Chicago, upon learning of his history, took immediate action to bar him from their schools. The teacher had worked at multiple schools in the Chicago area over the past 16 months. The archdiocese is now cooperating with local authorities to ensure the safety of students.
Why It's Important?
This case highlights significant gaps in the background check systems used by educational institutions, which failed to identify a teacher with a history of child abuse allegations. The incident underscores the need for more robust and comprehensive background checks to protect students. The failure to detect the teacher's past offenses raises concerns about the reliability of current systems and the potential risk to student safety. This situation has prompted the Archdiocese of Chicago to review and potentially revise their hiring practices and safety protocols to prevent similar incidents in the future.
What's Next?
The Archdiocese of Chicago is working with the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services and local police departments to investigate the situation further. They are also engaging with parents to address concerns and improve safety measures. The case may lead to broader discussions and potential policy changes regarding background checks and hiring practices in schools to ensure the protection of children. Additionally, the archdiocese is encouraging parents to report any uncomfortable interactions their children may have had with the teacher.
