Chicago high school hoops team's season suspended amid probe

CHICAGO - Officials have suspended a Chicago high school's boys basketball season and removed the school's interim principal and an assistant principal because of “the severity of the misconduct allegations involving the team.”

Friday's announcement by Chicago Public Schools comes amid a probe into allegations that a student had sex while the Lincoln Park High School team was on a December trip to Detroit and comes weeks after the district suspended the coach.

The district has not detailed the allegations, but according to the Chicago Sun-Times, before his removal by CPS, interim principal John Thuet sent a letter to families explaining that there was an “allegation that one of our employees engaged inappropriately with a student.” Thuet informed the parents that the staffer had been removed from the school and that the district's inspector general had opened an investigation.

In a letter to parents about the suspension of the season and removal of the two administrators, district official Laura LeMone said, “I know this is difficult news for the school community, but please know that we would not have taken these actions if we did not believe they were necessary to promote the safe and supportive educational environment your children deserve.”

The coach at the time of the December trip, Pat Gordon, was suspended after the allegations surfaced. Gordon, who has not been accused of improper contact with a student, denied knowing anything about any sexual incident.

‘‘I can’t cover up something I didn’t know about,’’ Gordon said Friday. ‘‘And I wouldn’t sacrifice my career in coaching and our season by not reporting something I knew about.’’