Fenton staff member terminated after alleged misconduct
BENSENVILLE, Ill. - A Fenton High School employee was terminated Monday night following alleged misconduct.
The staff member was accused of having a relationship with students and was previously on administrative leave.
There will be a meeting on Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the high school to determine what will happen to the administrators who ignored the complaints.
Cary Lewis, School Board President, released the following statement to parents:
"Tonight we had consensus to terminate employment, which allows us to focus on healing and moving our Fenton school community forward.
The ongoing police investigation of alleged misconduct by a Fenton staff member has caused significant pain and disruption to the learning process. Our school has accomplished so many great achievements, and so many more await our proud Fenton Community.
Our school board and community is committed to fostering a safe and supportive learning environment. We recognize frustrations exist when sensitive issues arise and require careful consideration and confidential dialogue. Addressing these issues are challenging, but we value our community involvement and are thankful for everyone who chose to make their voices heard. We acknowledge and appreciate all persons who came forward with information that contributed to these investigations. Thank you for your continued support and collaboration for our school community and its well being."
James Ongtengco, Superintendent of Fenton Community High School District 100, released the following statement:
"We are committed to maintaining the safety of our students. In doing so, we always partner with local law enforcement when allegations of a crime are shared with us.
Upon receiving information on this situation, we followed mandatory reporting requirements and notified law enforcement immediately. We utilized our school resource officer and other administrative resources to follow internal processes to ensure our school remained safe while fully cooperating with law enforcement in the confidential gathering of information.
The investigation of criminal allegations is most effectively and properly accomplished by professional law enforcement agencies.
Police departments have those unique powers and legal authority that schools do not have.
Our responsibility in this matter was to determine whether the individual violated school district policies. Tonight, the school board, acting on our investigation and recommendation, took the step to move toward termination. I am proud of our school leadership in responding to these allegations and in getting us to tonight’s board decision. Our partnership and trust in the Bensenville Police Department and Wood Dale Police Department is unwavering and we will continue to assist in their ongoing process.
Let me end with this, in the face of adversity, our commitment to the well-being and success of our students has remained steadfast. Our teachers have shown remarkable dedication, adapting to ensure that learning continues, regardless of the challenges we have faced. Let us carry forward the strength and resilience that has defined us during these trying times. And let us remain united in our dedication to providing the best possible education for all our students."