John T. Mccutcheon elementary school in Chicago. Credit: Facebook.

School Security Guard Drags Preschooler Through Hall, Family Sues

  • By Yvonne Marquez
  • November 18, 2020

A family is suing Chicago Public Schools due to an incident where a four-year-old boy was dragged by a security guard through the halls of McCutcheon Elementary school in March, according to the family’s lawyer, Michael Jarard.

The family learned of the incident in late April when the Illinois Department of Child and Family Services contacted the family about the case, Jarard said.

Shanece Williams, the mother of the preschooler with special needs, said Chicago Public Schools then stonewalled her for months on the details about the incident. Williams says she still doesn’t know what led up to the incident and has so many unanswered questions.

“When I first learned this news, my heart dropped. I felt so heartbroken. I felt I couldn’t protect my baby from harm,” Williams said in a press conference on Tuesday outside of her son’s elementary school.

In a letter dated Nov. 2, district officials confirmed that the abuse had been “substantiated” after an investigation and that the officer could face discipline.

Jarard filed a suit in federal court to learn details about the incident. The lawsuit says the security guard is a Chicago police officer and that the school never notified Williams about the incident, reports The Chicago Sun-Times. The four-year-old boy has a disability, according to Williams.

Someone at the school reported the incident to DCFS and then DCFS then contacted the family, about the incident, reports Block Club Chicago. When the family asked school and CPS officials about it, the family was told the district could not comment on an ongoing investigation, Jarard said.

The four-year-old’s family is seeking justice and transparency in the case.

About the Author

Yvonne Marquez is senior editor of Spaces4Learning and Campus Security and Life Safety. She can be reached at [email protected]

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