Evanston Township High School District 202 Superintendent Eric Witherspoon declined to offer any further details regarding an investigation into alleged locker thefts by high school personnel, but said in a statement Wednesday that the district had revised its policy for reporting lost or stolen items in response to concerns raised by students, parents and staff at the high school.
“As a school district, we are deeply troubled by any report that an employee may have engaged in inappropriate behavior. Because the matter involves personnel, the district is prohibited from commenting on specifics,” Witherspoon wrote in the statement.
A video that surfaced online last week appeared to show an ETHS staff member allegedly stealing from a student’s locker in the school’s gym wing. Evanston police Cmdr. Joe Dugan said police have spoken with the student who shot the video, which appears to have been taken from inside a locker at the school, and with a student who shot another video depicting a second staff member allegedly stealing from a locker. He said the students and their parents have not yet decided to press charges against the individuals shown in both videos.
“We continue to cooperate fully with the Evanston Police Department as it completes its investigation and we have responded to the personnel matter accordingly,” Witherspoon wrote. He encouraged anyone with information related to the case to call Evanston police.
“School officials have carefully reviewed concerns raised by students, parents and staff related to the district’s lost item reporting process. As a result, we have improved the process to help ensure that all reports of lost or stolen items are successfully routed to the appropriate school administrators,” Witherspoon wrote.
The updated policy, posted on the ETHS website, instructs students who believe they are the victim of a theft to first fill out a “Lost Property Report Form.” Students are advised to either call or visit the school’s safety office to schedule a time to speak with a safety department staff member to report their item stolen.
To claim any recovered lost or stolen property, students must have proof they submitted the lost property form and show a valid form of ID. Anyone claiming stolen property must also show proof of filing an official incident report with the school’s safety department staff.
“ETHS District 202 does not assume responsibility for any lost or stolen personal property,” according to a statement posted on the district’s website.
Witherspoon wrote that the district appreciates students’ efforts to bring the allegations of theft to light. Director for communications and engagement at ETHS, Evangeline Semark, wrote in an email earlier this week that “a very small number of students gathered to express their concerns on Thursday morning before going to class and there was no disruption to the school day.”
ETHS juniors Noah McKay, 17, and Malachi Clark, 17, said they organized the protest last Thursday calling on the district to fire the staff member captured on the video. McKay said the video was posted last week on a Facebook page for the high school’s senior class. Clark said he received an in-school suspension for his participation in the protest. Evangeline did not answer a question asking whether any students involved in the action Thursday morning were disciplined as a result.
Clark said $20 was taken from his locked locker last year, and both students said they’ve heard multiple reports over the past several years of money or other items being taken from secured lockers at the school.
“In our ETHS family, trustworthiness and good citizenship must be cornerstones of our school culture—required of all staff as well as students,” Witherspoon wrote.
Lee V. Gaines is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
