CPS third grader says he was punched by cafeteria 'lunchman,' and mom says she's getting no answers
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A third grader at a Chicago public school said he was punched in the cafeteria by a person he calls, "the lunchman."
As CBS 2's Lauren Victory reported Friday night, surveillance video captured footage that day – but the 8-year-old's mom is not allowed to see it.
At Oscar DePriest Elementary School, at 139 S. Parkside Ave. in the South Austin neighborhood, you'll find most kids are happy-go-lucky.
Most kids.
"They were asking do I feel safe here at the school? Am I okay?" said Jamil Coopwood.
The 8-year-old was recapping a conversation with adults at his Chicago public school in September. Their inquiry came after a serious allegation by the third grader.
"He had punched me like right here," said Jamil, simulating a hit to the gut with his fist. "And then I didn't feel safe there no more at all."
Jamil says that punch came from a cafeteria employee he calls "the lunchman."
"When he hit me, I started crying and then I walked away," Jamil said.
CBS 2 asked his Jamil's mom, Jamise Parish, how she knows he's not making this up.
"A mother knows," said Parish, who said she would have even more confidence if she had answers from the school.
Initially, things looked promising when the mom spoke with an administrator.
"She had already had the DCFS worker's name and the intake number," said Parish.
The principal followed up with an email that day that confirmed she also submitted the case to CPS investigators.
"I was like, okay, so they're going to take care of this," said Parish.
Then things took a turn.
"I think it was the next two days, my son came and told me, 'Well, I talked to DCFS today,'" Parish said. "I said, 'What?!'"
Parish said that interview with the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services happened without her there and without her even knowing about it. Both DCFS and CPS tell CBS 2 that interviews of minors without their parents are allowed.
She grew more upset as her son grew more uncomfortable because apparently "the lunchman" was still in school despite the investigation.
"He was like looking at me like crazy when I was eating my food," said the 8-year-old.
"I'm trying to figure out, why is he still here?" Parish can be heard asking in a secret recording she took while speaking with a CPS investigator.
At that point, a month and a half had passed with no staffing changes in the lunchroom.
"This is not okay to me at all," she says in the recording.
The CPS investigator responds, "I, I completely understand, and like I said, I will be asking my supervisor what those protocols are."
"How are you an investigator, and you don't even know the protocol of what you're investigating?" said Parish.
Adding to Parish's frustration is the question of surveillance footage the third grader says he saw from that fateful day in the cafeteria. Victory asked Jamil what he saw in the video.
"I see me, and my friend was right there," said Jamil of what he said he saw on the video, "and when I had said no to [the cafeteria employee], he had just punched me right here."
Mom said she asked to see the same recording and was denied.
"They showed my son, but you didn't show me?" said Parish. "How are you showing a minor anything?"
A district spokesperson told CBS 2 that requests to see surveillance are granted on a "case-by-case" basis. We asked multiple times, but no one explained the case for not showing Parish the footage for months.
"Why can't the parent of the student at least see the video of what happened to their child?" Parish said.
Desperate for answers, Parish filed public records requests with DCFS and CPS for the video of her own son.
Curiously, CPS sent us the rights students have during an investigation. Among them: "You have a right to access the information gathered during the investigation and the evidence that will be used to make a determination."
CPS Student Rights in an Investigation v.10.27.22 by Adam Harrington on Scribd
A day after our interview, Parish said DCFS called to tell her the case was closed. Those investigators did not find enough evidence. CPS says its investigation is still ongoing.
The mom still can't see the video, but plans to continue her legal fight for the footage.
DCFS provided the following statement:
"Due to restrictions in state law, DCFS cannot confirm or deny reports of abuse or neglect or the results of any investigation except in limited circumstances. The department thoroughly investigates all allegations and has investigated more than 71,000 cases so far this year across Illinois."
CPS provided the following statement:
"Chicago Public Schools (CPS) prioritizes the safety of its students and staff and remains fully committed to ensuring that all students have access to safe and supportive learning environments. Any student or employee conduct that violates our core values and policies will not be tolerated.
"Our faculty and staff are held to the highest standards and CPS investigates and addresses all complaints and allegations of wrongdoing per District policies and procedures. An investigation into this matter is ongoing."