CPS High School Dean Under Investigation For Homophobic Jokes On Facebook
CHICAGO (CBS) -- He's a high school dean of discipline for the Chicago Public Schools, but now he's the one who's in trouble after posting homophobic jokes to Facebook.
CBS 2 Morning Insider Tim McNicholas discovered that the top CPS watchdog is now investigating.
Last month, the dean of discipline for Steinmetz College Prep High School posed a question on Facebook: "Would u rather yo son be in a gang or be gay? Well let me rephrase it...would u rather your son get killed in the streets or in the sheets?"
The next day, he commented "Would u rather your son hold a glock or a c***"
Those posts, and others, have caught the attention of the district.
CBS 2 has learned Chicago Public Schools sent the case to their Inspector General on June 1 for an investigation.
A spokesperson called the posts deeply concerning, saying they don't align with the district's values.
In April, the dean posted a picture of a rainbow handgun, with the caption "for some reason this gun doesn't shoot straight."
"CPS is so much better than this. They always have been," said Grecia Magdaleno, of the Illinois Safe Schools Alliance.
Magdaleno said that dean needs to be educated.
"Ultimately I think it just perpetuates this idea that people who are different are not worth engaging in, or they're worth ridiculing," Magdaleno said.
The employee's posts included posted laughing emojis, but to Magdaleno and other advocates, it's no joke.
In 2019, CPS teamed with University of Illinois at Chicago to conduct a survey, and found LGBT students experience higher rates of depression, thoughts of suicide, and suicide attempts.
"To have affirming and supportive school staff and administration is crucial. It shows that all students, really, are being prioritized," Magdaleno said.
CBS 2 sent messages to the dean through three Facebook pages linked to him. We got a reply declining a request for an interview, and explaining that he's an online comedian and the posts are intended for adults.
The posts were on his personal profile and another page with thousands of followers using his picture but a nickname.
"I think you can make a joke without ridiculing people, or making them feel smaller, because that's what those posts did," Magdaleno said.
The district has strict rules that discriminatory posts are not allowed using their tech resources.
It's not clear what he used to make those posts, but we have learned he's been on a voluntary leave of absence since early April.
We also asked the district to clarify its social media policies for employees during their free time, using their own devices. We're still waiting for an answer on that.