Sara Glashagel, 27, is a popular special education teacher at Antioch Community High School, where she's worked for five years. Her husband is the school's varsity football coach.
Glashagel allegedly changed the grades of 64 students, 41 of whom play football. School officials said the changed grades did not affect any of the eligibility for the team members, although there are indications some of those students may be on academic probabion.
Student Cody Gwinn said a teacher asked him if he had noticed anyone using a computer. "I said, no, I had no idea."
"She's respectful lady, very nice," Mitch Everett, student
"She is a popular teacher. I know everyone makes mistakes. This is a colossal one we're working through," said Mike Nekritz, co-superintendent District 117.
School officials said the grade changes took place about five times in mid-September from a computer outside the district's network. Another teacher noticed one of her students' grades had been changed and told a district official, who called Antioch police. Police said their investigation led them to Glashagel, who allegedly inflated the grades and then tried to change them back. She is charged with computer tampering, a misdemeanor, and could face up to one year in prison if convicted.
Police believe she acted alone.
"We downloaded all grade changes for about a 10-day period, whether fraudulent or not. We asked teachers to go through every single one of those grades to make sure they were accurate," Principal John Whitehurst, Antioch Community High School, said.
School district officials said they have corrected all the grades, tightened electronic security, and checked to make sure no other information was compromised.
District officials contracted the Illinois High School Association, which determined there was no reason for further investigation.
