$2M settlement reached in case of CPS gym teacher accused of grooming, assaulting students: lawyers

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A $2 million settlement has been reached in the case against a gym teacher accused of grooming his young students, then sexually assaulting them.

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The lawsuit was against the Chicago Board of Education and Chicago Public Schools.

Gym teacher Andre Castro at Lorca Elementary School is accused of grooming and sexually abusing three boys, then 8 to 11 years old, starting in 2017.

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The teacher allegedly befriended their Spanish-speaking parents, and later sexually assaulted the children.

"He would take them to the movies and the bowling alley. He introduced himself to the family of these children and gained their trust by offering to do work, for example at their house," attorney Cass Casper said. "He would play games that would require them to remove their clothes if they lost, and ultimately, as outlined in the complaint, he raped one of these children on three occasions."

Attorneys for the boys filed a federal civil rights lawsuit contending the staff at Lorca Elementary and Chicago Public Schools did not protect the children against this staffer.

Andrew Castro was charged with predatory criminal sexual assault and sexual exploitation of a child. He remains in custody, and is no longer on-staff with CPS.

The federal complaint alleges staff from Lorca Elementary saw Castro with the boys outside of school, including at a strip mall in Harwood Heights. And after others complained about Castro, the school did not stop Castro's contact with the boys.

Attorneys for the boys allege a pattern of neglect by CPS.

"The accusations in this case are sickening and difficult to read, but it's essential that they remain public. The defendants failed to protect the most vulnerable members of our society," attorney Bob Fioretti said.

Since filing the lawsuit, the attorneys said they have received more than 100 calls about other allegations, and are considering action in at least two other cases against CPS.