Background check requirement removes 266 CPS employees from service

CHICAGO (WLS) -- 266 Chicago Public Schools employees will not return to work due to the district's requirement that all employees submit to a new background check, according to a statement released by CPS CEO Janice Jackson Sunday.

Of the employees who were removed, 245 had refused to submit to the background check and were therefore not allowed to return to work, according to Jackson. 57 of the employees who were removed were teachers, Jackson wrote.

In the statement, Jackson said that 97.7 percent of CPS's 43,332 employees passed the background check and will be permitted to return to work. The CPS 2018-2019 school year begins Tuesday.

Investigations into failed background checks will be conducted, according to Jackson's statement. Jackson also noted that a failed background check does not automatically indicate wrongdoing.

"It is important to note that removal at this time does not necessarily mean employees have done anything wrong or will not return to work after an investigation into their background check results are complete," Jackson wrote. "Rather, it is prudent and necessary to remove these employees based on their background check results so that a determination can be made about their ability to support safe schools."

As ABC7 Chicago previously reported, the new round of background checks was implemented by the district after a Chicago Tribune investigation found some CPS employees who had abused students had criminal backgrounds.

Read Jackson's full statement here.