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* CBS 2…
Chicago Public Schools expert witness says in deposition that sexual assault is not always traumatic
Jane Doe is 38 years old now, but the pain she says she suffered at the hands of a Chicago Public Schools (CPS) high school English teacher more than 20 years ago remains fresh.“I have nightmares almost every night,” she said in her first on-camera interview about her experience. “It’s still really hard to talk about it.”
Jane was referring to inappropriate contact she said she had with a teacher at Gordon S. Hubbard High School in Chicago’s West Lawn Neighborhood. […]
In fighting Jane Doe’s lawsuit, CPS is paying an expert witness, Chicago psychiatrist Dr. Prudence Gourguechon, to testify about her views on childhood sexual abuse, student-teacher sexual relationships, and the impact of trauma after sexual abuse. […]
For example, when asked if under any circumstance is a teacher having sex with a student in high school is not sexual abuse, Dr. Gourgeuchon said, “I don’t know if every circumstance would qualify as sexual abuse.”
When asked if sexual assault is traumatic for the person experiencing it, she said: “It depends. It depends on the detail and how they’re defining who’s claiming what and what actually happened. I can’t make an across-the-board statement.” […]
When asked about Jane Doe’s case CPS provided CBS 2 the following statement:
The District believes that students who are harmed as a result of a legally-recognized failure on the District’s part should be compensated in a reasonable manner that will remedy injuries to the student. In doing that, the District also has a responsibility to the taxpayers who fund the District to ensure that it resolves these cases in a manner that is not just legally justified, but also financially responsible. Unfortunately, disagreements often arise about legal responsibility and what is reasonable compensation in any given case. The purpose of litigation is to resolve those disagreements. The District attempts to come to mutually acceptable resolutions in all cases of this type, and continues to do so here.
Beyond this, the District will not comment while the litigation is pending.
You gotta be kidding me.
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, May 14, 24 @ 2:03 am
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“mutually acceptable resolutions”
Just so everyone, students and wrongdoers, are on the same page.
Comment by Socially DIstant watcher Tuesday, May 14, 24 @ 6:24 am
What in the world is the matter with CPS? Sending Chicago teachers to Springfield to serve as human shields as CTU/CPS demands money that doesn’t exist, asking legislators to undo EBF (which CTU did not support at the time so I guess that tracks ), questioning whether sexual assault is traumatic and whether it is sexual assault when a teacher rapes a student? How does any of this make anything better for anyone? It doesn’t. It’s a huge disservice to children and parents in Chicago.
Comment by Who else Tuesday, May 14, 24 @ 7:16 am
So CPS doesn’t deny that the abuse of the student happened — they simply deny that the abuse of the student was a big deal?
Despicable.
– MrJM
Comment by @misterjayem Tuesday, May 14, 24 @ 8:19 am
=Dr. Gourgeuchon said, “I don’t know if every circumstance would qualify as sexual abuse.”
When asked if sexual assault is traumatic for the person experiencing it, she said: “It depends. It depends on the detail and how they’re defining who’s claiming what and what actually happened. I can’t make an across-the-board statement.” […]=
I can’t even believe that a district would employ a person with that opinion. Anyone involved in that process should be gone.
Comment by JS Mill Tuesday, May 14, 24 @ 9:45 am
What the living h*ll
Comment by Shytown Tuesday, May 14, 24 @ 10:18 am
I would like to hear what Mayor Johnson thinks about this defense.
Comment by AlfondoGonz Tuesday, May 14, 24 @ 10:37 am
==I don’t know if every circumstance would qualify as sexual abuse.==
The attorney should have followed up by saying “As a mandated reporter, would you have been required to report it? Yes or no?”
Comment by Jocko Tuesday, May 14, 24 @ 10:43 am
The issue is compensation for the victim vs the fiscal responsibility of the school district. I don’t know how you could ever fully compensate someone for the harm caused by this, but putting both parties in a courtroom to litigate the amount will result in testimony exactly like this. The school district is obligated to put up some sort of defense, and no matter how they do it, it will look bad because there is no defense for what happened. However, the district cannot open up the checkbook and let the victim name the amount; someone has to consider the facts of the case and pick a number.
To avoid this, perhaps the state could set up some kind of formula and arbitration system.
Comment by Pot calling kettle Tuesday, May 14, 24 @ 10:45 am
=== the District also has a responsibility to the taxpayers ===
I bet the taxpayers have a few ideas what you can do to rapists. Just ask them what they would do to a rapist who assaults children. Just ask the taxpayers what they would agree to in the event their child was the victim.
Comment by H-W Tuesday, May 14, 24 @ 11:03 am
===For example, when asked if under any circumstance is a teacher having sex with a student in high school is not sexual abuse, Dr. Gourgeuchon said, “I don’t know if every circumstance would qualify as sexual abuse.”
The law disagrees so it does qualify as abuse.
Comment by ArchPundit Tuesday, May 14, 24 @ 11:04 am
Upon reflection, the thing that bothers me most about this is that CPS isn’t even defending an admitted rapist — CPS is defending the very act of rape itself.
– MrJM
Comment by @misterjayem Tuesday, May 14, 24 @ 11:30 am
Creepy high school teachers with a thing for cheerleaders everywhere rejoice.
Comment by Formerly Unemployed Tuesday, May 14, 24 @ 11:46 am
==Just ask the taxpayers what they would agree to in the event their child was the victim.==
Unfortunately, there is not an infinite pot of money to draw from. So, someone needs to decide on an amount that is reasonable and appropriate. I don’t think a court is the best place to do that because it requires the school district to put up some sort of defense which will never appear to be respectful of the victim (the case cited above clearly went well beyond that).
Comment by Pot calling kettle Tuesday, May 14, 24 @ 12:17 pm
===CPS is defending the very act of rape itself===
Yeah. You’re right.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, May 14, 24 @ 12:22 pm
==someone needs to decide on an amount that is reasonable and appropriate.==
You work for CPS? Tell us what a “reasonable and appropriate” amount is for a kid who got raped.
Comment by Demoralized Tuesday, May 14, 24 @ 12:29 pm
Oof. Triggering.
Comment by Politix Tuesday, May 14, 24 @ 1:04 pm
The line of defense is abhorrent. The real problem here is that CPS likely has an extremely high insurance cap, and the insurance company is paying for an attorney who is trying to minimize the settlement amount. They’ll unfortunately drag this poor woman through hell trying to get her to put it all behind her and settle for the least amount possible. An absolutely disgusting process.
Comment by Oxfordian Tuesday, May 14, 24 @ 3:19 pm