Queen Of Martyrs Fires Substitute Teacher With History Of Child Molestation Allegations

EVERGREEN PARK, IL — A male substitute teacher has been dismissed from Queen of Martyrs School in Evergreen Park, after it was discovered that past allegations of child molestation had been levied against him.

It was also learned that the teacher has a history of child sexual abuse allegations in Illinois and other states, ABC 7 Chicago and Block Club Chicago reported. The substitute teacher has since been terminated, school officials said.

In an email to Patch, archdiocese officials stated they learned of the allegations last week about ”a substitute teacher who had passed recent state background and fingerprint checks but had a history of issues in other states. As a result, he was immediately placed on leave and terminated. We have met with school parents and will continue to share information as it becomes available.”

The archdiocese said that it reported the matter to DCFS and the Evergreen Park Police Department and is cooperating with them.

“We are also investigating why this person’s past history did not surface in the background checks that were conducted,” the archdiocese said.

Parents from the school reportedly met with Evergreen Park police last week, where they informed police of their concerns about the substitute. Evergreen Park police said it took a report from one family of a possible incident involving their child while the teacher was employed at Queen of Martyrs.

"An active investigation is being conducted at this time," Evergreen Park police said in a email to Patch.

In a letter to “Catholic School Families” dated Jan. 25, Catholic school officials said the male teacher, who they identified by name, has worked in at least four South Side and south suburban Catholic schools over the past 16 months. At neighboring St. Walter-St. Benedict in Blue Island, the teacher was a long-term substitute during the 2024-2025 school year.

He was an employee of a third-party vendor assigned to Pope John Paul II School, and a tutor for at least one family whose child attended a south suburban Catholic school, and possibly more families, the archdiocese said.

“At this time, we know of no allegations of sexual misconduct against [the substitute] during his time at St. Walter-St. Benedict, Pope John Paul II, or Queen of Martyrs schools,” the letter to parents said. “We have learned, however, that one family in the south suburbs filed a complaint against [the substitute] with their local police for conduct that occurred while he was tutoring in their home.”

The archdiocese also defended itself, saying that the substitute teacher had passed all fingerprint and background checks, stating that the substitute is also alleged to have gone by various aliases.

The startling revelations came as Catholic schools throughout Chicagoland and nationwide were getting ready to celebrate Catholic Schools Week, where families attend open houses and register their children for the upcoming school year.

Queen of Martyrs said on its Facebook page that “parents have met with Archdiocese representatives and continue to play an active role in discussions focused on improving hiring practices, procedure and safety protocols at the school, Archdiocese and state levels.”

“We want to assure our families that the campus is safe and that our students are continuing to be supported by the dedicated and incredible faculty and staff that define a Queen of Hearts education,” school officials said.

Parents whose child interacted with the substitute teacher in ways that made him or her uncomfortable, are asked to first contact the DCFS Hotline (800-25-ABUSE) and/or your local police department. Then please contact the Archdiocese Office for the Protection of Children and Youth at 312-534-5254 before informing your school principal.

Anyone with information about the substitute’s time at Queen of Martyrs is asked to call Evergreen Park detectives at 708-422-2142.