$750K Bail for Substitute Teacher Accused of 'Getting Nasty' with Fifth-Grader

Joseph Gurzejk, 56, of Westchester, is accused of sexually assaulting a student at LaGrange Highlands Elementary School.

A substitute teacher told a fifth grade student he was “getting nasty” as he touched her inappropriately in an empty classroom at a La Grange elementary school, prosecutors said in court on Thursday.

Joseph Gurzejk, 56 of Westchester, appeared before Cook County Judge Peter Felice on a charges of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child and aggravated criminal sexual abuse, both Class X felonies.

• Also on Patch: Substitute Teacher Charged with Sexual Assault of Elementary School Student

The Cook County Sheriff’s Office said the alleged assault took place at LaGrange Highlands Elementary School, 5840 Laurel Ave., in unincorporated LaGrange, where Gurzejk had been a substitute teacher since 2004.

According to the charges, Gurzejk greeted the student with a hug when she arrived for class Monday, when he was subbing for the teacher. After the hug, he told the 10-year-old girl to stay after class.

The prosecutor said when the other students left for a lunch period, Gurzejk hugged the student again, placing his hands on her buttocks over her clothes. He then slipped his hands underneath the student’s clothing, and began touching her in a sexual nature, the prosecutor said.

During the assault, Gurzejk’s breathing patterns changed and he told the student, “I’m getting nasty,” the prosecutor said.

The girl left the classroom and told a friend in the washroom what had happened. The prosecutor said the student went to the principal’s office after school and told a secretary about the assault. The secretary alerted the principal, who called the Cook County Sheriff’s police.

The next day, Tuesday, the school called Gurzejk and told him he wasn’t needed for the day. He was later taken into custody by Cook County Sheriff’s police.

Sheriff’s police said Gurzejk made admissions to hugging and touching the student. The substitute teacher allegedly told police his breathing grew heavy because he was aroused.

He also acknowledged looking at child pornography, the prosecutor said.

A school security video shows students leaving the classroom for lunch around 12:25 p.m. The fifth-grader left the classroom at 12:32 p.m. Gurzejk is seen exiting the classroom a minute later.

Gurzejk’s attorney, Steve Fagen, told the judge that Gurzejk, who appeared in court wearing jeans and a blue shirt, was a graduate of Driehaus School of Business at DePaul University. He lives with his ailing elderly parents and is their sole caretaker, responsible for their bathing, meal preparation and banking needs. The attorney asked the judge to consider a reasonable bond.

“This is a Class X felony,” Judge Felice said. “He is accused of the most obscene breach of trust between a teacher and a student.”

The prosecutor said Gurzejk has no prior criminal background.

Bail was set at $750,000. Should Gurzejk bond out, he is to wear a GPS tracker and remain at home on electronic monitoring. He is not to come within 500 feet of a park or school, and he is to have no contact with children younger than 18.

Judge Felice also told Gurzejk to stay away from the student and the elementary school.

Gurzejk’s next court hearing is Feb. 24 in Bridgeview.