Former Teacher Jailed For Not Reporting Sexual Abuse of Student

A former Gavin South Middle School teacher will spend 30 days in jail after pleading guilty to failing to report the alleged child sexual assault of a student.

Authorities say 35-year-old April Courtney of Wauconda knew about the alleged abuse caused by fellow teacher Michael Vucic - formerly of Lake Forest - months before she contacted police, according to the Chicago Tribune.

A pair of other former teachers, Michael Lanners, of Lake Villa, and John Keehan, of Elgin, have also been charged with failing to report Vucic’s alleged crimes and await trial.

Authorities have said that when Vucic learned he was under investigation, he met with Courtney outside of school to give her a bag of materials he asked her to hold onto for him. When Courtney eventually found the materials included recorded sex acts, she went to police.

But authorities also maintain she had been told by Vucic previously he had a relationship with the minor.

Vucic is awaiting trial in Lake County after being captured in Bosnia last fall. He is accused of videotaping sexual acts in a classroom with the alleged victim and another former student who came forward after his arrest. He told authorities he had told Courtney about the relationship with the first student.

“The fact that he made a statement that he had sex with a child and nothing was done is abhorrent,” Lake County Associate Judge Helen Rozenberg said. “I found Ms. Courtney’s behavior outrageous and callous and led to substantial suffering by a child.”

An attorney for Courtney maintains she did not know about it until it was “in her face,” and then she did the right thing.

In addition to the jail time, Courtney will have to make a donation to a child advocacy group. Her teaching license is also expected to be revoked.

more via the Chicago Tribune