Cheer Coach Who Filed Sex Harassment Charge Set To Be Fired

PALOS HILLS, IL — CHSD 230 school board members will meet on Tuesday, Dec. 12 where they will decide the fate of the Stagg High School cheer coach Bridget Guzior, who was suspended for texting a student. The cheerleading coach has also filed a sexual harassment complaint with the Illinois Department of Human Rights against Stagg’s athletic director Terry Treasure. The school board will meet in closed session, but is expected to reconvene in open session at the conclusion of the meeting. The public will also have the opportunity to comment before board members vote whether to fire the cheer coach.

Guzior has served as Stagg’s part-time cheerleading coach since 2012. In August, Guzior was suspended without pay for texting a student against district policy. The cheer coach’s attorney Thomas Skallas has maintained that the student’s mother was included in the text. Following her suspension, Guzior filed a complaint with the state, alleging that Treasure groped and harassed her over a three-year period, when Treasure was appointed Stagg's athletic director in 2014.

Dist. 230 Superintendent Dr. James Gay informed Guzior on Nov. 29 in an email obtained exclusively by Patch of Tuesday’s meeting. In addition to the misconduct charge for texting a student, Guzior is being charged with insubordination for not showing up to an investigatory interview on Oct. 11 with district administrators. The administration has also accused Guzior of failing to “keep and maintain accurate records of the cheerleading program’s accounts.” Guzior has not been accused of any criminal wrongdoing in her handling of the cheer team’s accounts.

>>> Cheer Coach Accuses Stagg Athletic Director of Sexual Harassment in Complaint

The district stated in a press release that it has invited Guzior to a “number of meetings in order to gather information related to the recommendation for her dismissal including meetings with the administration and with the School Board. Ms. Guzior has not participated in those meetings, and her attorney has declined previous invitations on her behalf.” In the district’s letter to Guzior informing her of the closed meeting, only the Oct. 11 “investigatory interview” with school administrators is referenced.

Skallas, Guzior’s attorney, took Dist. 230 officials to task, accusing the district of omitting facts and victim blaming. He called the district’s protection of Treasure “inappropriate.”

“The fact that you suspended a coach for a text sent to a parent and failed to do so for a sexual predator speaks volumes. Clearly, you have not cared about the movement that is determined to protect women isn’t workplace,” Skallas said. “Rest assured, your feeble attempts to protect Mr. Treasure and your school board will fail … It is abundantly clear that your inappropriate conduct permeates throughout District 230 and that an overhaul of the entire leadership is required to ensure the safety of its students and faculty.”

It could take up to a year for the IDHR to conduct an investigation and make a finding in accordance with the Illinois Human Rights Act. The state’s human rights department is unable to complete an investigation within 365 days, the department may request an extension from both parties. If one or both parties refuses to agree to an extension in writing, than the complainant has 30 days to file a complaint at the Human Rights Commission, the state agency responsible for enforcing the human rights act. If the complainant does not file a complaint with the commission, no further action will be taken on the case.

D230 spokeswoman Carla Erdey said in an email that the district has directed its legal counsel to conduct a full investigation of her sex harassment accusation against Treasure. That investigation, unrelated to the misconduct charge, remains ongoing.

>>> Stagg Cheer Coach Stands By Sex Harassment Charge Against Athletic Director: Attorney

“At all times, we encourage employees who have concerns about harassment to come forward,” Erdey said. “Additionally, the District does not tolerate retaliation against those who bring such concerns to the District’s attention.”

The administration will be assisted in its presentation before the board by the district’s legal counsel from the law firm of Hodges, Loizzi, Eisenhammer, Rodick & Kohn LLP. The school board has retained the law firm of Franczek Radelet P.C. as independent special counsel to assist it in conducting Tuesday’s proceedings.

Guzior will also have an opportunity to defend herself in person or in writing during the board’s closed meeting on Tuesday to determine her possible termination. The D230 board’s closed session is set to begin at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 12. The public portion of the meeting will immediately follow. The meeting will take place at Dist. 230 administration building, 15100 94th Ave, Orland Park.

Stagg Cheer Coach Bridget Guzior talks to cheer team in 2012 photo. | Mary Compton