UPDATE: Urbana Police Say No Crime Occurred At Thomas Paine Elementary School
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UPDATE on September 13, 2019:
Urbana Police say they’ve found no evidence to support allegations of inappropriate contact between a staff member and a student at Thomas Paine Elementary School.
The allegation that such an incident occurred during recess at the school playground came to light earlier this week and led to a hotline call to the state Department of Children and Family Services.
Detectives from the Urbana Police Department worked with the Champaign County State’s Attorney’s Office on the case. They completed the investigation with the conclusion that no crime occurred during the incident in question.
Police officials say Urbana school employees cooperated and assisted in conducting a thorough investigation.
Despite the results of this investigation, police say they always encourage people to call police or the DCFS child abuse hotline at 1-800-25-ABUSE, if they suspect the occurrence of any type of abuse involving children.
Original story from September 10, 2019:
A staff member at Thomas Paine Elementary School in Urbana has been placed on leave, due to an investigation of an incident involving a student. The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services confirmed that the investigation is ongoing.
A spokesperson for Urbana School District 116, Kameron Williams, wrote in an email that school officials were informed about the DCFS investigation on Monday. Williams said the staff member involved in the investigation was placed on leave immediately. He said school officials also informed Thomas Paine parents and staff of the investigation.
Williams said the district is cooperating with DCFS, and with Urbana Police, who are also investigating. Williams did not name the staff member involved, but he said another administrator will be assigned to supervise day-to-day activities in the school until DCFS concludes its investigation. He said district administrators have met with DCFS and the family of the student multiple times.
"Ultimately, this is a confidential student and personnel matter. Out of respect for the family and the student involved because this is an open investigation there is not much more that the district can disclose at this time," Williams wrote.
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