A District 203 elementary school teacher allegedly growled at students, blew in a child's ear, put food directly in students' mouths and texted a video of a child from a personal cell phone on a Saturday night, according to the Chicago Tribune. Those allegations, raised on the record by Naperville parents David and Jessica Geslak, brought roughly 40 parents to the Aug. 3 board meeting and drew the Naperville Police Department into the case.
The Geslaks say the behavior has been ongoing for more than 2½ years.
Naperville Police Chief Jason Arres confirmed on Aug. 5, in comments reported by NCTV17, that the department has reached out to the family and is awaiting more information. A department spokesman separately said the agency is reviewing allegations raised by a parent who spoke with a school resource officer.
What the family says happened
David Geslak told the board at its July 20 meeting that the teacher crossed the lines of acceptable behavior. He and his wife described the growling, the blowing in their child's ear, the food placed in students' mouths and the Saturday-night video text. At the Aug. 3 meeting, Geslak said that since going public, he and his wife have heard from other district families.
"In every case they have the same ending — inadequate response," Geslak said at the Aug. 3 meeting, adding that the families described "remarkably similar experiences — for over a decade."
A group of District 203 fathers joined Geslak at the meeting to express concerns about what they described as boundary-crossing behavior. The Geslaks said they were initially told there was an investigation and are now asking for a review of how reports were handled.
What the district can and can't say
Superintendent Dan Bridges said on Aug. 5, in NCTV17's reporting, that it is against district policy to comment on personnel matters, citing state and federal privacy laws. He said concerns are investigated through established administrative protocols.
Under Illinois law, districts cannot publicly disclose details of personnel investigations or individual student records. But under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act (5 ILCS 140), the final outcome of disciplinary cases in which discipline is imposed is not exempt from disclosure. Parents can request that outcome through a FOIA filing with District 203.
What parents can do
Families who believe a teacher has engaged in misconduct can file an Educator Misconduct Complaint Form directly with the Illinois State Board of Education at [email protected]. ISBE investigators can subpoena personnel records and recommend license suspension or permanent revocation.
Parents of students with IEPs or 504 plans who believe special education rights were violated can file a separate State Special Education Complaint at [email protected]. ISBE must complete its investigation within 60 days.
Why this fueled opposition to Bridges' contract
The board voted 5-2 on Aug. 3 to extend Bridges' contract through June 30, 2031, as we reported Aug. 4. Parent Eden Bonsonto told the board that night, "The district response has left many families believing that protecting the institution took priority over protecting our students."
Board members Holly Blastic and Melissa Kelley Black voted against the extension. Blastic said she could not support the renewal based on the community's lack of confidence and trust.
The specific elementary school and the teacher have not been publicly identified.
