A Chicago Public Schools special education teaching assistant remains behind bars Monday after he was accused of grooming a 13-year-old student at Gresham Elementary School on the South Side.
Mycale R. Ford, 41, was charged with felony grooming after allegedly texting a 13-year-old girl over Instagram in March asking for photos of the girl’s body in return for money, according to Chicago police reports obtained by the Sun-Times.
Ford, who police reports said was a substitute teacher at Gresham Elementary, 8524 S. Green St., “had months of contact with the victim and would go to her classroom,” according to court documents from his Thursday detention hearing.
During the hearing, the judge ruled that clear and convincing evidence was presented by state prosecutors showing Ford was “in a position of authority over [a] vulnerable vic[tim] and abused trust,” court documents show.
Ford “shows a lack of self-restraint and a compulsion that he cannot inhibit,” court documents stated. “Realistically, no conditions, even electronic monitoring, could limit [Ford’s] access to children or electronic devices.”
Ford moved to Florida before coming back to his South Holland home, where he was arrested Oct. 22 and admitted to the offense, police said.
Ford remained behind bars as of Monday afternoon, according to the Cook County sheriff’s office.
When asked about Ford, the Chicago Public Schools said in a statement that it acts “swiftly and decisively” when credible concerns about employee behavior arise.
“Chicago Public Schools holds all employees to the highest standards of integrity and professional conduct,” according to the statement. “While CPS does not comment on specific personnel matters or active investigations, the District follows a consistent process when allegations of misconduct are reported. CPS is firmly committed to maintaining safe, ethical, and supportive learning environments for every student and staff member. The District continually reviews and strengthens its safeguards, including robust ethics training, oversight procedures, and accountability measures to protect our school communities.”
Ford’s next court date was scheduled for Nov. 12.
Earlier this year, a former CPS dean was sentenced to 22 years in prison after a jury found him guilty of sexually abusing a student at a Little Village high school.
In a separate case last October, the families of three boys allegedly sexually abused by a former CPS teacher settled their lawsuit against the school board for $2 million.
“Let’s be clear: This settlement is not a victory to be celebrated,” said Patrycja Karlin, a lawyer for the families in the suit, at a news conference at the time the settlement was announced. “It is merely the beginning of a much larger fight for accountability.”