Orland Park, IL - Jerling Junior High School Teacher Faces Sexual Assault Charges

Jerling Junior High School Teacher Charged with Sexual Assault

According to the Patch, a former teacher at Jerling Junior High School has been accused of sexually abusing teens aged 14 and 16.

Cara Labus, 32-years-old, a teacher and basketball coach, was charged with four counts of criminal sexual abuse. The first victims' statements were read in court and accused Labus of scarring them for life and ruining their childhood. The second victim accused Labus of taking advantage of them.

Labus took a plea deal lowering her charges to aggravated battery. She will not have to register as a sex offender. Labus pleaded guilty to the aggravated battery charges.

Legal Options of a Victim Sexually Assaulted by a Teacher

Attorney contributor Brian Kent, an experienced sex abuse lawyer, licensed in Illinois, has worked with numerous sexual abuse victims in civil lawsuits. Below Brian shared his insight on the legal options of victims sexually abused by a teacher.

"Schools have a legal obligation to protect the students enrolled. Unfortunately, sexual predators often use their positions of trust as school staff to exploit students. To prevent abuse from occurring, schools must implement safety measures. Safety measures include, but are not limited to, background checks, cameras, and easy misconduct reporting systems."

"If a school did not have adequate safety measures in place when the abuse occurred, then the school may be considered negligent in any misconduct that happens. An example of negligence is if a student reported a teacher for sexual misconduct, but the complaints were ignored. In cases of negligence, victims and their families should know they may have grounds for a civil lawsuit and receive compensation for damages."

Sources:

The Patch