North Cook News

Charles Hutchinson, candidate for the 18th District State Representative, has voiced his concerns about the lack of transparency within Chicago Public Schools (CPS) in the wake of a distressing report revealing several hundred incidents of sexual abuse within the school district. Hutchinson has expressed his commitment to investigating CPS.

“The lack of transparency in Illinois largest school district (and all public school districts) must be examined and rectified,” Hutchinson said on Facebook. “As your legislator, I will fight to give people the information needed to make informed decisions about where to send their kids to school.”

These comments from Hutchinson are in line with recent findings from a Wirepoints report on an investigation by the Chicago Public Schools Inspector General. The Inspector General's report highlighted a grave issue – sexual abuse within the school system – which had been overshadowed by financial mismanagement and missing laptops. According to this report, there were 446 sexual allegations in 2023, with eight cases substantiating adult-on-student sexual abuse.

Despite improvements after a 2018 exposé by the Chicago Tribune on sexual abuse in CPS, challenges continue due to inadequate control and oversight. Wirepoints highlights that detecting sexual abuse is more challenging than identifying tangible issues like stolen laptops or missing funds. Bureaucratic hurdles further obstruct investigations into abuse cases, making it difficult to uncover the full extent of the problem.

Hutchinson is a lawyer based in Wilmette with strong community ties through various roles. His service includes terms as President of the Chamber of Commerce, Chairman of the Historic Preservation Commission, and Board member for the Wilmette Theatre. As per his website, Hutchinson's candidacy is driven by a shared goal of strengthening community connections and advocating for key issues such as parental rights, education, neighborhood safety, and tax reduction.

The 18th District covers north Cook County communities including Evanston, Wilmette, Kenilworth, Northbrook, Northfield, Winnetka and Glencoe. The incumbent is Robyn Gabel (R-Evanston), who took office in 2010 and is nearing the end of her term, set to conclude on Jan. 8, 2025. Gabel is seeking re-election to continue representing the district in the Illinois House of Representatives, as reported by Ballotpedia.