IL - Convicted teacher worked in suburb
- Convicted teacher worked in suburb
- Just fired in Chicago, he was in Maywood too
- Years before, he was convicted in 2 other states
- Local school officials refuse to explain why he left
- SNAP will hand out 25 pages of his personnel file
- Victims self help group wants a police investigation
WHAT:
Holding signs and childhood photos at a sidewalk news conference, clergy sex abuse victim and their supporters will:
--Reveal that a recently-fired child molesting Chicago teacher also worked at a suburban school, and
--Demand both school districts release more information about his disciplinary record (and why/how he was hired in the first place despite a criminal child sex abuse conviction)
They will also call on the local police department to launch an investigation into the school in order to determine whether or not local kids were hurt.
WHEN:
Thursday, November 15 at 1:00 p.m.
WHERE:
Outside the Maywood Police Department, 125 S. 5th Ave, Maywood, IL
WHO:
Two to four members of an international victims’ support group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, including a Chicago woman who is the organization’s long-time president
WHY:
Through a Freedom of Information (FOIA) request, SNAP has learned that a just-suspended and recently-sued predatory veteran teacher - who worked in Chicago and was convicted in Ohio -also worked in Maywood schools from 1998-2001. The 27 pages of records do not show, however, why he left that district. SNAP suspects he may have molested kids in Maywood.
He is Harold J. “Jerry” Mash, who most recently taught at Foreman High School in Chicago but was fired last week when SNAP revealed his 1976 child molestation conviction.
The new documents – which have never disclosed before and which SNAP will distribute - also show that, in his Maywood employment application, Mash claimed that he directed the Chicago International Charter School (3235 North Leclaire Avenue in Chicago). His real title, however, was the dean of attendance.
And the records show that Mash apparently failed to disclose on his application that he had been convicted of child abuse, served a six-month suspended sentence or had worked at Rossford Public High School in Wood County, Ohio. He also spent time in Georgia and Iowa, where he was found guilty of assault and battery.
In 2005, Chicago public schools named Mash “Teacher of the Year.” He has also worked as a swim team, wrestling and basketball coach. The documents also show that Mash lived at 1325 West Birchwood in Chicago.
Two weeks ago, two men filed a civil suit in Toledo against Mash, charging that he molested them in the 1970s. One of them is identified only as John Doe. The other has disclosed his name: Ronald C. Tremp.
SNAP initially learned of Mash’s time in Maywood from an anonymous whistleblower.
“We are grateful to the brave whistleblower for sharing this important information,” said Barbara Blaine, SNAP President. “We want Maywood school officials to do everything in their power to determine if Mash was able to victimize kids while he worked in their schools.”
“We fear that Maywood schools aren’t being open about Mash in order to avoid scandal,” said Blaine. “The police in Maywood need to step in and see and if crimes were committed and victims are suffering there.”