$500,000 Settlement In Sex Offender, Record Destruction Whistleblower Suit Against D-113

HIGHLAND PARK, IL — Board members in Township High School District 113 are poised to approve a $500,000 settlement with a Highland Park High School teacher who blew the whistle on administrators who allegedly destroyed thousands of student records and illegally allowed a registered sex offender on campus.

The settlement resolves a federal lawsuit first filed three years ago by Amy Burnetti, a former HPHS assistant principal. After Burnetti was demoted in 2018, she claimed she was removed from the administrator position in retaliation for exposing a wide-ranging cover-up involving interference in criminal investigations.

Last year, Burnetti filed an amended version of the complaint, which names the District 113 board and former HPHS principal Debbie Finn as defendants. Finn retired over the summer. Burnetti has committed to retire in June 2027.

As part of the settlement, the board will retroactively adjust Burnetti's earnings to reflect the salary she would have received as an assistant principal for the years she was demoted, boosting her income to over $202,000 for the 2023-24 school year and increasing her retirement benefits.

"It is the intention of the Parties for the Board to pay Back Pay to Burnetti to increase her Creditable Earnings for school years 2020-2021 through 2023-2024 to the same amount that Burnetti would have earned for those school years had she remained employed as an Assistant Principal," it said.

The agreement is structured to avoid Teacher Retirement System penalties triggered by an annual increase in excess of 6 percent.

"Additionally," it continued, "the Parties intend for the Board to make future payments to Burnetti in each school year from 2024-2025 through 2026- 2027 to increase her Creditable Earnings for those school years to the amount that she would have received if she had remained employed as an Assistant Principal through her retirement."

Under the terms of the settlement, Burnetti would receive $107,563 in back pay to reflect the salary she would have earned had she remained assistant principal, as well as $127,956 in additional payments to boost her retirement benefits through the Teacher Retirement System of Illinois. The settlement also provides $230,000 to cover her legal fees.

Despite the payout and the evidence that has emerged throughout the suit, district officials deny Burnetti's allegations and "deny wrongdoing of any kind."

In her 21-page complaint, Burnetti alleges that former Superintendent Chris Dignam — who was forced out by the board at a cost of $300,000 — discovered that members of the previous HPHS administration had been caught on camera destroying thousands of school records and confidential student materials, including the football helmet and equipment worn by an injured student who had filed suit against the district.

"In addition to [Burnetti]," the complaint alleges, "Dignam hired a diverse group of administrators in an effort to eliminate and reverse improper past practices and create an inclusive environment for District 113’s students, teachers and administrators."

Burnetti also alleges the prior administration had allowed a registered child sex offender to access campus unsupervised, violating state law, and that she faced pressure from district officials and board members with personal ties to the offender's family to reverse restrictions on the individual’s access.

Former HPHS Principal Tom Koulentes and his two assistant principals, Eileen McMahon and Casey Wright, all resigned shortly after Dignam took over. Koulentes was promoted this year to assistant superintendent in Libertyville Community High School District 128.

According to Burnetti, District 113’s legal counsel, Anthony Loizzi, effectively halted an investigation by the Lake County State's Attorney’s Office into the destroyed records.

Following the ouster of Dignam, Burnetti and Elizabeth Roberson, the HPHS principal who Finn replaced, Loizzi sent a letter to the county prosecutor's office asking them to drop the criminal probe into destroyed records.

The attorney asserted that “neither the students nor the community at large have been adversely affected” and that the District 113 board “has no interest in pursuing any criminal charges or further criminal investigation.”

But according to the complaint, Loizzi had a personal relationship with Koulentes, which created an apparent or actual conflict of interest.

Prior to agreeing to resolve the case a settlement payout, attorneys for the district had sought to keep records of their closed door discussions about the matter secret, citing attorney-client privilege even for discussions where there was no lawyer present.

Burnetti filed a motion to force the district to turn over records and, following a hearing in June, district representatives agreed to release recordings discussing the investigation by the state's attorney's office, the hiring of the law firm Robbins Schwartz and interactions with prosecutors, though they asked that they be protected by a confidentiality order.

By last month, attorneys for the district and its employee had agreed to a settlement in principle.

Superintendent Chala Holland signed off on the half-million payout on Monday, and the District 113 board has scheduled a closed-door meeting for Tuesday to consider litigation. They are expected to sign off on the settlement.

Read more: District Retaliated Against Ex-Assistant Principal Over Misconduct Probes, Lawsuit Alleges