Brooks Middle School science teacher Lary Grimaldi was put on leave in October after a student alleged that Grimaldi grabbed his shoulder and swore at him in an attempt to send the student to the principal after “horsing around.”
For months, there was no information from neither the district nor Grimald, but the situation has played out in public board meetings. Community members supported him. The student’s attorney described the incident. Grimaldi defended himself.
However, neither the district nor Grimaldi would speak to Wednesday Journal about allegations about him that led to his leave.
“In order to respect the privacy rights of our employees, the district’s practice is not to publicly comment on personnel matters,” said Amanda Siegfried, senior director of communications and engagement for D97.
The student’s attorney was not able to be reached for comment.
Patience Clark-Keys, the legal representative for the child involved in the incident, read aloud a letter at the June 11 board meeting. She said the incident happened after the student and another friend were “horsing around.”
According to the student, this prompted another student to believe the two were fighting and the third student came up to him and slapped him in the face.
The student pushed back and that is when Grimaldi, he said, came over and told him to go to the principal’s office. According to the student, the other two boys were sent to their class.
The student said he began walking to the principal’s office, with Grimaldi following behind, when he became frustrated that he was the only student in trouble.
The student said he turned around and began walking over to his bike when Grimaldi grabbed the student by their backpack and said, “where the f*** are you going?”
The student, Clark-Keys said, responded by saying that they were going home and told Grimaldi to “get your **** hands off of me.” The student said the situation was getting heated and Grimaldi had no identification on him identifying him as a teacher.
“I wanted to get away from him because he seemed like he was in a rage,” the student reported.
Grimaldi, Clark-Keys said, pulled the student off his bike by grabbing his shoulder and said, “I told you to get the f*** off your bike.”
“At this point I was super scared because at this point this man, who I didn’t know, seemed like they wanted to fight me,” the student reported.
The student then detailed how the incident continued to impact them because students, volleyball players, and teachers continued to “constantly harass” him after the incident.
“This situation has really impacted me,” said the student. “Kids who I don’t know come up to me asking me why I got Mr. Grimaldi fired.”
Representatives from the district confirmed Grimaldi is still employed.
Grimaldi, who also spoke during public comment during the June meeting, said he wanted to “quell the untruths that have been able spread about what occurred.”
“One-hundred-thirty-eight instructional days missed,” Grimaldi said. “Over 41,000 instructional minutes missed learning opportunities, teachable moments, and connections with my students and families.”
Grimaldi said the incident that occurred was something he had never experienced in his teaching career.
“Without ever hearing from me about what happened and what I dealt with, the district chose to send me home on paid administrative leave that afternoon. What has transpired over the next eight months has been short of a nightmare for me and my family.”
Grimaldi blamed the incident on the shortcomings and failures of “policy, protocols and procedures,” of the district.
He said that when he tried to get backup, he lacked ways to communicate with other staff and that his calls to the district went unanswered.
“Throughout this process I wanted more than to be back in my classroom with my students and on the court with my players,” he said. “I made that known to everyone that would listen. I was denied that opportunity at every request.”
At the same board meeting, however, here more than 15 people spoke on behalf of Grimaldi, who also serves as the volleyball coach.
Stephanie Suerth, a French language teacher at Brooks Middle and co-president of the Oak Park Teachers Association, spoke on her colleague’s behalf.
“Lary can be blunt. He speaks his mind frequently and without a filter,” Suerth said. “But Lary is also a fierce advocate for his colleagues and his students.”
Suerth highlighted his legacy at D97.
“When Lary is at school, he brings joy to those around him,” Suerth said. “It was a disservice done by the district and by extension the community. He is just one example of the broken systems that we are experiencing.”
“I am especially saddened for our students and family who missed out on the Grimaldi experience…He is a legend around here,” said Hannah Boudreau, OPTA member. “He is a mentor, a coach, a friend, an advisor, a trusted adult who always protects our students and lifts them up. He is a true champion of this profession, and we should be so proud he made D97 his home for his entire career.”
The student, who has since graduated from Brooks, said he believes it’s important for Grimaldi to have “restorative conversations” with students and teachers, as well as admitting to the mistake.
The student, a rising freshman at OPRF, added that they hope to leave this incident behind at Brooks and to move forward.