Wheaton school district investigating ‘highly inappropriate images’ shared in virtual class

A virtual class in Wheaton Warrenville School District 200 was bombarded with “highly inappropriate images and ... very inappropriate comments” after a substitute teacher admitted several people who were not normally in the class, district officials said.

Ian Smith, principal of the district’s Middle School Virtual Academy, said in an email to families that about 15 minutes into a Friday class, the substitute admitted four or five students who proceeded to share the images and make comments verbally and in the chat box.

The substitute didn’t know those students weren’t in the class, Smith said, and after trying to remove them ended the session. He said district teachers “are making sure to not admit students into their classes” if they are unfamiliar.

“Our IT department has been working to identify who these individuals are,” Smith said. “We will make sure to provide appropriate consequences to everyone who was involved.”