Special education assistant at CPS school charged with grooming

CHICAGO — A special education assistant at a CPS school in Auburn Gresham has been charged with grooming.

Mycale Ford, 41, of South Holland, was taken into custody last week following an investigation that began in March, according to court documents.

A 13-year-old’s father contacted Chicago police after Ford allegedly sent his daughter an obscene message, documents state.

The teen spoke with police and stated that Ford began reaching out to her on Instagram in Oct. 2024.

Ford allegedly offered money for a photo of the girl, documents state.

He admitted to police in an interview that he knew the comment was wrong and had knowledge of her age, documents allege.

Ford works as a special education classroom assistant at Gresham Elementary School.

CPS sent the following statement.

“Chicago Public Schools (CPS) holds all employees to the highest standards of integrity and professional conduct. When credible concerns about employee behavior arise, the District acts swiftly and decisively.

CPS is firmly committed to maintaining safe, ethical, and supportive learning environments for every student and staff member. The District continually reviews and strengthens its safeguards, including robust ethics training, oversight procedures, and accountability measures to protect our school communities.

While CPS does not comment on specific personnel matters or active investigations, the District follows a consistent process when allegations of misconduct are reported. Employees found to have violated Board policy are subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination.”