Lawsuit: IPS ignored former employee's sexual misconduct with student

Corey Greenwood, a former Indianapolis Public Schools teacher, admitted having a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old student. For that, he was sent to jail briefly and received a probation sentence.

That was almost three years ago.

But, according to a lawsuit filed against Greenwood, his history of inappropriate relationships with students began 10 years ago. School officials knew of the former educator's predatory history, the lawsuit alleges, but still kept him on staff and later promoted him to a supervisory position.

The former IPS student with whom he had a sexual relationship in 2012 is now suing Greenwood, 44, and other former IPS officials in federal court. The complaint, filed Tuesday, says Greenwood and others violated Title IX, which prohibits sex discrimination and harassment in schools that receive federal money.

"You have a school system where those with authority knew about the prior allegations and had the authority to take action but didn't do anything," said Carmel attorney Stephen Wagner, of Wagner Reese LLP and one of the student's lawyers. "That is the standard for Title IX liability. ...This is a classic case of that happening."

Had school officials taken some action 10 years ago, Wagner said, Greenwood "wouldn't have had the opportunity to victimize anybody else."

The student, now 19, is named in court records only as A.S. The Indianapolis Star typically does not name people who are or may have been victims of sexual assault.

According to the complaint, school officials knew of Greenwood's inappropriate conduct with students since at least 2004, when he was an employee at Manual High School, but failed to take action even after conducting an internal investigation. Greenwood was later transferred to George Washington Community High School, where he became assistant principal, dean of students and athletics director, court records say. There, he met A.S., who was involved in several sports, including track and field, cross-country and swimming.

The other defendants named in the lawsuit are the Board of School Commissioners of the city of Indianapolis; IPS; Linda Gagyi, former principal at Washington; and Jacqueline Greenwood, former director of secondary education for IPS and Corey Greenwood's mother. The lawsuit alleges that Corey Greenwood's promotion was driven by nepotism, and he was placed in supervisory positions for which he was not qualified.

Indianapolis attorney Eric Schmadeke, of Densborn Blachly LLP, who also is representing A.S., said Greenwood's mother's position in the school district made him "untouchable."

Neither Corey nor Jacqueline Greenwood has returned calls seeking comment. In a brief statement, IPS called the allegations "unfortunate."

"While the current administration was not employed by Indianapolis Public Schools during the time of the events cited in the lawsuit, we are deeply concerned and will cooperate fully in these proceedings," the school district said.

The complaint says Greenwood's history of inappropriate behavior included having inappropriate text conversations with female students, allowing them to skip classes and stay in his office for long periods of time and buying students gifts. At one point, Greenwood co-signed a lease with a student and became romantically involved with that student's roommate, according to court records.

In 2004, IPS investigated Greenwood, who was suspected of having a sexual relationship with a female student at Manual High School. Specifically, he was accused of pursuing a romantic relationship with the student and kissing her while they were inside his office with the door locked, court records say.

The investigation included interviews with teachers and other school staff. Greenwood also failed a polygraph test in which he was asked whether the allegations were true, court records say. Why the investigation did not result in criminal charges is unclear. Schmadeke said there was no indication IPS reported the incidents to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department.

A.S. said she met Greenwood when she was in the seventh grade at Washington, where he was her athletics director. Initially, she said, Greenwood was someone she looked up to, someone she asked for help.

"I needed track shoes and cross-country shoes, and he went out of his way and bought me shoes," she said. "He'd bring (me and my friend) food. He would give us money to go to local restaurants to bring him food."

She said the first inappropriate encounter with Greenwood happened after swimming practice, when "he said something about my shorts ... and then he smacked my butt." Later, she said, Greenwood started asking about her relationship with a high school boyfriend.

"Like he was just really interested in it," A.S. said. "I didn't understand why."

The sexual relationship between Greenwood and A.S. began in March 2012, when she was in 10th grade, and lasted for two weeks. The two had sex in his office and in another IPS employee's apartment, court records say.

A.S. said she knew it was wrong and decided to tell her best friend. School officials later found out about the relationship.

"I was scared," A.S. said. "I didn't know how to get myself out of that situation. I felt like I was in too deep already."

One IPS teacher, court records say, conspired with Greenwood to cover up the allegations by persuading A.S. to lie, telling her that if she didn't, Greenwood would lose custody of his son.

Greenwood was charged in April 2012 with five counts of child seduction, obstruction of justice and dissemination of matter harmful to a minor, all Class D felonies. A year later, he pleaded guilty to child seduction and obstruction of justice. All of the remaining charges were dismissed as part of a plea agreement. Greenwood was sentenced to six years of probation and was ordered to register as a sex offender, court records show.

Schmadeke said the experience traumatized A.S.

"People want to think it's just about punishing the bad guy who made a bad decision, but it's not. If it's a car accident, trauma's on the outside. When it's sexual assault, trauma's on the inside," Schmadeke said. "It's all the more to handle when you're a 16-year-old with very little support. She's going to have injuries. She does have injuries ... and they're going to continue with her."

A.S., currently serving in the U.S. military, grew up in a difficult household and ended up in foster care when she was 16. She had ambitions of going to a four-year college and had dreamed of becoming an anesthesiologist. She had a 3.8 grade-point average and was a 21st Century Scholar. The scholarship is given to students from low- and middle-income families.

But she dropped out of Washington and ended up in another school. The traumatic experience, she said, caused her to "act out sexually." She got pregnant and now has a 2-year-old daughter.

She said students who find themselves in a situation similar to hers shouldn't hesitate to speak out.

"If they even think anything is going to happen," she said, "they need to just tell someone, or tell someone of authority."

The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana.

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Call Star reporter Kristine Guerra at (317) 444-6209. Follow her on Twitter: @kristine_guerra.