ProPublica has conducted a massive study of tickets issued to students on a school by school basis for the 2019, 2020 and 2021 school years.
Here’s what was found for
Crystal Lake High School District 155
Crystal Lake Central High School
Enrollment: 1,459, Policed by: Crystal Lake Police Department
Crystal Lake Police Department reported 18 tickets issued at this school for infractions including use or possession of tobacco or e-cigarettes, use or possession of cannabis or cannabis paraphernalia, use or possession of alcohol, disorderly conduct, and fighting.
Crystal Lake South High School
Enrollment: 1,363,Policed by: Crystal Lake Police Departmen
Crystal Lake Police Department reported 46 tickets issued at this school for infractions including use or possession of tobacco or e-cigarettes, use or possession of cannabis or cannabis paraphernalia, use or possession of alcohol, disorderly conduct, and fighting.
Prairie Ridge High School
Enrollment: 1,218, Policed by: Crystal Lake Police Department
Crystal Lake Police Department reported 27 tickets issued at this school for infractions including use or possession of tobacco or e-cigarettes, use or possession of cannabis or cannabis paraphernalia, use or possession of alcohol, disorderly conduct, and fighting.
Cary-Grove Community High School
Enrollment: 1,555, Policed by: Cary Police Department
Cary Police Department reported 86 tickets issued at this school for infractions including use or possession of tobacco or e-cigarettes, use or possession of cannabis or cannabis paraphernalia, fighting, and disorderly conduct.
Cary confirmed that it sends juveniles’ debts to collections.
Huntley Community School District 158
140 tickets identified
Local law enforcement agencies reported 140 tickets issued to students during the school years ending in 2019, 2020 and 2021 in Huntley Community School District 158. These tickets might have been in addition to other punishments, such as detention or suspension.
Algonquin CUSD 300
1,070 tickets identified
Local law enforcement agencies reported 1,070 tickets issued to students during the school years ending in 2019, 2020 and 2021 in CUSD 300. These tickets might have been in addition to other punishments, such as detention or suspension. Related investigation →
Tickets were often issued for truancy and use or possession of cannabis or cannabis paraphernalia. These tickets were issued for violations of municipal ordinances, usually minor infractions, and typically included a fine, which could be as high as $750. More serious offenses could result in arrest and criminal charges instead of a ticket.
Tickets issued for truancy in 2019 or later
Students in at least one school in this district were referred to police to be ticketed for truancy (being absent from or late to school without a valid excuse), even after an Illinois law prohibited the practice in 2019.
Juveniles’ debts may be sent to collections
At least one municipality in this district confirmed that it sends juveniles’ debts to collections, meaning a private company or state program can pursue the debt. In some cases, students can face higher financial penalties if the debt is not paid quickly.
Woodstock CUSD 200
No tickets identified
Local law enforcement agencies reported no tickets issued to students during the school years ending in 2019, 2020 and 2021 in CUSD 200
McHenry CHSD 156
255 tickets identified
Local law enforcement agencies reported 255 tickets issued to students during the school years ending in 2019, 2020 and 2021 in McHenry CHSD 156. These tickets might have been in addition to other punishments, such as detention or suspension. Related investigation →
Tickets were often issued for use or possession of tobacco or e-cigarettes and disorderly conduct. These tickets were issued for violations of municipal ordinances, usually minor infractions, and typically included a fine, which could be as high as $750. More serious offenses could result in arrest and criminal charges instead of a ticket.
Ticketed for truancy before 2019
Students in at least one school in this district were referred to police to be ticketed for truancy (being absent from or late to school without a valid excuse) before a 2019 Illinois law prohibited the practice. Since then, reporters found no records of truancy tickets being issued in the district.
Juveniles’ debts may be sent to collections
At least one municipality in this district confirmed that it sends juveniles’ debts to collections, meaning a private company or state program can pursue the debt. In some cases, students can face higher financial penalties if the debt is not paid quickly.
Johnsburg CUSD 12
11 tickets identified
Local law enforcement agencies reported 11 tickets issued to students during the school years ending in 2019, 2020 and 2021 in Johnsburg CUSD 12. These tickets might have been in addition to other punishments, such as detention or suspension. Related investigation →
No tickets issued for truancy identified
No cases of students being ticketed for truancy (being absent from or late to school without a valid excuse) were identified in Johnsburg CUSD 12.
Juveniles’ debts may be sent to collections
At least one municipality in this district confirmed that it sends juveniles’ debts to collections, meaning a private company or state program can pursue the debt. In some cases, students can face higher financial penalties if the debt is not paid quickly.
Harvard CUSD 50
231 tickets identified
Local law enforcement agencies reported 231 tickets issued to students during the school years ending in 2019, 2020 and 2021 in Harvard CUSD 50. These tickets might have been in addition to other punishments, such as detention or suspension. Related investigation →
Tickets were often issued for truancy and use or possession of tobacco or e-cigarettes. These tickets were issued for violations of municipal ordinances, usually minor infractions, and typically included a fine, which could be as high as $750. More serious offenses could result in arrest and criminal charges instead of a ticket.
Tickets issued for truancy in 2019 or later
Students in at least one school in this district were referred to police to be ticketed for truancy (being absent from or late to school without a valid excuse), even after an Illinois law prohibited the practice in 2019.
Juveniles’ debts may be sent to collections
At least one municipality in this district confirmed that it sends juveniles’ debts to collections, meaning a private company or state program can pursue the debt. In some cases, students can face higher financial penalties if the debt is not paid quickly.
Alden Hebron SD 19
No ticketing data collected
ProPublica and the Chicago Tribune did not send a public records request for ticketing data to the Alden Hebron SD 19 school district. Related investigation →
Federal data on police referrals
The Office for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Education collects limited data from schools about students being referred to law enforcement and about arrests. Districts do not have to provide data on ticketing, but because a student must be referred to police to be ticketed, federally reported referrals offer an idea of how often police were involved in student incidents.
In the most recent publicly available data (for the 2017-18 school year) the district reported no arrests and one referral to law enforcement.
Marengo CHSD 154
42 tickets identified
The district reported 42 tickets issued to students during the school years ending in 2019, 2020 and 2021 in Marengo CHSD 154. These tickets might have been in addition to other punishments, such as detention or suspension. Related investigation →
No tickets issued for truancy identified
No cases of students being ticketed for truancy (being absent from or late to school without a valid excuse) were identified in Marengo CHSD 154.
Can debts from juveniles’ unpaid fines be sent to collections?
No municipality in Marengo CHSD 154 confirmed that it sends juveniles’ debts to collections. Some municipalities may still send juveniles’ debts to collections, meaning a private company or state program can pursue the debt.
Richmond-Burton CHSD 157
No data provided in Richmond-Burton CHSD 157
The school district and police did not provide complete ticketing records to ProPublica and the Chicago Tribune in Richmond-Burton CHSD 157. Related investigation →
Can debts from juveniles’ unpaid fines be sent to collections?
No municipality in Richmond-Burton CHSD 157 confirmed that it sends juveniles’ debts to collections. Some municipalities may still send juveniles’ debts to collections, meaning a private company or state program can pursue the debt.
Wauconda CUSD 118
112 tickets identified
Local law enforcement agencies reported 112 tickets issued to students during the school years ending in 2019, 2020 and 2021 in Wauconda CUSD 118. These tickets might have been in addition to other punishments, such as detention or suspension. Related investigation →
Tickets were often issued for use or possession of tobacco or e-cigarettes and truancy. These tickets were issued for violations of municipal ordinances, usually minor infractions, and typically included a fine, which could be as high as $750. More serious offenses could result in arrest and criminal charges instead of a ticket.
Tickets issued for truancy in 2019 or later
Students in at least one school in this district were referred to police to be ticketed for truancy (being absent from or late to school without a valid excuse), even after an Illinois law prohibited the practice in 2019.
Can debts from juveniles’ unpaid fines be sent to collections?
No municipality in Wauconda CUSD 118 confirmed that it sends juveniles’ debts to collections. Some municipalities may still send juveniles’ debts to collections, meaning a private company or state program can pursue the debt.
Barrington CUSD 220
78 tickets identified
Local law enforcement agencies reported 78 tickets issued to students during the school years ending in 2019, 2020 and 2021 in Barrington CUSD 220. These tickets might have been in addition to other punishments, such as detention or suspension. Related investigation →
Tickets were often issued for fighting and use or possession of tobacco or e-cigarettes. These tickets were issued for violations of municipal ordinances, usually minor infractions, and typically included a fine, which could be as high as $750. More serious offenses could result in arrest and criminal charges instead of a ticket.
Tickets issued for truancy in 2019 or later
Students in at least one school in this district were referred to police to be ticketed for truancy (being absent from or late to school without a valid excuse), even after an Illinois law prohibited the practice in 2019.
Can debts from juveniles’ unpaid fines be sent to collections?
No municipality in Barrington CUSD 220 confirmed that it sends juveniles’ debts to collections. Some municipalities may still send juveniles’ debts to collections, meaning a private company or state program can pursue the debt.
Excellent Reporting on this.
The information about McHenry is incomplete.
My nephew got a ticket for ‘hate speech’ because he said in a snapchat that a certain social studies teacher was a “beta male trying to push transgenderism.”
The npost was made off school property and out of school hours and contained nothing else, no profanity, threats, obscene pictures, etc.
The teacher himself made the complaint.
My question is why is this teacher trolling his students’ social media?
Just another way the law system is felling our children cause they don’t work still in school no job not old enough to work and now day bad credit will stop you from getting a job so they are been destroyed but their life begins so the system has found a way to continuing to destroyed the future I thought this was America I glad my children are grown cause high school now days doesn’t make any sense no school books in school anymore no teaching but you have found a way to destroyed children future shame on you
ProPublic has a place where you can share this information.
ATTN Cal, why are you not reporting this ?
And while the Huntley cops were busy with their “revenue enhancement” activities
this, among other crimes, was going on RIGHT UNDER THEIR NOSES:
https://www.lakemchenryscanner.com/2022/05/01/4-chicago-men-charged-with-burglarizing-businesses-in-huntley-stealing-atms/
Those at the McHenry County Courts have to get paid those six figure salaries.
The failure of school boards, the DOE and establishment in general.
OH, I forgot the parents that don’t lead and then move their children into an indoctrination center.
Involved parents might help solve these issues.
Judge Mary Nader, who is the ‘enforcer’ at the Taj Mahal courthouse claims black ticketed students need breaks white students don’t get.
HEY CAL. DUMP SECURI. THE IP BLOCKING IS A JOKE.