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CPS closes renewed probe involving school board candidate Hilario Dominguez

Chicago Public Schools’ watchdog ended its investigation into allegations involving Dominguez and a former student, finding no actionable sexual misconduct. The underlying report has not been released, leaving its reasoning unavailable to voters ahead of the Nov. 3 election.

CPS closes renewed probe involving school board candidate Hilario Dominguez

The Chicago Public Schools inspector general’s office has closed its renewed investigation into allegations that school board president candidate Hilario Dominguez acted inappropriately toward a minor in 2017, concluding there was “no actionable finding of sexual misconduct.”

A letter sent to Dominguez on Wednesday by the district’s Office of Student Protections and Title IX said investigators made no additional findings about possible violations of CPS policies or guidelines. The letter says the investigation is concluded, the matter is closed and the district will take no further action.

The inspector general’s full report has not been made public. That report is expected to explain the basis for the office’s conclusion, but the letter itself does not provide those details. The finding should not be confused with a public accounting of the investigation’s reasoning.

The office had previously found the allegations unsubstantiated earlier this year, then reopened the investigation. The woman who made the allegations said she had not been interviewed during the original inquiry and came forward because she wanted to tell her story. She is now 26.

Dominguez’s attorney, Rima Kapitan, said in a statement on his campaign website that the inspector general’s report “fully cleared” him. Dominguez said the investigation had answered questions about allegations he described as a decade-old smear revived during the campaign. He said he intends to refocus his campaign on education issues important to voters.

The campaign has said the allegations originated with Aida Flores, a former opponent of Dominguez in a 2019 City Council race. Flores is a CPS assistant principal and has personal ties to the woman, according to reporting cited in the campaign coverage. Flores and the woman’s attorney did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The investigation’s closure comes as Dominguez campaigns for CPS school board president. Election Day is Nov. 3. With the full report still unreleased, voters do not yet have the inspector general’s public explanation of how investigators reached their conclusion.

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