A seventh grade teacher at Chiddix Junior High School in Normal was sanctioned by Unit 5 after previous allegations of misconduct outside the district did not rise to the level of criminal charges.
Andrew Miller is on paid leave following a Bloomington Police search warrant executed on his home and classroom last week.
Miller was previously investigated for a 2019 incident at a cheerleading event in LaSalle County related to his work as a cheer coach at University High School. Unit 5 put Miller on leave after that 2019 incident.
No criminal charges were filed in that case. But Unit 5, where Miller was also employed at the time, issued a public rebuke known as a Notice to Remedy disclosed during a 2020 school board meeting, in which Miller was determined to have acted in a way that "is deficient and unsatisfactory." The notice has not been previously reported.
"These deficiencies exhibit inappropriate and unprofessional acts as a teacher," the Notice to Remedy said.
The notice details an inappropriate conversation of a sexual nature with a high school athlete under Miller's supervision, "including asking him about his virginity, his sexual activity and genitalia."
The notice further said Miller engaged in "grooming-type behavior" leading up to that conversation, which is alleged to have taken place "alone in a cabin late at night while the student was in the jacuzzi tub."
Failure to remediate his conduct, the district said, would result in disciplinary action "up to and including discharge from employment," the notice said.
At some point after the 2019 incident, Miller returned to work at Chiddix, where he was put on leave again this month.
Miller has not responded to WGLT's requests for comment this week.
Miller is one of two instructors at Chiddix currently under investigation by police. An eighth grade social studies teacher is also on paid administrative leave amid allegations of inappropriate conduct with a student at the school.
