Lake Forest Principal Accused of Sexting Intern Resigns

By Chuck Sudo in News on Nov 21, 2011 2:30PM

John Steinert, the Lake Forest middle school principal who was placed on administrative leave last week after the Tribune revealed he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor harassment through electronic communications in May 2009, resigned today after growing controversy over how Lake Forest School District 67 handled the punishment for his actions.

Steinert sent nearly 50 text messages and photos — including a photo of his penis — to a former Lake Forest police intern in 2008 after she told him to stop.

School district officials issued Steinert a reprimand, required him to seek counseling and temporarily froze his salary after his plea bargain. Supt. Harry Griffith told the Tribune last week the punishment was based on a heavily redacted police report they obtained via a Freedom of Information Request. After reading a copy of the police report that wasn't redacted, Griffith placed Steinert on administrative leave.

The school board unanimously approved Steinert's resignation and is considering establishing a task force to review employees who might be charged with criminal conduct, and updating its policies to include social media. Steinert's attorney, Brian Schwartz, told the Tribune he would receive no severance package or compensation past his final paycheck. “He just felt to help the kids, to help the school district and the community get past this, it was the right thing to do to submit his letter of resignation.”

Parents, meanwhile, are calling for the resignations of Griffith school board members who served at the time of Steinert's original punishment.