Pubdate: Thu, 04 Jan 2007
Source: Northwest Herald (IL)
Copyright: 2007 Northwest Herald Newspapers
Contact:  http://www.nwherald.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2762
Author: Jillian Compton

CONVICTION WON'T AFFECT D-12 TEACHER'S STATUS

JOHNSBURG - A high school vocational  teacher pleaded guilty to a
misdemeanor weapon  possession charge last week and received two
years'  probation.

Neither Robert W. Kerrigan's Sept. 1 arrest nor the  conviction
affected his teaching status, District 12  Superintendent Dan Johnson
said.

"We're glad that the system was allowed to run its  course," Johnson
said. "We're looking forward to moving  forward."

Mundelein police arrested Kerrigan, 49, of 121 N.  Greenview Ave.,
Mundelein, after he allegedly  threatened his brother with a shotgun
during an  argument, and dented his brother's truck fender Sept.  1.

Despite complaints from parents, school officials said  the Illinois
School Code would not allow them to  suspend Kerrigan or remove him
from the classroom  because he did not pose an immediate safety concern.

State law also prohibits districts from employing  individuals
convicted of several crimes, including  murder and high-level felonies.

But Kerrigan pleaded guilty to unlawful use of a  weapon, a Class A
misdemeanor, which the state law does  not cover.

"One of our goals of this case was to make sure that  [Kerrigan] was
able to continue work, as he has,"  Kerrigan's attorney Jim Simonian
said. "He obviously  enjoyed teaching and has expressed interest that
he  would like to continue."

Prosecutors reduced the charge from aggravated unlawful  use of a a
weapon, a felony punishable by up to three  years in prison, at
Kerrigan's brother's request, said  Bodie Haxall, an assistant state's
attorney in Lake  County.

Police also had charged Kerrigan with aggravated  assault, criminal
damage to property, and possession of  marijuana and drug
paraphernalia, all misdemeanors, but  prosecutors did not indict him
on any of those charges,  Haxall said.

A status hearing has been set for Wednesday.

"It's just to make sure that someone else with a  [firearm owner's
identification] card claims the  weapon," Haxall said.
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MAP posted-by: Derek