{"id":35115,"date":"2026-01-07T05:49:30","date_gmt":"2026-01-07T11:49:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/chicago\/2026\/01\/07\/two-basketball-players-attended-young-while-living-in-the-suburbs-cps-office-of-the-inspector-general-says\/"},"modified":"2026-01-07T05:49:30","modified_gmt":"2026-01-07T11:49:30","slug":"two-basketball-players-attended-young-while-living-in-the-suburbs-cps-office-of-the-inspector-general-says","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/chicago\/2026\/01\/07\/two-basketball-players-attended-young-while-living-in-the-suburbs-cps-office-of-the-inspector-general-says\/","title":{"rendered":"Two basketball players attended Young while living in the suburbs, CPS\u2019 Office of the Inspector General says"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction to the Investigation<\/h2>\n

For the second consecutive year, a high-profile Public League basketball program was the subject of an investigation by Chicago Public Schools\u2019 Office of the Inspector General. Last year, it was Kenwood; this year, it is Young. According to the OIG\u2019s annual report released Wednesday, two basketball players attended a selective-enrollment high school while living in the suburbs. Their parents reported false information to CPS during enrollment, the report says.<\/p>\n

Details of the Investigation<\/h2>\n

The report states the players, who lived in Norridge and Lake Forest, transferred to non-CPS schools during the 2023-24 school year after playing two seasons of basketball. The OIG recommends CPS attempt to recoup the appropriate amount of nonresident tuition. For each family, that is $18,965 for the 2022-23 school year and a prorated percentage of $21,273.27 for the next year. The report does not name the players or the high school. Based on specific details in the report and information from multiple sources, however, the Sun-Times identified the players and the high school as Young. The Sun-Times has decided not to name the players.<\/p>\n

Investigation Findings<\/h3>\n

The Norridge player\u2019s parents reported he lived at a house in Chicago. Public property records showed it was owned by his grandparents. OIG surveillance established Norridge was the player\u2019s true address. The Norridge player\u2019s father told the OIG his son lived at a different address in Chicago than the one listed on his enrollment records. The father claimed he had bought the home in 2002 or 2003, but records show he bought it in 2022 \u2014 a month after the player was enrolled at Young \u2014 and sold it in 2025, after the player transferred. There was no evidence the player ever lived there. The Lake Forest player\u2019s mother reported she and the player lived in a Chicago apartment owned by the player\u2019s private basketball coach. OIG surveillance confirmed the player and his mother lived in a home in Lake Forest the family had owned since 2014.<\/p>\n

Response from Involved Parties<\/h3>\n

During interviews with the OIG, the Lake Forest player\u2019s mother and his private basketball coach claimed the player and his mother moved into the coach\u2019s basement because the parents were separating. The OIG says it found the stories \u2018\u2018often inconsistent, contradictory, or simply not believable, and they failed to establish that the player lived in Chicago.\u2019\u2019 The report did not mention Young basketball coach Tyrone Slaughter or any administrators at the school, saying: \u2018\u2018While the OIG did not obtain sufficient evidence to show a concerted scheme to recruit and fraudulently enroll Players A and B at their CPS high school, the OIG nevertheless could not exclude that possibility.\u2019\u2019 Slaughter declined to comment.<\/p>\n

Previous Incidents and Recommendations<\/h2>\n

Last year, after multiple instances of enrollment fraud were uncovered at Kenwood, the OIG recommended CPS strengthen its athletics oversight by hiring a new oversight officer. CPS declined and said the executive sports director would monitor compliance and make quarterly reports to the CPS School Board. That has not happened. \u2018\u2018The office of sports administration has not played a significant role in enforcing these rules, and it is important that they do so,\u2019\u2019 CPS Inspector General Phil Wagenknetch said. \u2018\u2018That player is taking spaces on the team away from the kids that are members of that community. It is not uncommon that we get complaints from people in the communities that are concerned that the players are getting recruited in. We are at all times working cases like that. But frankly we have limited resources, so we can\u2019t put out a dozen cases on that.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n

Response from CPS<\/h2>\n

CPS sent the following statement to the Sun-Times on Tuesday: \u2018\u2018Chicago Public Schools appreciates the recommendations from the Office of the Inspector General and is actively auditing its high school athletic programs. This auditing process aims to ensure that the District\u2019s sports programs comply with the Illinois High School Association standards, thereby improving oversight of athletic programs. In April 2025, Mr. Devon Morales, Sr., was appointed as the new Executive Director of the Office of Sports Administration. He is focused on ensuring that current programs adhere to IHSA and CPS policies and that necessary board reports are generated. Alongside the Office of College and Career Success (OCCS), the team is developing procedures for regularly auditing athletic programs and establishing a process for evaluating student-athlete eligibility. Additionally, sports teams are now required to post their rosters on the District\u2019s information system. The District remains committed to monitoring, reviewing, and improving its policies and procedures, with plans to submit board reports in early 2026.\u2019<\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n

The investigation by the Office of the Inspector General into the enrollment of two basketball players at Young highlights the ongoing issue of enrollment fraud in Chicago Public Schools. The case serves as a reminder of the need for stronger oversight and enforcement of rules to ensure fairness and equity in high school athletics. The response from CPS indicates a commitment to addressing these issues, but the effectiveness of these efforts remains to be seen.<\/p>\n

FAQs<\/h2>\n