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.