When 11 fourth-graders accused their substitute teacher of molesting them, authorities were ready to believe them. Even the teacher agreed that children so young rarely lie about such things.
This time, they did lie - prodded, police say, by a classmate who had offered them $1 apiece to accuse the teacher falsely."What's so scary - and so sad - is that you've got 9-year-old kids sophisticated enough to know they can get a teacher by saying he fondled them," Chicago Teachers Union spokeswoman Jackie Gal-lagher said.
"You just don't want to think that our little kids who you're still reading nursery rhymes to are figuring they're going to stick it to their teacher."
Albert Thompson told police his class at Fuller Elementary School on Chicago's South Side became unruly during his May 9 assignment. He said some children ran out of the classroom, and he had to stand by the door to keep others inside.
When Thompson threatened to report their misbehavior, a 9-year-old girl offered to pay 10 classmates - nine girls and a boy - $1 each if they joined her in claiming that Thompson fondled them, police said.
Thompson, 43, never was charged. Police cleared him after some of the children made inconsistent statements and one admitted they had made up the story to get him in trouble. The 9-year-old also recanted, police said.
But he hasn't gotten another teaching assignment.
"We're in a society where you're guilty until proven innocent," Thompson said Tuesday. Political correctness and children's rights "overrode my rights," he said.
At the same time, even Thompson said the case was unusual. "For every case like mine, there are nine cases" where a child really was abused, he said.
"This is really the exception," said Bette L. Bottoms, an assistant psychology professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago who has researched the use of child witnesses in sexual abuse cases. "Let's not use this as an example to discredit children in general."
Lt. Robert Hargesheimer said the children probably had not thought through their actions and how the allegations "could damage this guy personally and professionally."
The district still must review the police report before giving Thompson more teaching assignments, said schools spokesman Dawne Simmons.
School officials are also trying to decide how to punish the youngsters.
Gallagher said the children will benefit more from counseling than severe punishment.