CHICAGO - 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 Gallagher 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.

"What these kids have done is as evil in many ways as the kid who
poisoned a teacher's coffee cup or as the kid who points a knife
at the teacher," Gallagher said.

But she added that she thinks the children will benefit more from
counseling than severe punishment.

Erin Sorenson, executive director of the Children's Advocacy
Center of Northwest Cook County in suburban Hoffman Estates, said
the children need to be made aware that their actions have
consequences.

She suggested community service, letters of apology to Thompson
or deductions from the children's allowances to show that police
investigations cost money.

Thompson said he hopes to turn his ordeal into something positive
by becoming an advocate for abused and molested children.

He wasn't sure if he wanted to return to substitute teaching. He
said he thought he'd be better off teaching Bible studies at his
church.

And he said, "I think that I need a vacation."
