The Calumet City teacher who is on leave after allegedly giving sixth grade students nicotine gum during class was arrested and charged Wednesday, police said.
Eric Baah, of Lansing, is charged with reckless conduct and scheduled to appear at the Cook County courthouse in Markham on Dec. 5.
Calumet City police said they began investigating Baah Oct. 3, as parents of students at Dolton District 149’s Creative Communications Academy reported that he gave as many as a dozen students nicotine gum during class. The district announced Oct. 7 the teacher had been put on administrative leave.
Last week, District 149 Superintendent Maureen White said in a letter to parents that “the affected students” were assigned to other classrooms. Another letter sent Monday offered services of a clinical counselor and an alcohol and drug counselor the district hired to meet individually or in small groups “with any students who would benefit from additional support.”
“As a follow-up to the recent incident involving the distribution of Nicorette gum at Creative Communications Academy, we want to again express our deep concern for the well-being of our students and reaffirm our commitment to supporting them through this experience,” Monday’s letter said.
“We understand that your child may still be processing what happened and may have questions or emotions that surface over time. Our priority is to help them feel safe, cared for and supported as they move forward.”
An attorney representing the district said the district does not comment on ongoing investigations but is aware that Baah was arrested.
Daphin March, who took her son Dae’jon to urgent care after he reported feeling nauseous after chewing the gum, said she was among the parents who told police about the nicotine gum.
She said she is frustrated with the school district’s response and is hoping to learn more about what happened.
“They’ve been brushing everything off,” March said. “So I’m upset about it, you know. I’ve tried to be nice about it, I’ve tried to be understanding … But it’s like, nothing. They just smile and think everything’s OK.”
March said on top of the nicotine poisoning, her son is struggling with the transition to a new class. She said they both recently started therapy as a result of the issues.
“That’s a traumatizing thing for the kids, because they’ve all created this bond and grew together in their classroom,” March said. “And now they have to go into separate classrooms — they have to create new friendships and bonds with other kids in there and then get used to a teacher that they’re not even familiar with.”
Calumet City 2nd Ward Ald. Monet Wilson called the decision to move students in Baah’s class “nonsense,” saying moving students to different classes “adds emotional and social harm to children who have already been placed in an unsafe situation through no fault of their own.”
Baah was hired by the district Aug. 12, 2024, according to minutes from a June 2024 board meeting.