The founder of Chicago’s largest charter school network is leaving his post for inappropriate behavior toward young women, according to the Noble Network of Charter Schools. Michael Milkie had announced his sudden retirement this month, and now the network says it has hired an outside law firm to investigate him.
Noble Schools is a high-performing, college-prep network of 18 campuses in the Chicago area educating around 12,000 students.
Milkie did not deny the broad allegations against him. WBEZ, Chicago’s NPR affiliate, reports that Milkie said in a statement that he “acted inappropriately toward adult women affiliated with Noble.” Some of the allegations against Milkie include him trying to hold hands and slow dance with alumna, instances that helped formed a “pattern of inappropriate behavior,” according to a statement from Noble.