Sidelined Lincoln Park High School Basketball Players Feel They've Lost Out Big In Scandal

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Chicago Public Schools leaders Tuesday night were looking to get back to business and move forward.

But before that could happen, members of the boys' varsity basketball team at Lincoln Park High School still made it a point of gathering for what would have been an important game – despite their season getting suspended.

On Tuesday afternoon, Lincoln Park's opponent unloaded a bus ready to play. But only the junior varsity team would hit the court.

As CBS 2's Jermont Terry reported, this came one day after students walked out of classes at Lincoln Park High School, 2001 N. Orchard St.

And hours after learning CPS launched four separate investigations, including sexual misconduct within the athletics department.

On Tuesday night, some varsity basketball team members were left wondering what was left.

"With us being seniors, most of our recruitment just started to get going. So this was our opportunity to get scholarships, so our parents wouldn't have to pay for us to go to college," said Lincoln Park basketball player Chrishon Jackson. "And it's the case, we're not getting the opportunity because we're allowed to play tomorrow."

Jackson and his teammates were sidelined after CPS removed Lincoln Park Principal John Thuet and Assistant Principal Michelle Brumfield. Their head coach was also suspended, because CPS said, "Allegations are serious and involve student misconduct and adult misconduct."

"Last time I checked, allegations are assertions, or whatever, without proof," Jackson said. "So you mean to tell me you're going to cancel a team's season based on allegations, and we just don't think that's right."

But it happened, and for now, the decision is final.

The banned Lincoln Park varsity team still showed up to support those who did play.

"It still hurt. It's still devastating. It's like it's hard for them to come watch, because they want to be on that court," another student said.

During Christmas week at the Motor City Roundball Classic in the Detroit suburb of Mount Clemens, Michigan, the team won two of their three games.

A week after the Detroit trip, the school's principal said the "overnight trip over winter break… was not a school-sponsored event.

An investigation followed, and last Friday, Thuet and Brumfield were removed from their positions.

CPS on Monday night told parents four investigations – with a scope that went beyond the boys' varsity basketball team – were under way at the school.

The investigators center around:

• Sexual misconduct, where administrators failed to follow reporting mandates;

• Retaliation, against witnesses and those filing complaints;

• Interference, in which CPS accused school leaders of withholding evidence, and;

• Misconduct where students were not protected.

CPS leaders told parents that the sexual allegations involved both claims of adults with students and students with other students.

As for the Lincoln Park Lions basketball players, they realized Tuesday night that their season was officially over. But many understand the pending investigations are in fact bigger than sports.

There is no indication how long the investigations will take to wrap up, nor if criminal charges could come into play.