Curie removes Oliver as boys hoops coach

Mike Oliver, the longtime boys basketball coach at Curie, has been removed from his position at the school, according to Chicago Public Schools.

“[Oliver] was removed from his position following an allegation of a physical altercation with a student,” CPS spokesperson Michael Passman said in a statement. “The CPS Office of Student Protections and Title IX is investigating the allegation and ensuring supports are available to the student.”

The top-ranked Condors are 21-1 and have not lost to a school in Illinois.

“It’s all false accusations,” Oliver said. “I haven’t done anything wrong. I was doing my job at Curie. That’s all I can say. I’m under investigation.”

Oliver, a Curie grad and security officer at the school, led the Condors to the Class 4A state title in 2015-16. He previously was suspended by the IHSA in 2016 and by CPS in 2014 after an eligibility scandal.

Oliver has compiled a 542-133 record in 27 seasons.

“I’ve worked for CPS in security for 27 years, and I’ve never had an allegation against me,” Oliver said. “I’ve never even had a writeup from a principal or a parent conference.”

The Condors host Marshall in the second round of the Public League playoffs Thursday. Oliver did not coach Curie’s last three games, wins against Hazelwood Central, Mo., St. Louis Vashon and Harlan.

Assistant coach Larry Wallace has taken over the program. Oliver has heard no timeline for when the investigation will be wrapped up.

“I haven’t talked to an investigator yet,” Oliver said. “They are just taking me away from something I like to do. It’s unfortunate I can’t be around the kids I love.”

Arthur Ray Jr. worked alongside Oliver last year when he was the football coach at Curie. He’s currently an assistant football coach at Northwood University.

“[Oliver] would never put his hands on a teenager,” Ray said. “He’s not that type of person. The kids enjoyed him. Even the kids we had incidents with respected him. Never in 100 years would he be that type of guy.”