Suitland, MARYLAND

Indicted, but it's only half the story.

ARREST WARRANT May 7, 2007 - Nathaniel B. Thomas, 26, a Prince George’s school board member, is supposed to turn himself in today, three days after police issued a warrant for his arrest for alleged misconduct involving a student.

Thomas was accused last week of third degree sexual assault against a student when Thomas was a teacher at Forestville Military Academy. The student was 15-years-old at the time. Thomas is also being investigated by the school board for a separate incident, after he allegedly brought a county student to an education conference in San Francisco last month without the permission of the student's parents. The school banned him from school buildings last week for that.

Police spokeswoman Cpl. Debbi Carlson said police have not yet arrested Thomas, and could not confirm that he would turn himself in Monday. ‘‘We’re still actively looking for him,” Carlson said.

Thomas was elected to the school board in Nov 2006.

TT- Thomas is a Government Relations Chair for the Prince George's County Educators Association (PGCEA). These are the duties and responsibilities of that committee, as found on the PGCEA website.

- Find minimum of five (5) new members.
- Lobby in Annapolis in conjunction with State Legislature.
- Set up sessions with Board of Education members, members of Legislature, and County Council.
- Keep voting records of elected bodies.
- Serve as members of MSTA Legislative Contact Team.
- Work with Association Leadership in implementing strategies to pursue legislative agenda.
-Organize rallies and other demonstrations as required to ensure funding of contract and passage of legislative agenda.

[ TT -view: No teacher should be elected to a school board. By law, they can run for election, but they should not be elected. For one, their first loyalty isn't to your child or to education. For another, it is a conflict of interest for a teacher to vote on teacher salaries and benefits and working conditions.]

Update May 8 - Washington Post reports that police are still looking for Thomas.

The school board will hold a closed session tomorrow to receive the report of the investigation into Thomas's trip to San Francisco. The board will then decide whether to ask the Maryland State Board of Education to remove Thomas from office, a move that requires the consent of Gov. Martin O'Malley (D).

If Thomas is removed, County Executive Jack B. Johnson (D) will appoint a temporary successor, subject to the approval of the County Council.

May 8 - Thomas is also Director of Planning and Program Development for Community Teachers Institute.

Mr. Thomas was a participant at CTI’s Summer Institute for Urban Educators at the University of Maryland and was featured in a Washington Post article discussing his experiences at the institute. He has also been recognized in the Who’s Who Among American Teachers.

TT - wonder why the Washington Post never mentioned that? Or his union job?

SURRENDER TO POLICE Update May 8 - Thomas surrendered to police.

RECOMMEND HE BE REMOVED Update May 10 - After an investigative report, the school board has voted unanimously to recommend that Thomas be removed from the board. Their recommendations will go to the State Board of Education and will also have to be approved by Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley.

From Washington Post: The report noted "his behavior shows a moral blindness toward his role as a member of the Board of Education, a former teacher, and an older adult," and,

The report said Thomas had been the subject of two complaints about his conduct toward students while he was a teacher at Forestville Military Academy from 2003 to 2004.

Eric T. Lyles, the former principal of the school, told investigators that parents and the families of two male students complained that Thomas had made inappropriate jokes, hand gestures and frequent references to homosexuality.

Thomas denied being the subject of such complaints.

INDICTED - June 5 - Thomas was indicted on a third-degree sex offense for for having a relationship with a 15-year-old male student he had once taught.. Prosecutors used the school board's 36-page investigative report as a starting point.

From Washington Post that, apparently, has access to the report. They note that Thomas is also has been under investigation for relationships he had with an 18-year-old senior at Forestville High School and the board's student member that, according to an independent investigative report, "far exceeded the appropriate boundaries."

RESIGNED - June 7 - Thomas resigned. Washington Times states that Thomas resigned from Forestville High school "after parents protested that he acted inappropriately with their children, according to an investigative report released by the board.

Those complaints were never registered in his personnel file. The report also said that Mr. Thomas invited the 18-year-old student and the student member of the school board to his house, gave them alcohol and played sexually suggestive games with them."

REMOVED FROM OFFICE - May 17, 2007 by the Maryland Board of Education in Executive Session by unanimous vote.

TRIAL SCHEDULED for Oct 23. See item.

TRIAL RESCHEDULED Nov 4 - The trial has now been scheduled for Nov 26.

CHARGE DISMISSED Nov 26 - A judge dismissed the charge against Thomas because the prosecutors filed an incorrect address for Thomas in their charging documents. A spokesman for county State’s Attorney Glenn F. Ivey acknowledged the mistake and said the charge would be refiled in the next two weeks.