TT Scrutiny

Mar 31, 2007 - The Sun-Sentinel worries that male teachers in Broward County, Florida will have to deal with scrutiny in the classroom following arrests.

This year a wrestling coach, a Broward math teacher, a science teacher and a third-grade teacher all have been arrested on sexual molestation or child pornography charges. All four are men.

TT - The article calls for a little scrutiny itself. You can spot the input from the union in the story.

The Broward Teachers Union and colleges of education advise teachers never to be alone with a student. But if it happens, standard practice is for the classroom doors to remain open and for both student and teacher to sit so they are visible from the hallway.

If they are so effective in teacher training, then why were four teachers arrested in less than three months? That isn't counting the subsitute teachers who were arrested. Or the problem in Florida schools with the whole system when 70% of allegations are dismissed.

And, then there is this clue.

Men, stereotypically thought of as the family breadwinner, don't step into classrooms because of low pay, educators said.

However, if you visit the Broward Teachers Union website, you can find a Sun-Sentinel article, dated Aug 4, 2006 that contradicts that assertion.

Broward County's 1,800 new public school teachers could get a $2,000 raise before they step foot in a classroom this year, making them among the highest-paid neophyte teachers in the state.

The new teachers' salaries would jump from $35,000 to $37,000 under a tentative agreement reached Thursday between the Broward School Board and union leaders. Each of the county's roughly 17,000 teachers would get at least a $2,050 raise. The most experienced teachers would get an additional $2,488, bumping their base pay to just under $70,000.

They go on to note that "This raise would be in addition to the automatic 3.7 percent raise teachers and other instructional staff would receive for the 2007-08 school year next July."

Also found at the site, this Miami Herald story confirmation. "The school district's newest teachers -- those who were expecting to earn about $35,000 when they report to work next week - will instead be paid about $37,000, among the highest starting salaries in the state.

A starting pay of $37,000 for a candidate with 4-year-degree with absolutely no work experience isn't shabby. It's $25.17 an hour That works out to an annual $50,340 if teachers worked the 2000 hours that is average in business.

In addition, there are the supplementals, an opportunity for sabbatical leave with 75% of their salary and full benefits in critical fields (visually impaired, speech language impaired, media specialist or exceptional student education.) And an upfront $1,000 for first year teachers.

But, that's not all. There's also a professional sabbatical that will pay $500 a month and full benefits for a whole year if you want to, say, volunteer for a school board. The teacher can apply to transfer to a closer school if they have a hardship, like driving 20 miles one-way to work. There are signing bonuses, incentive awards, related work experience credit.

For approximately 9 months work - 200 days.
Paying no social security.
Fully paid contributions to Florida Retirement system.
Fully paid benefits: health, vision, dental and life.
No state or city income tax.
Fully paid disability insurance.
Ten days sick leave, accumulated from year to year, with no maximum.

You can even get a personal leave for cultural traveling.

Teachers might get more if they could do something else. They probably would, except that a large percentage of teachers wouldn't be employable in any other field except teaching. Private business couldn't afford them and stay solvent. Businesses wouldn't hire them and demand so little.

And businesses surely couldn't survive with the bad publicity of four employees arrested for sex crimes with children if the business was based mainly on trust.

And what does that say?

See Manhattan Institute Civic Report 50 "How Much Are Public School Teachers Paid?"

Edinburg, TEXAS

It isn't a failure of the system. It's how the system works to protect themselves.

Mar 31, 2007 - Michael Barrett, writing in The Monitor, in "Too Little, Too Late," did what a good journalist should do. Follow up. And he did. On Genaro Vela, the middle school teacher who was sentenced to this month to 14 years for indecency with a child and aggravated sexual assault. And the school district who didn't report him to police. In 2000.

Vela was arrested in June 2006, but the district had prior warning.

In 2000 a boy reluctantly reported that he had been abused. School officials said they contacted Child Protective Services and conducted an internal investigation into the 2000 allegations . Child Protective Services did not contact the boy or his mother. They never looked into the allegations and there is no evidence they were ever notified. The school supposedly conducted an internal investigation. They claim they notified the district central offices, but they appear not to have done anything. Not a single one of them notified the police.

TT - No one appears to have done anything about the abuse allegations. Vela continued to teach. And collect child pornography.

When police searched his house they found a hidden staircase with thousands of images of child pornography. See TT entry for Vela.

The student who was molested in 2000 is suing the school district. It's probably the only regret he will ever see from them -- regret they may have to take the stand to defend their actions. The statute of limitations means school officials responsible will not be prosecuted. It won't cost them a dime. Insurance will cover any awards resulting of the lawsuit. Taxpayers pay for that too. And not one of the people who let it happen will be punished, reprimanded, fired, or be named. The lawsuit will be settled out of court and the details will be confidential. Not even the public will know the wrong that occurred.

Especially not the public.

Apr 1 - The Monitor also found documents that show federal agents knew Vela was trolling child pornography sites in 2004. However, they did not know he worked with children. When they found out, they raided his home a month later.

Sept 18 - A third lawsuit has been fiiled against Vela and the local chapter of Boy Scouts of America, but also the Mission school district where Vela was a long time teacher. The Boy Scouts and Vela himself were the only defendants named in the previous suits, also filed anonymously.

Perth Amboy, NEW JERSEY

Disgust is a word that comes to mind.

PLEADED GUILTY: Nov 29, 2006 - Amy Burke, 32, a teacher at William C. McGinnis School, pleaded guilty to endangering the welfare of a child and official misconduct for a relationship with a 13-year-old boy.

The physical education and health teacher worked 10 years at the school. Married and the mother of one, she has yet to be sentenced, but the plea agreement was for four years.

SENTENCED: Mar 30, 2007 - Burke was sentenced to up to four years in prison. Under terms of the sentence, Burke could become eligible for parole in about six months, but could serve as much as 3½ more years in prison. She was credited with already serving about six months in custody since her arrest. Under the plea agreement, Burke agreed to give up her teaching certificates and never seek a teaching position in New Jersey.

Burke is married and the mother of a 3-year-old boy. The boy she assaulted undergoes counseling and is angry that he was assaulted and angry with his mother and prosecutors for pressing the case.

Gallatin, TENNESSEE

May 30, 2007 - Terry Shephard, a teacher at Benny Bills Elementary school, was arrested, charged with disorderly conduct, public intoxication, assaulting an officer and resisting arrest.

She was arrested after she caused a disturbance at another woman's house. According to police, she showed up at the woman's house drunk. They said Shephard hit the woman, and she bit one of the officers when they tried to arrest her.

Allen, TEXAS

Mar 29, 2007 - John Creech, 58, Collin County Community College professor fired after child pornography was found on his work computer has been indicted for raping a 9-year-old girl.

He was indicted by a grand jury on charges of aggravated sexual assault of a child and possession of child pornography. He denies the charges and calls them "absolutely false." In response to the pornography charge, Mr. Creech previously told police that hundreds of sexual images of children on his computer were research for a human sexuality course.

I had some images on my computer at work that some people might find disturbing outside the context of the human sexuality class," Creech said.

But according to the arrest warrant affidavit, the college's president, Dr. Cary Israel, told the investigating officer Creech was not performing any authorized research.

A technician found the images on the computer in August and reported it to police. Creech was fired. He appealed and lost, despite Creech's attorney's assertion that "Administrators failed to recognize, Mr. Stewart said, that the images didn't show children but adults who looked younger than they were."

Timothy Brightman, an attorney who was representing the college, disputed Mr. Stewart's assertion that the people in the images weren't children.

"This is not simple research on child pornography," Mr. Brightman said. "This is hard-core child pornography. These were girls younger than my 12-year-old daughter engaged in this despicable act."

The sexual assault investigation began around the same time when The girl, a daughter of one of Mr. Creech's family friends, went to the Collin County Children's Advocacy Center. Capt. Flores said the girl described how Mr. Creech had sex with her more than once.
Full Name: John Preston Creech

North Brunswick, NEW JERSEY

School districts, by law in New Jersey, pay legal fees for public employees found innocent.

Mar 29, 2007 - A former gym teacher who was found not guilty in the late 1990s after three females alleged official misconduct and attempted sexual contact during his term, pleaded guilty to a count of coercion. He was "charged on a count related to sexual misconduct." [No explanation given.]

In the late 1990s, he was involved in "intensive litigation involving indictments brought down from the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office and a grand jury." Due to a difference in burden of proof, he was found responsible for his actions in the civil proceedings.

As a result, tenure charges were filed against him, which were compromised, [no explanation] and he was asked not to return to the school district.

Although he sued the district for $325,000 in legal fees and $100,000 in back pay, only $150,000 was paid because due to state law, a public employee charged with a criminal offense who is found innocent is required to have their legal fees paid back by the district, according to Vignuolo.

TT - Emphasis and puzzlement ours.

Trenton, NEW JERSEY

Mar 30 - Logan Alexander, 59, a security guard at Mott Elementary School, was arrested Mar 9 and accused of accused of molesting two girls at the school.

He was arrested after a 13-year-old told a counselor that Alexander had kissed her breast through her clothing and made sexually explicit comments to her. Another girl came forward and told a teacher that Alexander "restrained her" and had touched her legs and breasts earlier in the year in a teacher's lounge.

TT- why the item is only now being reported is unknown.

Malcomb, ILLINOIS

Mar 30, 2007 - John Reinhart, 23, a substitute teacher on the Hancock-McDonough Regional Office of Education' call list was arrested and charged with stockpiling hundreds of child pornography videos on his home computer.

Police said Reinhart was a tenant of an apartment building with linked computers. A fellow tenant searching an Apple iTunes server on the computers in the building told police that they observed child pornography in Reinhart's folders on the server.

Police searched Reinhart's computer and found hundreds of videos downloaded on his computer depicting what is believed to be children under the age of 14 engaged in sexual activities. During the police investigation, it was learned that Reinhart used a peer-to-peer downloading service on the Internet, to find and download the illicit video files. They also found drug paraphernalia and less than 2.5 grams of marijuana in the apartment.

Reinhart worked in Macomb's elementary schools through the regional office's call list.
Full Name: John S. Reinhart

San Bernardino, CALIFORNIA

Compiled by the San Bernardino Sun , one of the few newspapers that follow up on cases. An education blog would help keep all the stories together where readers could find them.

Area teachers either charged with or convicted of sexual misconduct with students

Eric Norman Olsen, 29 - Substitute teacher from Ontario who taught in at least 17 school districts. He pleaded no contest in February to charges that he improperly touched six female students. He faces a sentence between probation and five years in prison. Olsen told police he enjoyed female students sitting on his lap. Detectives initially said the Ontario man may have molested more than 100 students.

Rogelio Alvino Cardenas, 60 - Sheriff's deputies believe Cardenas, a 17-year teacher at Del Rey Elementary School in Victorville, may have molested at least 15 female students. He faces charges based on the reports of two students. Cardenas was arrested in January and has pleaded not guilty.

Sean Ramiro Lopez, 32 - Lopez used a fabricated science experiment as a ruse to molest three boys and was sentenced in January 2006 to more than 74 years in prison. Lopez was convicted of inviting the Clement Middle School students to take part in a scientific program to help them increase muscle mass and the size of their genitals. Beginning in 2000, the students met Lopez in what they believed was a laboratory, where they would undress, allow Lopez to measure them, watch pornographic movies and masturbate.

Joan Hadden, 33 - A former teacher at Cajon High School in San Bernardino, Hadden was arrested in Las Vegas in May 2002 after she was found in the company of a 15-year-old student with whom she was having a sexual relationship. Hadden was sentenced to two years in state prison on June 20, 2003, on nine counts of various charges, including lewd and lascivious acts with a child and unlawful intercourse with a minor.

Michael Carrol Logan, 35 - Palmdale resident was arrested March 27, 2002, on suspicion of having a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old female student at Granite Hills High School in Apple Valley. Logan, a firefighter and paramedic with the Apple Valley Fire Protection District, taught a fire service class at the school, according to sheriff's officials. Logan was sentenced to three years in state prison March 9, 2005, on charges of oral copulation with a person under 18 years old and unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor.

- Compiled by Mike Cruz

Napa, CALIFORNIA

Teacher is sentenced to two years. The victim was deported back to Mexico earlier this month.

Feb 28, 2007 - Jorge Covarrubias, 32, a Napa High School teacher, is still free on bail after being convicted last August of sexually molesting a high school student, starting when the boy was 15.

His sentencing has been delayed twice. His next scheduled court appearance is Mar 29.

Napa Police detective Judy Bond, the lead investigator in the Covarrubias case, is upset he is not in custody.

“A jury of his peers convicted him of nine counts of child molestation. The victim deserves justice. When a jury takes it own time and works hard on a trial and comes to a guilty verdict, the person should be taken into custody,” Bond said.

“I have never worked a case where a person was convicted of child molest or sexual assault and not taken into custody.”

The incidents took place between November 2003 and August 2004, when the teen, now 18, was 15 years old. During this time, the boy was a student at Napa High School, but not a student in Covarrubias’ math class. Covarrubias and the victim met at Napa High School.

His attorney said that Covarrubias is on unpaid administrative leave with the school district, and that his teaching credential was revoked when he was convicted.

Mar 29 - Covarrubias was sentenced to two years in state prison. The judge ruled he does not have to register as a sex offender.

From the Press-Enteprise: The abuse, prosecutors said, began when the boy was 15, after the teen's father allowed the boy to live with Covarrubias.

Their source was the Napa Valley Register:

The boy and his father had a rocky relationship. The father went to the school and sought advice about his son from Covarrubias, who was also a school counselor. After visiting the victim and his father at their home, Covarrubias offered to let the boy live with him to “straighten him out.” The boy’s father agreed.

The prosecutor read a letter from the boy: "I met (Covarrubias) at school and thought he was a nice guy. I thought he was someone I could trust. Now, I don’t feel normal. I question my sexuality. He betrayed me and I don’t know if I can ever trust anyone again.”

The prosecutor said Covarrubias used his position of trust to lure the boy into the sexual relationship. He said the victim had a troubled life and Covarrubias took advantage of it. “His mother died. His father abandoned him (giving over custody of the boy to Covarrubias.) His father had no money to take care of him. He threatened to send him back to Mexico. The boy was vulnerable.”

The prosecutor argued at the sentencing that the sexual relationship between the defendant and the victim was anything but consensual.“He told the defendant ‘no’ many times. The victim said he was thinking of suicide,” Gero said. “There was nothing enjoyable for the victim about the relationship. This is not a Romeo and Juliet statutory rape case.”

Watsonville, CALIFORNIA

Sentenced to 15 days in jail, three years of probation, and registration as a sex offender for life.

Jan 30, 2007 - Efrain Ortiz, 44, a fourth-grade teacher at Landmark Elementary School and a martial arts instructor, pleaded no contest to a charge of battery.

Ortiz was arrested in September and charged with felony child molestation and a misdemeanor of committing lewd acts with a child. This was in connection with had an 11-year-old girl "grab his genitals" during a kung fu lesson at the martial arts school.

In his plea agreement he admitted he had the girl touch him for sexual gratification. Sentencing is scheduled for March 28.
Full name: Efrain Israel Ortiz

Mar 28 - Ortiz was sentenced to 15 days in jail and three years probation. Ortiz also will have to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life because the court found that Ortiz committed the battery for sexual gratification.

Ortiz will have to complete counseling and abide by restrictions on his contact with children.

Mar 29 -California Commission on Teacher Credentialing shows his credential SUSPENDED.

Hesperia, CALIFORNIA

Mar 26, 2007 - Jamal Jackson, 34, a teacher, was arrested on suspicion of the murder of Jothan [not misspelled] Omar Boyd.

Boyd was found dead inside a home. The cause of death is not being released because it could interfere with the investigation, a coroner's spokesman said Monday night. Jackson is the second person arrested in the incident.

Mar 28 - Cause of death was a gunshot. Jackson was a teacher at a learning center.
Full Name: Jamal Thomas Jackson

First Article Launched: 03/26/2007 11:28:40 PM PDT
Second Article Launched: 03/28/2007 01:00:00 AM PDT
[Newspaper story time stamps. Newspaper notoriously removes stories and then you can't find in their archives even four hours later.]

Lowell, MASSACHUSETTS

The Lowell school district may soon require national background checks for volunteers and job candidates. This would include checking a person's background for criminal records in every state.

Unfortunately, the (New York Times-owned) Boston Globe illustrates the need by citing Severine E. Wamala, a math teacher at the high school who is a native of Uganda. He only became a U.S. citizen after immigrating in 1988 to get his doctorate at the University of Massachusetts in Lowell. He hasn't been convicted. His case hasn't even gone to court.

Wamala had previously been arrested in New Hampshire but the school committee member did not know the details. He is currently being held on $1 million bail after he was arrested in 2006 on on 19 counts of incest and 11 counts of aggravated felonious sexual assault.

In a letter to a newspaper (no longer online) Wamala proclaimed his innocence and referred to the arrests (plural):

Being arrested does not mean one committed a crime. One can be arrested for a number of reasons. False charges is one of them. Thirteen years ago as claimed in the newspapers I was arrested numerous times for false charges. During the period 1992 to 1994, my ex-girlfriend filed 36 false charges in nine different Massachusetts courts....

If you want to make the case for national background checks, you should at least make sure the teacher cited has been found guilty.

Smyrna, TENNESEE

Mar 29, 2007 - Adlai "Jay" Gill, technical education teacher at Stewarts Creek Middle School, was arrested and charged with simple possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia March 18.

He was arrested in July 1995 when Gill and his wife assaulted each other and both were arrested. In October 1996, he was charged with driving under the influence, a charge that was later reduced to reckless driving. The latest arrest was after his wife called police, concerned that he would leave her home intoxicated.

As I approached the vehicle, I observed Mr. Adlai Gill sitting in the driver's seat with a lit marijuana cigarette in his right hand. He was using a pair of yellow needle nose pliers as a roach clip,"

Manning wrote. "I could smell a strong odor of what I believed to be alcohol as well as marijuana smoke coming from his person and vehicle."

Gill is on paid medical leave until April 16.

His brother is Harry Gill, Jr, the Rutherford County Director of Schools.

August 11 - The Daily News Journal (Murfreesboro) reports that Gill recieved a diversion that include $1,064 in fines, two months of drug screening and an 11-month 29-day suspended in a story about his returning to school in the fall.

Finley, NORTH DAKOTA

TRIAL DATE SET: Jan 4, 2007 - A trial date has been set for Jonathan Champagne, charged with sexual assault and corruption or solicitation of a minor. He's accused of having sex with a 17-year-old female student.

Champagne's trial is set for February 21st. From KFYR 550AM: "Champagne was hired as a math teacher at a high school in Crookston (Minnesota) but he was fired last month because of the pending charges."

GUILTY PLEA AND SENTENCE: Mar 28 - Champagne pleaded guilty to corruption of a minor. Under the plea agreement, he was sentenced to five years in prison with all but 60 days suspended. Two other counts of corruption of a minor, one count of sexual assault and one count of contributing to the delinquency of a minor were dropped.

LICENSE REVOKED: May 10 - The Education Standards and Practices Board voted unanimously to revoke the license of Jonathan Champagne. Assistant Attorney General Bill Peterson says state law mandates the revocation.

Brandon, MISSISSIPPI

Lawsuit: "...negligent misrepresentation of Ozborn as a teacher with good moral character."

Nov 21, 2006 - David Lee Ozborn, (David Ozborn) 38, Richland High School biology teacher, was sentenced to 40 years for sexual battery of two students. He had impregnated both students (ages 14 and 15) twice each and arranged for out of state abortions. He will not be eligible for parole.

The Sun-Herald reported that Ozborn's bond had been revoked in June after he allegedly tried to run off the road the car carrying one of his accusers and her parents. He was charged with intimidating a witness.

Mar 28, 2007 - The family of one of the victims filed a lawsuit against the district, the school, and principal Stanley Shows. The plaintiffs are seeking unspecified monetary damages, and they're requesting a jury trial. Among other things, the suit alleges "The suit also alleges breach of duty to K.B., infliction of emotional distress, and negligent misrepresentation of Ozborn as a teacher with good moral character. "

Atlanta, GEORGIA

Mar 28, 2007 - Chelsea Gourd, 20, a substitute teacher, was arrested at the middle school where she taught. She was accused of stealing 6 credit cards and unknown amount of money on Monday and Tuesday from other teachers at the school. She is being held without bond, charged with financial transaction card theft.

A man was caught on a security camera signing some of the card receipts and police believe Gourd sold or traded the cards that were use at various businesses. Officials say they believe there will be more arrests.

Glouster, MASSACHUSETTS

School secretary accused of sex with student was a former on-call masseuse for a Rowley motel. NOT that there's anything wrong with that.

Mar 28, 2007 - Natalie A. Nemeskal, 31, a secretary at North Shore Technical High School., pleaded not guilty to 10 counts of selling or delivering alcohol to minors and one count of felony witness intimidation. The charges stem from a party in her Hamilton home during which police said she gave students booze and had sex in a hot tub with an 18-year-old from Gloucester.

On Jan. 19, North Shore Regional Vocational School District Superintendent Amelia O’Malley fired Nemeskal after she found out the secretary, hired last fall, had been socializing with the Middleton school’s students. A teacher learned of the matter from a 16-year-old girl who had ridden home with Nemeskal, according to court documents. The student said she was concerned about Nemeskal’s well-being because she had been crying during the drive and suggested she wanted to harm herself.

The secretary gave the party on Jan 12. Also in the house at the time of the hot tub sex were Nemeskal’s 11-year-old daughter and her daughter’s friend, according to police. A neighbor turned the Nemeskal in.

Pre-trial hearing is April 24.

Lake Charles, LOUISIANA

Mar 27, 2007 - George Walker, a permanent substitute, was arrested is charged with 18 counts of stalking, iIndecent behavior with a juvenile, and soliciting for prostitution.

A female student claims walker made sexual remarks to her on a daily basis since she was sixteen, even offering her money for sexual favors. The sheriff's office says an investigation confirmed her allegations. The student is suing both Walker and Lake Charles Boston Principal Rodney Geyen, who is named as a defendant in the lawsuit, which claims he instructed the girl not to take the matter to the school board.

No other news stories found at this time.

Warrenton, GEORGIA

Mar 28, 2007 - Thomas McDonald Jr., 34, principal at Warren County High School, pleaded guilty to propositioning a student. Prosecutors said they were prepared to use testimony that he behaved similarly in Burke County when he taught here.

He was charged after a four-month investigation that started when a 15-year-old student accused him of asking her for oral sex on school grounds. There were other problems: In 2001 he allegedly kissed a student, and in 2003 there was another alleged act of solicitation of sodomy.

After he pleaded guilty to solicitation of sodomy, he was sentenced to one year probation and fines.

Full Name: Thomas James McDonald Jr.

OUTRAGE OF THE DAY

A letter to parents who complained about a special education teacher who was later found guilty of abuse.

Source: here.

Psychological or Behavioral Screenings

Mar 28, 2007 -
After the fourth district employee accused of sexual misconduct this year, Broward County school officials said they must scrutinize the district's hiring practices. They might add psychological or behavioral screenings.

School Board members Eleanor Sobel and Jennifer Gottlieb suggested the district add psychological or behavioral screenings, which are not part of the process. The district also does not conduct drug tests on applicants.

The newspaper reports that more than 17,000 teachers work for Broward schools. They also give space for a a forensic psychologist who specializes in the treatment of sexual predators and offenders, who cautions against psychological screenings. Besides questioning their legality, he said such a small portion of educators are pedophiles that people would be misidentified."If you look at the number of teachers vs. the number of teachers doing this, it's a minuscule proportion," Alexander said. "It would be impossible to screen for this."
-------------------
TT - You can't screen for a sexual predator. Most teachers are not arrested for child pornography, or pedophilia, but for having sexual relationships with their students. Most teachers who get involved with students don't start out to seduce them or be seduced. It's a question of opportunity and woeful lack of self-discipline.

What you can screen for is suitability to be a teacher with an emphasis on maturity, responsibility, commitment and character. How hard is that to judge? How hard would it be to ask an applicant to sit at a desk and write an essay on values? Besides verifying that they can actually spell, it might signify serious intent to find the best candidates.

Departments of Education and school systems have become hiring factories with little interest or concern with the ethical training of their teachers or administrators. Except for that once-a-year, mandated training exercise that involves sitting around a table with a cup of coffee in a styrofoam container, the subject is pretty much a non-goer. The teacher knows it. The principal knows it. The student can sense it. Parents fear that's the case. Headlines prove it.

We aren't looking for pedophiles in schools! We want teachers who act appropriately and maturely with their students. No teacher should have a MySpace page to engage students in an off-campus dialogue. They shouldn't be text-messaging them. Both should be grounds for immediate unpaid suspension. Sex with a student, even if the student is of legal age, should be criminalized.

How difficult is it to act like an adult?

Endicott, NEW YORK

Mar 27, 2007 - Jo-Ann Peters, a teacher at Linnaeus W. West School in the Union-Endicott School District, was arrested, charged with felony grand larceny.

She allegedly stole instructional materials from her school and putting the stolen items for sale on the E-Bay Internet auction site. State police executed a search warrant at the teacher's town of home this morning and found a large quantity of things from the school.

TT - Earlier this month, a Connecticut teacher was arrested allegedly for stealing books from the town elementary school and selling them on E-Bay.

Peculiar, MISSOURI

Substitute teachers are strangers in the classroom. Strangers to the administration. Strangers to the students. Strangers to other teachers. They're paid visitors and, increasingly, they are sources of major problems.

Mar 27, 2007 - Karen Charron, 58, a substitute in the Ray-Pec School District was arrested for allegedly being under the influence. (It was Raymore-Peculiar Middle School.)

She was serving her second day in the district when a staff member reported a change in the teacher's behavior. Charron was arrested and charged with possession of an open container and endangering the welfare of a child.

The school district said it conducts background checks on all substitute teachers, and it called the behavior "unacceptable."

[TT - Background checks do not predict behavior. They only tell you what the individual did in the past. Doesn't the district require professional or personal references? An interview? Citing background checks, increasingly, is a way for some school authorities to say, "It's not our fault."]

Elyria, OHIO

The former teacher is not alleged to have harmed any student but what did the students learn about the profession when they found out about his past? Would it have made a difference if he had been required to take a pre-employment lie detector test with the question, "Have you done anything that would, if known, disqualify you from obtaining or holding a certification to be a teacher in this, or any other state?"

Mar 27, 2007 - A former teacher won't be teaching again. He left prison after serving a year for throwing the body of his infant son into a quarry.

Thomas Truelson Jr., 27, admitted in 2005 that he threw the baby into a quarry in 1999 after his girlfriend - the baby's mother - killed the newborn. The mother, Jennifer Coleman, 24, is serving six years in prison after pleading guilty to involuntary manslaughter and six other charges.

In 2005, Coleman told friends she had killed the newborn. By then, Coleman was dating someone else, and Truelson had gone on to college and graduated and was working as a teacher at a school for students with behavioral problems at Lorain County Academy in Oberlin.

At the time the baby was killed, he was 19, and she was not yet 16.

TT - Coleman appeared on Oprah Winfrey show last year to discuss her case and urge mothers of unwanted children to turn their babies over to authorities. The baby Coleman killed was born in a toilet in her home. Coleman stabbed the baby to death and Truelson stuffed the body into a rock-filled duffle bag and threw it into a quarry. A recreational diver found it weeks later.

San Antonio, TEXAS

Lurid accusations that, if true, are disturbing.

Mar 27, 2007 - Enrique Martinez, 44, a former teacher's aide at at Nimitz Middle School, was arrested and charged with aggravated sexual assault.

According to a police affidavit, a 19-year-old man went to police March 7. He "told police that Martinez molested him more than 100 times over a period of five years, beginning when he was 13."

Martinez lured the male and other boys to his beauty shop, promising him an after-school job, the affidavit stated. But Martinez instead asked the male to become his lover, which "freaked out" the complainant, who left the shop.

Martinez then went after the boy and told him he would give him money if he didn't tell anyone what had happened, the affidavit stated. The boy then went back to the shop, where Martinez performed sex acts on the boy in exchange for several hundred dollars. The relationship continued for five years.

The man stopped allowing Martinez to perform sex acts and began assaulting him to get money out of him. The man also told police that he burglarized Martinez's home in February, which police verified, the affidavit stated.

Martinez is no longer employed at the school. The accuser is now 19-years-old.
KHOU is reporting that the teenager made the allegations after he was caught burglarizing Martinez’s home.
Full Name: Enrique Gill Martinez

Miramar, FLORIDA

Mar 27, 2007 - CBS 4 is reporting that a Miramar elementary school teacher who worked with autistic children is under investigation alleged inappropriate contact with a students at the school.

They spoke with a co-worker who did not want to be identified. The co-worker says that she reported the abuse to the school’s principal five months ago. She says the Broward County School District took him out of the classroom only last month.

The district says they temporarily reassigned him to a desk job away from children while they investigate. The story does not say when they removed him from the classroom.

TT - The district attorney is investigating. (A two-year investigation by the Herald-Tribune found that a large number of Florida schools and school districts are conducting their own investigations without adequately trained investigators, sometimes reaching agreements with the teacher that avoid involving the police or even other education agencies. Referring the matter to police for criminal investigation is sometimes delayed or avoided. )

Child Pornography

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

Child Pornograhy

Teachers who pleaded guilty or no contest, not yet sentenced.

SEE Child Pornography updated lists.

Big Stone Gap, VIRGINIA

Mar 27, 2007 - Darlene Blagg, 36, a teacher's aide at Powell Valley High School, pleaded not guilty after being indicted on nine counts of taking indecent liberties with a juvenile under 18 while serving in a custodial or supervisory.

She is accused of accused of having an improper relationship with a 17-year-old student. The mother of the male student contacted police on Mar 13. The lead investigator said that Wise County school division was informed of alleged improprieties some time before the sheriff's department was made aware of the allegations.

A school administrator said Blagg resigned last week. Prosecutors and investigators were under the impression she had been dismissed before they knew about the case.

She is married and the mother of two children, ages 5 and 2.
A jury trial date is scheduled for June 26.

Mar 24 story (before arraignment) The male student's mother reported the allegations to the sheriff's department on March 13, about two weeks after complaining to school division authorities. The Sheriff's Co investigator said Blagg was "dismissed" from her job by school officials a week before they were notified of possible wrongdoing and began their investigation.
A school division official said that Blagg resigned last week.

May 27 - The Kingsport Times News: "A plea arrangement is also about to be tendered to Darlene Blagg, a former teacher’s aide at Powell Valley High School charged with an illicit relationship with a male student earlier this year. Elkins said a plea deadline is Wednesday in the Blagg case."

May 30 - Blagg was sentenced to three years, suspended except for 30 days. She must serve two years of supervised probation and one year of unsupervised probation and is required to register as a sex offender. For life.

[Whacked out reporter portrays the teacher spared jail by her victim by his agreement to the plea deal. He's 13-years-old. WAS THERE NO ADULT IN THAT COURTROOM?]

Dirty, filthy old man

"It is a form of offending which elicits the strongest feelings of abhorrence and repugnance."

Mar 27, 2007 - Jonathan Quick, 71, was sentenced to eight months after admitting he sexually abused pupils in his care in the 1970's and early 80's.

One of the students, David Young, a medical student who had been taught by Quick in the 1990s, committed suicide in the Phillipines in 2002.. That started an investigation pursued by his parents. Three months later they discovered he had been sexually abused by a teacher at Dollar Academy in 1990 in psychiatric reports that cite the abuse as the main reason for his depression and subsequent death.

With the asssistance of a former detective, who had helped a number of families who had suffered miscarriages of justice, they tracked down 500 students, eight of whom said they had been abuse. Quick pleaded guilty. Other former pupils told The Herald of their feelings of guilt and anger about the abuse they suffered.

TT - the location is Scotland. The affront to human dignity doesn't stop at the abuse. With the child pornography victim, the pictures remain forever, traded like playing cards, collected by perverts over the globe. For those sexually abused by authority figures, the shame, guilt, anger and vulnerability last a lifetime.

Background Checks

Certified teachers in Texas employed before 2003 have been exempt from national background checks.

Mar 26, 2007 - The Houston Chronicle reports that the Texas senate passed a bill that would require all public school teachers to submit fingerprints for a national criminal background check. It will mean fingerprinting 200,000 current teachers.

Texas has required national criminal background checks for all teaching candidates since 2003, but that law did not apply to teachers who were already certified. Under that law, they found 200 candidates had serious offences on record, including crimes against children and sexual misconduct.

TT - See Senate Bill 9 School Safety Act news release at Sen. Florence Shapiro's website. The bill, as introduced, would create a Texas clearinghouse that will be available to school districts and state agencies. See Texas Senate news.

TT - A New Jersey newspaper compared public records of those eligible for a public pension and another containing people charged with felonies and convicted of those or lesser crimes since the 1980s. They found 4 employees in North Jersey schools who had criminal records since they were employed. A fifth slipped through the cracks.

TT - The Philadelphia School District unwittingly hired a company to mediate student conflicts to reduce violence whose founder spent two years of a 10-year sentence in prison for a sex crime against his 7-year-old stepdaughter, not knowing he was here illegally after having been deported to his native Senegal. A criminal background check was done, but it looked only for crimes committed in Pennsylvania and didn't consider that he had an alias. No fingerprinting was required.

SOUTH CAROLINA

Mar 26, 2007
Star-News (SC) examines why teacher molestation charges are hard to prosecute.

"The biggest difficulty you have in prosecuting any sexual assault case, especially with children, is that they do not tell right away, and by the time they disclose there is no physical evidence," said Debbie Lash, assistant prosecutor for the 9th Circuit, which includes Berkeley and Charleston counties.

Stephen Braveman studies child abuse. He estimates that just half all incidents of sexual abuse are reported. Among male victims, he said, the reporting rate is likely about 10 percent.

In the seven active South Carolina cases, seven of the 12 alleged victims are boys ranging in age from 11 to 15.

TT- the case they highlighted is a 46-year-old female 2nd grade teacher , Kimberly Moody Alexander, who was charged with performing a lewd act on a child. A Columbia police officer found the former Bradley Elementary School teacher and a 14-year-old boy lying down in the front seat of her car. The two were fully clothed and were kissing, the boy simulating sex. The jury deadlocked at her trial and prosecutors plan to try her again.
Alexander is married with two children.

The Post and Courier on "Awareness of female offenders increasing" reports experts caution that sexual misconduct by women has long been under-reported in our society, which has had trouble accepting the notion of women as molesters. They list South Carolina cases.

A state representative is pushing legislation that would institute a 25-year minimum sentence for sex crimes committed by school personnel.

Sioux City, NEBRASKA

Mar 26, 2007 - A South Sioux City, Nebraska teacher is on "leave" for one week after his arrest for soliciting a prostitute. He is a teacher and head coach at South Sioux City Middle School.

His status could come up for discussion at Monday night's school board meeting.

TT - The Nebraska Department of Education is one of the few state sites where it you can find a front page link to Certification that leads you to a link to a Code of Ethics.

Florence, ALABAMA

Mar 24, 2007 - After parents complained, a student teacher at Wilson High School has been banned from the school after he was accused of e-mailing and posting inappropriate messages to students online.

The intern was an education major at Alabama State University in Montgomery

He was escorted off the campus Thursday morning by the school's resource officer.
[Story continued here for space considerations.]

Durham, NORTH CAROLINA

"She's not teaching anymore. She's in another line of work, in the administrative field."

Mar 25, 2007 - A Durham teacher who taught eighth-grade at Chewning Middle School was arrested in 2006 for and charged with allowing a male student to spend the night with her. Thee Herald-Sun found the resolution of the case:

But in a quiet September plea deal that escaped media attention, Janet K. Briggs received deferred prosecution on two counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, court records indicate.

TT- Deferred prosecution means no criminal record. Continued here.]

Bellaire, TEXAS

Mar 20, 2007 - Tamara Ryman, 37, a Bellaire High School algebra teacher, was arrested after being found with a 16-year-old male student who was naked from the waist down in a van. The current charge is trespassing.

She was found in a parked van with the boy. When the deputy approached the car, the boy had his pants down, and Ryman had just jumped into the driver's seat, according to police reports.

Ryman appears to have been an informal, if not legal, guardian for the teenage boy. He was arrested when police found marijuana and brass knuckles on him.

ABC13 - spoke with her father-in-law. Ryman is married with two children.

Aurora, ILLINOIS

Mar 25, 2007 - Kenneth Kane, 53, a West Aurora High School teacher, was sentenced earlier this month to 24 months' intensive probation after pleading guilty to charges that he improperly touched female students.

Kane pleaded guilty to aggravated battery. He must also must register as a sex offender for the next 10 years, and is banned from contacting victims in the case, according to records.

Prosecutors say Kane, of Joliet, inappropriately touched three teenage students over their clothing during the 2003-04 and 2004-05 school years.

TT - second story down.

Background Checks

School districts are required by the 2005 Jessica Lunsford Act to run background checks on workers and most visitors. So how did The Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind allow felons to work on campus construction jobs during the past two years?

That's the question a Police department employee asked in anonymous letter complaining about the felons to school officials in May 2006, He also sent it to state officials, who asked the school's board of trustees' chairwoman about the felons.

A reporter at the St. Austine Record asked the exact same questions and more.
You can read it at the link.
-----------------------------
TT - the implication is that the school was "saving money over the school's students' safety," as an unattributed "others" put it. The records of the 10 men are daunting, but the newspaper acknowledges that they broke no law going on the campus.

Neither, apparently, did the school. There was a memorandum from the school president in 2005 at about the same time as Jessica's Law was implemented that stated that the school would not allow felons on the campus. But most schools issued memorandums to announce that they were responding to the new law.

The felons who acted on construction projects at the school are not accused of any criminal activity. The school hasn't broken any law in employing them. The school employed a full-time, off-duty Augustine police officer to be there the whole time they were there.

So where is the story? At a guess, it's a newspaper taking advantage of the tide of resentment from the "Broken Trust" series from the Herald-Tribune to expose more wrongdoing on the part of the Florida Department of Education.

And, perhaps, some construction union resentment that the workers might have been non-unionized. It's hard to tell because the reporter doesn't examine that angle. But, then, there is no criminal conduct alleged either, and the reporter quotes a 'former" FSDB Police Department employee without explaining to the reader why he is no longer employed. And who, besides the FSDB Police Department, employed him. No one was injured or hurt, threatened, raped, pickpocketed, sexually propositioned, offered drugs, or assaulted.

At least not by the construction workers. And not by anyone else employed by the school.

The school is boarding school supported by the Florida Department of Education. It was established in 1885. It is Florida's primary public school for hearing-impaired and visually-impaired students pre-school through 12th grade. (Wikipedia)

A headline of "Felons on Campus" is catchy. But the reporter would do more good investigating the biggest threat to students: the school systems that hire and fail to provide oversight of teachers who sexually abuse students The same officials who then, after the fact, express surprise, conduct their own investigations without any training, and dismiss the allegations and allow the teacher to move on to another school. Another victim.

Brooklyn, NEW YORK

ALL CHARGES WERE DROPPED WHEN GIRL'S STORY UNRAVELED.

Mar 23 - All charges were dropped against a Brooklyn, New York janitor who was accused of raping an 8-year-old-girl. Arrested on Monday, he was arraigned then sent to Rikers. Bail was set at $150,000. The very next day, the prosecutors asked for him to be released on his own recognizance as the girl's story unraveled.

Prosecutors said yesterday that during further questioning, they concluded that the child's account had too many inconsistencies to be credible.

ABC7 reported: [The teacher] was overcome with tears at Brooklyn Criminal Court today, after the less than two minute proceeding that ended with an assistant district attorney delivering the words, "The People are dismissing the charges."

School Principal
Mar 21 - Officials reassigned the principal of the school because he allegedly did nothing about another possible abuse case involving the same girl and a different adult.

A Department of Education spokesman said yesterday that Long was being probed about "his alleged failure to report an earlier allegation of child abuse

Thanks to a poster for the tip.

Greenfield, INDIANA

Mar 24, 2007 - Greenfield-Central school officials fired a Greenfield Middle School teacher over concerns about her relationship with a student.

"No one has suggested the relationship between Trina Moore and the student was sexual or illegal, school officials said." The teacher spent hours per day outside school hours in the girl's company, talking to her on the phone or e-mailing with her, according to school officials.

When she refused to terminate her contact with the girl outside school even when instructed to do so by Greenfield Middle School Principal Jim Bever and despite complaints from the girl's mother. The teacher was fired for insubordination. Moore's attorney says she is considering a legal appeal.

"Phone records obtained through the school's investigation indicate Moore spent a cumulative total of more than 11 hours on the phone with the student one day in June 2006, and similar amounts of phone time with the girl on several other days. " While Moore's attorney says the calls were initiated by the girl, school officials said the teacher already had been warned about getting too personally involved with students.

School officials thought the conduct exceeded the bounds of a healthy teacher-student relationship.

The girl was 13-years-old.

TT- there's a lively debate at the news site that brings up some good issues. The ones who argue that she was just a caring teacher can be safely ignored. As an adult, if a parent asked you to quit talking to her child 10 hours a day, wouldn't you consider it wise to do so? The teacher wasn't fired for having poor judgement. She was fired because she was specifically ordered not to continue.

STATE CORRECTION.

Murfreesboro, TENNESEE

Dealing with a mad parent can really ruin your day.

Mar 21, 2007 - Nalin White, 29, a Siegel High School teacher, entered a a no-contest plea to three counts of soliciting a minor. He surrendered his teaching license.

Under terms of the plea, he was placed on supervised probation for 35 months and 27 days. according to the mother. In addition, he can't have contact with the victim, and he must undergo a psychological evaluation and abide by the recommendations.

The girl accused White of asking her if she was interested in having sex with a teacher between 26 and 28 years old. She told her mother about the conversation, and the mother complained to Siegel High Principal Ken Nolan that night.

The mother then notified the Schools Director and other central office administrators the next afternoon to look into what happened. The parent then asked the Sheriff's Office to investigate five days later, and Gill suspended White without pay that same day.

The girl's mother said she was glad her daughter pursued the complaint.
"She had been harassed at school, but she knew she did the right thing by coming forward," the mother said.

TT - It took five days for school authorities to remove the teacher from the classroom where he could be in contact with his victim. The mother had to go to the police to make something happen. What does this tell you about the first concern of some schools?

Mar 30 - County schools director Harry Gill, Jr., terminated Nalin White with a letter dated March 26. When he entered his plea on March 20, White also surrendered his teaching license.

SENTENCED and LAWSUIT - July 23 - White was sentenced and received probation and surrendered his teaching license. The mother of the victim has filed a lawsuit against White and the school principal and the school board.

Memorable Quote

Memorable quote of the week.

Out of the mouth of an elementary school principal after a teacher in the school left two children in a car. For six hours. In 80 degree weather.

"I understand law enforcement officials, they have their reputations at stake, they don't know her. They have a job to do in terms of protecting children, but my hope is that all this would be cleared up and she would be able to return to work," she said.

"Bottom line - we want to support Kristy. And it's not one of those situations of 'protecting your own, no matter what they've done' types of things," she said. "I think if the public knew the pressure some mothers are under, and how often this really does happen, they'd be amazed."

TT - They have their reputations at stake? They have a job to do protecting children? Like no one else should be concerned. And yes, the policeman did his job: he broke the window to rescue the children who were ages 2 and 4-months-old. Isn't an elementary school principal supposed to be concerned with protecting children? Ya think?

And she's right. If the public just knew.

Janesville, WISCONSIN

Mar 23, 2007 -
Christopher Hurst, 29, a Craig High School teacher's aide, has resigned. He was arrested Mar 12 when he went to meet what he thought was a 15-year-old girl. He had worked as a special-education aide in the district since 2004.

He is charged in Columbia County Court with using a computer to facilitate a child sex crime.

School officials had suspended Hurst without pay after confirming the arrest. A pretrial hearing is scheduled for Apr 12.
Full Name: Christopher J. Hurst

WCLO link August 21 - Conditions of his bond have been modified to allow contact with children to accomodate his employment. Hurst is scheduled to appear in court Oct. 18 for a preliminary hearing.
--------------------------------------
A jury trial is scheduled for 10-02-2008 at 9:00 am

Burbank, WASHINGTON

Mar 23, 2007 - Alfredo Castillo, 80, a teacher's aide at Columbia Middle School, was sentenced to 15-month sentenced for fondling a female student during the 2004-2005 school year. He also will be placed on three to four years of community custody when he's released.

She told officials the abuse occurred frequently enough that she started wearing sweatshirts to make it more difficult for Castillo to touch her.

The mother of the developmentally delayed girl who was 13-years-old at the time, reacted to the sentence. ``I pity him. My daughter isn't the damaged one - he is.''

Suffolk, VIRGINA

Mar 23, 2007 - Jerome Crawford, a teacher at Forest Glen Middle School, was sentenced to three months for going online to solicit sex from a teenager. He pleaded guilty last October

The judge ruled Crawford must register as a sex offender and continue treatment programs.
Full Name: Jerome Keith Crawford

See: Officer's job should be responsibility of all parents

Barstow, CALIFORNIA

NOT GUILTY of all charges. The jury deliberated just 90 minutes.

Jan 24, 2007 - Arrested on Jan. 24, 2006, he pleaded not guilty in an arraignment in March 2006. Today the trial began for James McKinley, a Cameron Elementary School teacher charged with sexually assaulting several of his former students.

Update Feb 3 - McKinley's trial is ongoing in Barstow. The prosecution has called 18 witnesses, including 13 students who were 8 to 10 years old at the time of the alleged incidents.

Update Feb 8 - The prosecution rests in the trial. The defense is scheduled to start Thursday then the trial will be suspended until Feb 14.

Update Mar 22 - The jury is deliberating.

Update Mar 23 - The jury deliberated less than 90 minutes before finding McKinley not guilty of all 22 counts alleging he molested 10 fourth-graders.

Although he was acquitted of criminal charges, school district spokeswoman Susan Levine said McKinley still faces dismissal under a state Education Code section dealing with immoral or unprofessional conduct, unsatisfactory performance or unfitness for service as grounds for unpaid suspension.

New York, NEW YORK

Mar 23, 2007 - Alan Schaefer, a music teacher at M.S. 67, a Queens middle school, has been charged with trying to use the Internet to have sex with underage girls.

The criminal complaint charged Schaefer with one count of using the Internet to persuade and entice what he thought was a 13-year-old girl to engage in sexual activity. He was talking to an undercover officer.

TT - no age, no arrest date, no schedule for court appearances given.

Camden, NEW JERSEY

Mar 20, 2007 - Michael Hailey, 65, principal at H.B. Wilson Elementary, was indicted, along with his top aide, administrator Patricia Johnson, 57, charged with conspiracy, theft, official misconduct and record tampering.

It's alleged that they asked parents and students at the school to pay for field trips and other outings, knowing that the trips were to be financed by the school district. Then kept the money collected through fundraisers and donations. Camden is one of the nation's poorest cities.

Hailey and another principal and her daughter were also indicted in a suspected scheme to overbill the district for leadership meetings authorities say never occurred. More indictments are expected.
[Continued here for space considerations.]

Camden, New Jersey at Wikipedia.
New Jersey Attorney General Office press release.

INDICTED Apr 13 - Michael Hailey and administrator Patricia Johnson were indicted. Hailey's attorney predicts that more people will be indicted.

NOT GUILTY PLEAS May 22 - The four former school employees pleaded not guilty at their arraignment to stealing student field-trip money and submitting phony pay vouchers. Hailey, 65, of Delran, Johnson, 57, of Atco, and Juanita Worthy, 59, of Evesham, all veteran educators, retired from the district last June.

The state began investigating Camden schools after The Inquirer raised questions about 2005 state standardized fourth-grade test results at Wilson and Wiggins. The struggling schools posted some of the best scores in the state.

Scores for 2006 plummeted at both schools, and were generally lower across the district after the state sent in monitors. The state Department of Education concluded last summer that the scores had been boosted by "adult interference."

TT - Myron and Win would know what to do. Well, Win would.

NPR background on the Camden schools scandal.
Philadelphia Inquirer has a whole section on Camden Schools Testing Controversy.
From Inquirer: Camden Test Scores compared for 2004, 2005 and 2006. (The 2006 is honest testing.)

PLEA OFFERS REJECTED June 12 - Four defendants rejected plea offers. They are: Michael Hailey, 65, Patricia Johnson, 57, Juanita Worthy, 60, and her daughter, Keah Worthy, 31.

JOHNSON GUILTY PLEA Jan 29, 2008 - Patricia Johnson pleaded guilty to illegally collecting more than $14,000 from parents and teachers for field trips that were already included in the school budget. She also admitted she conspired with three other school district workers to be paid for after-school meetings that were never scheduled.

As part of her plea agreement, Johnson agreed to testify against co-defendants including retired principal of the school Michael Hailey. Johnson had been the chief administrator at the school under Hailey. The plea agreement does not call for a set sentence. Sentencing is scheduled for Sept 22.

Hailey is scheduled to go on trial in July. The Worthy defendants, both Evesham residents, and Hailey are scheduled for trial in August in connection with the leadership council vouchers.

KEAH WORTHY PLEADS GUILTY October 24 - Keah Worthy, 33, pleaded guilty to a theft charge for her part in a scheme to bilk her district out of $25,000 for meetings that never took place. She admitted to submitting false paperwork to try to get paid for fictitious council meetings. The councils were created through the so-called Abbott court decisions.

The state will recommend probation when she is sentenced on Dec. 5.

Still pending are charges against Hailey stemming from the meetings and field trips and against the elder Worthy regarding the meetings.

A spokesman for the state attorney general declined to comment on the status of the grand-jury investigation into the rigging of 2005 state reading and math tests at the Wilson and Wiggins schools.

HAILEY PLEADS GUILTY November 3 - Hailey pleaded guilty today to official misconduct to March 19, 2007 charges of official misconduct and attempted theft by deception, according to the Attorney General's office. The state will recommend, under the plea agreement Hailey made, a sentence of three to five years in state prison.

Lincolnton, NORTH CAROLINA

GUILTY
Mar 22, 2007 - Jeremiah Wood, 28, an East Lincoln High School teacher, was arrested, accused of having inappropriate contact with a 15-year-old student at school.

The charge is one count of taking indecent liberties with a student by school personnel. He turned himself in at the sheriff's office. He was released on bond.
(Photo courtesy WCNC)
Full Name: Jeremiah Howard Wood

Lincoln County Sheriffs Office is a great site.. No press release online yet.
Check out their FAQs.

GUILTY PLEA to sexual battery. [Source: N.C. Board of Education]

LICENSE ACTION February 2008 Action: License Revoked. Reason: Guilty plea to sexual battery. [Source: N.C. Board of Education]

Elkview, WEST VIRGINIA

Sentenced to 42 months and probation for life-under the direct supervision of a federal probation officer.

GUILTY PLEA Nov 14, 2006 - Garland Eary, 54, a fifth grade teacher at Pinch Elementary School, pleaded guilty to child pornography possession.

Sentencing is scheduled for March 13.
Full name: Garland Lenn Eary

Feb 9, 2007 - Correction to state. (Thanks to a reader.)
Eary is still shown as a teacher at the West Virginia Department of Education school directory.

U.S. Attorney's Office News Release dated Oct 17, 2006.

SENTENCED Mar 22 - After pleading guilty in November, Eary was sentenced to 42 months in prison. He will be on probation for life. He gave up his teaching certificate to the state.

U.S. District Judge John T. Copenhaver described Eary’s child porn collection as “revolting to the senses,” according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Copenhaver said that by being a “willing consumer” of child pornography, Eary supported the sexual abuse of children, according to the release. [We link to below.]

Three former colleagues of Eary wrote to the court to support him.

U.S. Attorney's Office News Release dated Mar 21, 2007.
"EARY will be under the direct supervision of a federal probation officer for the remainder of his life."

Oct 5 - Lawsuit filed to end pension benefits.

Officials at the state’s public retirement board are trying to end pension benefits for a former Kanawha County teacher who pleaded guilty last year to having child porn.

In a lawsuit filed Thursday in Kanawha Circuit Court, a lawyer for the state Consolidated Public Retirement Board asks the court to terminate benefits for Garland Lenn Eary.

Eary’s “less than honorable service” renders him ineligible to receive benefits, according to the lawsuit.

Morristown, TENNESSEE

Mar 19, 2007 - No criminal charges have been filed against Michael Crosby, 36, a teacher at Morristown-Hamblen High School East, but he was dismissed for allegations of inappropriate sexual conduct with a student.

[For space considerations, continued here.]

JUDGE RECUSES HIMSELF June 9, 2008 - Judge Kindall D. Lawson has recused himself from deciding Michael Crosby’s appeal of his firing by the Hamblen County Board of Education. Whoever is appointed will probably want to hold another hearing, said Scott Reams, the board’s attorney.

Crosby was fired from his teaching position at Morristown-Hamblen High School East in 2007 on charges of unprofessional conduct and insubordination related to his alleged relationship with a female student and because of e-mails sent to another teacher via the school’s computer system.

While the girl told the school board that she did not have a sexual relationship with Crosby, numerous other witnesses testified she had told them she was having sex with Crosby.

Crosby’s attorney, Robert L. Jolley of Knoxville, maintained that there was no proof that Crosby had a sexual relationship with the girl and that by allowing hearsay testimony, the school board made its decision based on evidence not admissible in a court of law.

Reams countered that Crosby’s relationship with the girl did not have to be sexual in nature to constitute an inappropriate relationship for a teacher to have with a student. He cited the testimony of one witness who said he had seen Crosby and the girl kissing and hugging in the back room of a business Crosby owned and where the girl worked.

At the time of the school board’s hearing on Crosby, the girl was living in Crosby’s mother’s house, Reams said.

"There was ample evidence that there was an inappropriate relationship," Reams said. "Clearly, Mr. Crosby should have been disciplined. If the board had not done so, it would have been violating its responsibility to the students and to other employees."

In his appeal, Crosby alleges he did not receive adequate notice of the charges against him and that the board’s decision violated his right to freedom of speech.

Jolley maintained there was no evidence that the other teacher was offended by Crosby’s e-mails, that the e-mails were sent after work hours and that disciplining Crosby over them was a violation of his rights.

On the other hand,
Mar 22, 2007 - A Wisconsin teacher who was fired and the charges were later dismissed, is appealing his firing. Dennis Bravick, was accused in Mar 2005 of four counts of invasion of privacy when prosecutors said he entered the girls locker room on several occasions while female students were changing.

A year later - Mar 2006 - all 4 charges were dismissed.
A year later - Mar 2007 - he is appealing to get his job back.