Lawndale, CALIFORNIA

If you went to Lawndale High School, you might remember

Law "Larry" Risken Jr.

He was shot dead while visiting the Philippines in 2006.

His wife was a suspect in the killing since her first husband, Earl John Bourdeau, died under similar circumstances in 1987, allegedly by her brothers. (Three of Mrs. Risken's brothers were charged in 1987 with the killing of her first husband, Philippines National Police documents and court records show, but the case was dropped because of insufficient evidence.) She was suspected in both killings. She was not with either man at the time, even though each man -- both American military veterans -- was visiting her relatives.

Now she has been murdered in her Lomita home. Nine days earlier, someone took a shot at her in her beauty salon.

TT - Posted as a favor for a reader.

Etna, CALIFORNIA

Sex offender for the rest of his life.

Apr 30, 2007 - Lee Pierce, an Etna High Spanish and choir teacher, was sentenced to serve 180 days in the county jail — with credit for time served — and five years probation. Pierce will also have to take part in a sex offender’s rehabilitation program. He will have to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.

Pierce surrendered his California teaching certification and will be barred from teaching anywhere for the rest of his life.

He pleaded guilty on March 23 to sex charges with a person under age 18. The girl was a student. He might be freed in two weeks and be allowed to wear an electronic bracelet for the rest of his sentencing.

West Covina, CALIFORNIA

Third San Gabriel Valley teacher arrested for sexual misconduct.

Feb 28, 2007 Andrew Barnes, 25, a at South Hills High School in West Covina, was arrested on suspicion of molesting six female students.

Barnes has been on administrative leave since December when an investigation began. A judge ordered an arrest warrant on Monday. He was released on bond on Tuesday. Arraignment is scheduled for Mar 7.
[Photo courtesy of CBS.]
Full Name: Andrew Joseph Barnes

Feb 8 - Barnes pleaded not guilty Wednesday to multiple counts of child molestation. His next court appearance will be Mar 21.

Mar 27 - No online information available. Preliminary had been scheduled for Mar 21.

Mar 27 - Reader reports that the preliminary was moved as his attorney wasn't available on Mar 21. Preliminary hearing is rescheduled to April 10.

Apr 4 - Press Release from Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office on arrest.

Apr 30 - (Tip from reader) Barnes pleaded guilty last Friday to one felony count of using a minor for a prohibited act and two misdemeanor counts of indecent exposure. The felony charge involved using a minor in a photograph, while the misdemeanor charges involved "photos that were found on his computer."

Barnes was sentenced to a two-year state prison term and ordered to register as a sex offender.

Orlando, FLORIDA

ARRESTED Apr 30, 2007 - Joshua Cummings, 21, a substitute teacher supplied by Kelly Education Services, was arrested for possession of a loaded gun. THe loaded 9-mm handgun was found in his car.

Authorities were alerted by a parent who saw Cummings with the gun. Cummings was released by deputies who recommended that he be charged by the Orange-Osceola State Attorney's Office with possession of a weapon on school grounds, which is a felony.

The school is University High School. Kelly Education Services issued a statement and fired the teacher.

Blount County, TENNESSEE

Apr 30, 2007 - A judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by a teacher who was fired for inappropriate conduct.

Joey Bailey, was fired Nov 30, 2006, on the basis of e-mails he sent to a teacher commenting on how she looked in a pair of jeans and relating discussions he had had with students — whom he named — about the students’ sexual activities.

He was dismissed for creating an uncomfortable work environment.

TT - Joey Bailey isn't shown as being certified in Tennessee.

Katy, TEXAS

ARRESTED News story dated Mar 27, 2007 - Denise Pham, 28, a Katy junior high teacher, arrested, accused of having sex with a 14-year-old boy in the back of a pickup truck, posted $10,000 and was released on Tuesday.

News story dated Mar 13 - Pham gave up custody of her children. Her husband filed for divorce.

Pham confessed that she is pregnant and wanted an abortion.
It's not clear who the father is -- Daniel Pham or the teen.

If Pham has an abortion, she was ordered to give the court 48 hours notice so they can obtain DNA evidence from the fetus for a possible criminal case.

TT - talk about sordid.

Brevard County, FLORIDA

From Florida Today, a Gannett paper, "Teacher misconduct rises."

As of March, more than 3,300 Florida teachers had been reported to the state this school year alone for alleged misconduct, a 14 percent increase from four years ago.

That works out to about 25 teachers a day through March 1 this school year.

"In Brevard county, 15 teachers were referred to the state. Half were arrested for drunk driving."

TT - See right sidebar for six Brevard teachers in the news. Three are accused of being sexually involved with students. One convicted of sexually abusing male students and sentenced to 70 years. One teacher arrested for cultivating marijuana and possession of a gun. Half of the six were women, one the marijuana-grower and the other two charged with alleged sex crimes with students.
News story dated Apr 29, 2007.

California

"Bonita aims to stem sex abuse Subhead: Program should be wider, critics say" is, apparently, one critic. An "activist group that wants to make schools and churches safer for children" wants to train administrators and teachers.

TT - Bonita school district already has a training program in place, one developed after the district lost a $3.5 million lawsuit as a result of teacher molestation of students in the 1990s. In the last two years, three teachers have been arrested, two convicted. Only one was accused of molesting a student.

It's inevitable that in high profile stories that "activists" are consulted by the media. It's rolodex journalism and doesn't solve anything. Teachers already receive training when they are hired, given lectures and training and reminders every Fall before school begins.

The solution isn't more training and spending more money. It's making tougher penalties for teachers who sexually engage students, including automatic sex offender registration for life.
News story dated Apr 29, 2007

Seattle, WASHINGTON

Talk about expensive failure.

Apr 28, 2007 - Washington lawmakers are trying to figure out how to gloss over colossal failure by delaying math and science sections of the Washington Assessment of Student Learning as a graduation requirement for another five years.

The reason: "According to the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, 10,831 of this year's high school juniors who have taken the test did not pass the reading portion, 11,718 haven't passed writing and 32,855 haven't passed math. The class includes 82,992 students, but not all have taken all three sections of the test."

Reading failure = 10,831
Writing failure = 11,718
Math failure = 32,855

From the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction:

What will happen if our children leave high school without fundamental skills?

They will struggle to survive, both personally and professionally, because their choices will be limited. And they will have difficulty making informed decisions about everything from managing their money to electing local, state and national leaders.

Doesn't that last bit just say a lot?

According to the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, twenty-six states, including Washington, have or will soon have some kind of exit exam requirement that students must meet to graduate. The students were specifically prepared for the tests: "The Class of 2008 was chosen because it is the first class to be educated with the state’s learning standards since kindergarten. "

If they were prepared since kindergarten, why are there so many failures?

Online you can find a list of unions who are opposed to standardized testing. It makes you wonder what would be the results if unions and teachers spent as much time and money on teaching as they do in opposing student achievement.

Of course, the students won't know the difference if you judge by their reading scores. They certainly won't be able to deduce that failure isn't their fault. In a state where 70.7% are white and only a scant 12.9% are Hispanic, what is the excuse? Not lack of English.

Still, legislators egged on by teachers unions and the vast education bureaucracy will deprive another generation of children out of a decent education. Just because educators are functionally illiterate and lazy, there is no reason they should deny children an opportunity to learn.

But they will do just that.

Arcadia, CALIFORNIA

News story dated Apr 13, 2007 -
Jonathan Poyner, 21, a volunteer coach at Rio Hondo Preparatory School in Arcadia, pleaded guilty to molesting 10 boys.

Poyner pleaded guilty to eight counts of lewd acts on a child under 14, one count of attempted lewd act upon a child under 14 and one count of forcible lewd act upon a child under 14. The plea agreement will result in 17 years in prison.

Poyner was arrested by the L.A. County Sheriff's Department in December 2005 on suspicion of molesting nine seventh- and eighth-graders in their homes, on school trips and at sporting events, police said. A 10th boy later came forward, Adomian. Poyner is a former Rio Hondo student, was a college student who worked in the lunch program and volunteered part-time at the school as a sports coach, police said.

He is being held on $1 million bail in Men's Central Jail in downtown Los Angeles. Link

He will be sentenced on April 26.

Full Name: Jonathan Robert Poyner

Apr 26 - Poyner was sentenced to 17 years in prison for molesting nine boys and attempting to molest a 10th child. The victims were all 13 years old.

TT - it's a shame that he wasn't required to register as a sex offender for life.

Houston, TEXAS

Cheating children out of a decent education.

Apr 28, 2007 - An AP story accuses ALTA Academy, a charter school for at-risk teens, of inflating attendance. It is reported that they may have to repay $358,000 in state funding.

The source of the story is given "school officials" but there is no link to a report or a finding or an investigation. It was reported that HISD spokesman Terry Abbott said that the school board is expect to place ALTA on probation.

It wouldn't be the first time that a school has inflated attendance. AP: The Texas Education Agency is moving to shut down Houston's Gulf Shores Academy and Alphonso Crutch Life Support Center.
-------------------------------
TT - This week, the New Jersey Department of Education issued a 12-page report on Trenton schools, a copy of which was given to The Times, Trenton, by a whistleblowing teacher. See TT link. Both schools have a lot in common

The Trenton Central High School rated a 1 at Great Schools.

The ALTA Academy rates a 2. (Grades 9 and 10 were rated 1)
- In 2005-2006 Alta Academy was rated "AEA: Academically Acceptable" by the Texas Education Agency.
- Alta has a 90% Hispanic population, 7% Black.
- The school has a mobility rate of 52% - the "percentage of students who were enrolled at the school for less than 83% of the school year, or in other words, have missed six or more weeks at a particular school, as reported by the state. "
- In their test scores, the state average for Math was 56%. For Alta Academy students it was 15%.

Trenton is warehousing over 3,000 students. Alta less than 800.

Unless you are a total racist and believe that Black and Hispanic children are inferior and incapable of learning, then you have to believe that these schools are deliberately depriving children of structure and learning They are failing to provide parent education and, ultimately, these schools serve no purpose except to keep children off the street.

They are a revolving door of opportunity for a Big Business education industry to cycle children endlessly and fruitlessly into and out of classrooms. They are a guarantee of continuing poverty.

They ought to be ashamed.

Quote of the Day

When an elementary school principal was arrested for indecent exposure and admitted he had done so several times during the last 5-6 years, a Seattle Post-Intelligencer reporter asked,

Even if true, should an educator's stupid, reckless, even criminal behavior finish him or her in education if those acts had no connection at all to any school, kids or campus?

Must teachers and principals meet a higher behavioral bar than others because of their position of power and trust with children?

TT entry. Bless the stupid; they fill journalism schools.

Mandeville, LOUISIANA

Apr 27, 2007 -

Gregory Adragna, 52, a Fontainebleau High School math teacher, was sentenced to 90-day sentence after he pleaded guilty to domestic abuse battery, a misdemeanor.

Adragna was accused of shoving a gun in his girlfriend's mouth and threatening to kill her. He was arrested in May 2005.

When the victim in the case didn't show up to testify, the D.A. had to amend the charge to the misdemeanor. Adragna was already on probation for obstruction of justice, a charge related to the same case. He was released with time served. Adragna was fired after the arrest.

Wheat Ridge, COLORADO

Sentenced to 24 years to life.

Feb 9, 2007 - Marshall Walker, 33, eighth-grade science teacher at Everett Middle School, faces trial next week on 55 charges of sexual exploitation of a child, enticement of a child and unlawful sexual contact.

It is alleged that he took pornographic photos of his students after enticing them with gifts and promising to change a failing test grade.
Full name: Marshall Adam Walker

He was arrested May 9, 2006. Jefferson Co. Sheriff's Office Press Release.

Feb 14 - Walker waived a jury trial. His case is being heard before a judge. Walker referred to the offers as "dares," [Prosecutor Lori] Tolle said, which were to be repaid by pulling down their pants so he could take photos and videos, some of which were 40 minutes long.

Feb 14- Walker was was found guilty today of 35 counts of coercing three young teenage boys into posing nude.
Walker will be sentenced April 27.
Walker also faces similar charges in Adams County.

SENTENCED: Apr 27 - Walker was sentenced to 24 years to life in prison. No date given for when the Adams Co. charges will be heard.

Walker could have been sentenced to four to 12 years in prison on each of the 30 charges of sexual exploitation of a child, two to six years in prison up to mandatory lifetime supervisory parole on each of the two enticement of a child charges and two to six years in prison for each of the three unlawful sexual contact charges.

Update Apr 28 - Rocky Mountain News reports on the victims and Walker's apology.

Walker apologized to his victims, their families, his students and school communities: "My addiction to sexual deviancy has brought with it lies, deceit and dishonesty. None of my victims asked for or deserved that.

I also apologize for forcing them to testify at the trial and relive their abuse. Please don't let what I did to you dominate and control your lives. I want them to heal from this.

No date given for when the Adams charges will be heard.

Bossier City, LOUISIANA

Apr 27, 2007 - Brondywn Wright, 32, a teacher's aide at Plantation Park Elementary School, was fired after her arrest on drug charges after police got a complaint about a woman seen smoking drugs in a car where children were riding.

Wright was a passenger along with her 3-year-old daughter and 4-year-old niece. Police said they found a crack pipe and small bag of suspected cocaine in Wright's purse.

Wright was booked for possession of cocaine, possession of drugs in the presence of children and possession of drug paraphernalia. She also had three bench warrants for failure to appear in court to answer other charges.

The driver of the car was ticketed for driving under suspension and not having the two children in safety restraints.

Napperville, ILLINOIS

A teacher with "a troubled past."

Apr 14, 2007 - Akela Dillon, 26, is described as a teacher "with a troubled past" by the Daily Herald. She was suspended for allegedly slapping a student. The incident was caught on by a video surveillance camera.

The newspaper, however, discovered that Dillon spent time in Carbondale where she was arrested in 1999 and charged with aggravated battery but was not convicted. An item that ran in Southern Illinois University’s school newspaper indicated Dillon allegedly struck a pedestrian with an umbrella and then tried to run over the victim with a vehicle.

DuPage County circuit court clerk records indicate she was arrested in 1997 by Lombard police for retail theft and pleaded guilty. Then, in 2001, she was arrested by District 2 Illinois State Police and charged with possession of cannabis and resisting a police officer. She pleaded guilty to resisting arrest but the cannabis charge was dropped.

Dillon was seriously injured just months into her teaching career at Neuqua Valley when her live-in boyfriend stabbed her in their Aurora apartment. She was stabbed nine times requiring lifesaving surgery. He's serving 12 years for the attack.

District 204 officials said Dillon announced on March 20 that she would resign at the end of the school year. That was just weeks prior to the April 3 incident that occurred in a hallway near a set of lockers. Prior to working at Neuqua Valley High School, she previously taught at Waukegan High School.

There were vague "racial overtones" according to the Chicago Sun-Times as the teacher reportedly made derogatory remarks about the boy dating a white female and "smacked" him in the face, said the mother, Tiffany Stephens. Both Dillon and the boy are black.

Update Apr 27 - Dillon was sentenced to 12 months court supervision for slapping a student's face in a school hallway earlier this month.

Dillon was also ordered to seek anger management counseling, pay $250 in fines and court fees, and not have contact with the student in question.

Stamford, CONNECTICUT

Sentenced to 20 years, sentence suspended in 12 years for killing 3 people -- James Inverno, 72, his 58-year-old wife, Barbara, and their family friend, Glenn Shelley, 23.

Feb 6, 2007 - Tricia Coccomo, 32, a second-grade teacher at International School at Rogers Magnet, is on trial for six counts of second-degree manslaughter for a drunk driving accident that killed three people. Police say her sport utility vehicle crossed over the center line and struck a car head-on.

The driver of the convertible, 72-year-old James Inverno, died instantly. His wife, Barbara, 58, and their back seat passenger, 23-year-old Glenn Shelley, died hours later. Blood tests revealed Coccomo's blood-alcohol level was 0.20, above the legal limit of 0.08.

The jury began deliberations.

Update: Feb 8 - Coccomo was convicted of three counts each of manslaughter, driving while intoxicated and criminal misconduct with a motor vehicle. Sentencing is set for March 30.
Coccomo has three children.

Article on why it takes so long for drunken driving cases to come to court.

Update Apr 27 - Coccomo was sentenced to 20 years. The sentence will be suspended after 12 years.

TT - It was one of those trials where you rooted for the prosecution because the defense wanted to play Johnny Cochrane and the defendant took no responsibility whatsoever for killing three people.

August 27 - Story on Tricia Coccomo's planned appeal. A judge has released her on $1 million bond.

Law

Good news for the prosecution of sexual predators.

Apr 27 - The Court of Appeals ruled that explicit words are just as bad as nude pictures when they're sent to children over the Internet.

The court reinstated the conviction of a Manhattan real estate lawyer who was found writing instant messages about masturbation and other sex acts to an undercover Westchester investigator posing as a 14-year-old boy.

Last month, Gov. Eliot Spitzer signed an amendment so the law now covers communications made "either in words or images." The change was prompted by Kozlow's initial win on appeal.

Likely to be impacted: Byram Hills High School teacher Paul Wicht, who sent explicit e-mails to a 14-year-old student and tried to meet the girl for sex.

Wicht was convicted in 2005 of first-degree attempted dissemination of indecent material to minors and was sentenced to 30 days in jail and five years' probation, but he was allowed to remain free on bail pending appeal.

Durango, COLORADO

Press Release Apr 25, 2007 -

Ronald Sherman, 45, a substitute teacher was sentenced today to 51 months imprisonment for traveling from Colorado to California to engage in sex with a minor. Sherman was also sentenced to a five-year term of supervised release. In addition, Mr. Sherman will be required to register as a sex offender.

According to the plea agreement, in early 2004, Mr. Sherman began a relationship over the Internet with a girl who he later learned was 16 years old. He then traveled from Colorado to a hotel in Concord, California, where the two engaged in various sexual acts. Several months later, he traveled from Colorado to a San Francisco hotel, again to engage in sexual acts with the minor. Mr. Sherman is a former high school substitute teacher and wrestling coach.

Source: U.S. Department of Justice Press Release

Passing the Trash - now in Court

TOP STORY OF THE DAY

It is a case that school administrators will watch carefully. The 11th Circuit court is considering a whether a school distrct can be sued for not warning another school about teacher’s alleged behavior.

A teacher was alleged to have inappropriate contact with a number of students. Other school employees raised the concerns. Students were removed from his class after parents objected. Nevertheless, the principal did nothing to investigate and did not notify anyone else. Eventually they chose not to renew Joey Wilson's contract.

Wilson was hired by another school district. The principal of the first school reportedly told the human resource director of the other district that Wilson was an excellent teacher whom the principal hated to see leave. District employees at the first school district were told not to volunteer information.

When Joey Wilson was accused of molesting children at the second school, the parents of two girls sued both school districts. A federal judge refused to dismiss the claims against the first district, Stephens County, even though the molestation alleged by the plaintiffs’ children had taken place at the second school district, in nearby White County.

Lawyers in the case said the question of a school district’s liability for a professional reference is a new one for the 11th Circuit.

Brief of the Plaintiffs pdf
Reply Brief of the Appellants pdf

The cases were Stephens County School District v. Dale, No. 06-14083, and White County School District v. Dale, No. 06-11565.
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Wilson committed suicide after being indicted for 10 counts of child molestation for abuse of children in the second school district.

TT - The term "passing the trash" was coined by Education Week for the practice of allowing itinerant abusers to move from one school district to another when troubles arise. The subhead of the report says it all: "'Passing the Trash' by School Districts Frees Sexual Predators To Hunt Again" They found it was becase "many school lawyers have been urging their clients ...to adopt policies of limited or no disclosure about past employees."

The report was written in 1998 and even then, they were alarmed at the scale of the problem.

You can find the report at their web site. It's a subscription site, but you can take out a one-month subscription.

Pearl City, HAWAII

Supervised release means constant monitoring, including polygraphs.

Apr 27, 2007 - Keith Akana, a Waiau Elementary teacher who served time in federal prison for possession of child pornography is back in jail on weekends for violating the terms of his supervised release.

After two polygraph tests ordered by the U.S. Probation Office, Akana admitted to viewing pornographic material online, failed to notify the probation officer about it and had online contact with a minor. The judge revoked his supervised release and placed him on 30 months of supervised release and 100 days' incarceration, to be served on 50 consecutive weekends at the federal detention center.

Akana was initially sentenced in July 2003 to 46 months' imprisonment with three years of supervised release. The sentence was later reduced to 32 months
Full Name: Keith Kalani Akana

Bakersfield, CALIFORNIA

Apr 26, 2007 - John Lopez, 58, a Centennial High School teacher, was arrested on charges of continuous sexual abuse of a minor under 14.

As a retention officer, Lopez works with troubled youth. Police said the alleged victim in the case was not a student at the school.

He will be arraigned on Monday.
Full Name: John Ramos Lopez

Mulvane, KANSAS

Apr 26, 2007 - Parents of students who attend Mulvane public schools requested the resignation of district superintendent Donna Augustine-Shaw, assistant superintendent Richard Flores and any other board members who knew that a teacher engaged in inappropriate relationships with students during the past two school years.

The teacher, Tiffany Garrison, was fired less than a week ago for having an inappropriate relationship with a Mulvane High School senior this school year.

Only one of the fifty parents was allowed to speak at Monday's meeting. Sixty parents attended the board meeting when Garrison was fired.

Tiffany Garrison, 25, was fired over an inappropriate relationship with an 18-year-old female student.

Apr 30 - Parents are not giving up. About 75 people attended a meeting at Mulvane First United Methodist Church. Parents asked that community members contact Mulvane High School board of education members and voice their concerns about the situation.

They also asked that people contact the State Board of Education regarding Garrison. Doing so, one parent said, will help strengthen the case against her and help give the state board the ability to revoke her teaching license.

July 10, 2007 - State Board Meeting PDF Pg. 63 - Her license was revoked.

OREGON

This is just so reassuring to parents.

Apr 26, 2007 - The Senate Education and General Government on Thursday approved a bill allowing schools to hire teachers who have been convicted of misdemeanor prostitution in the past.

"Senate Bill 724, if anything, is about forgiveness," Sen. Margaret Carter, D-Portland, told the committee. "This says to a young woman -- or man -- there will be a second chance."

Carter said she had heard from several teachers who either lost their license or couldn't get one because of a prostitution conviction when they were young.

GET A STUDENT LOAN LIKE THE REST OF US!!!

Silver Springs, MARYLAND

Coach wrote down his license plate number and called police.

ARRESTED Apr 26, 2007 - Charles Bouma, 43, an eighth grade math teacher at Argyle Middle School, was arrested, charged with indecent exposure, disorderly conduct and disturbing a school operation.

Bouma allegedly exposed himself and engaged in sexual activity while driving in a convertible beside a school bus carrying students. After the incident, Bouma followed the bus and drove around each side, causing "considerable commotion" on the bus, police say.

The girls on the bus were members of the Holy Cross crew team and on their way to practice. The crew team coach wrote down Bouma's license plate and called police to report the incident.

ABC News reports it's not his first arrest. They say a check of criminal records show he was arrested in Nov 2005 for indecent exposure, but the case was placed in the inactive docket.
Full Name: Charles Robert Bouma

May 2 - Bouma is "no longer an MCPS employee" as of Monday, MCPS spokeswoman said.

According to District Court charging documents, Bouma admitted to the acts during a police interview. He also said that he had been seeking treatment for an addiction to indecent acts.
His initial trial date is set for June 12.

UPDATE cts
GUILTY PLEA & SENTENCING May 11, 2008 - Bouma pleaded guilty Oct 17, 2007 to one count of indecent exposure. On Dec 4, 2007, he was sentenced to 6 months - suspended. Court placed defendant on 24 months supervised probation.

Austin, TEXAS

Apr 26, 2007 - Kenneth Wegner, 47, pleaded guilty this week to three charges of indecency with a child, stemming from allegations he abused students at Barbara Jordan Elementary School.

Wegner was physical education teacher he was arrested in 2004, on a charge of second-degree felony indecency with a child. A month later, a grand jury indicted Wegner with three more counts of felony indecency with a child.

Wegner was indicted one more time for the same charge in 2005, leaving him with five separate indictments, each carrying the possibility of up to 20 years in prison.

Wegner was set to face trial this week, , but at the last minute he pleaded guilty to three of the cases and accepted a sentence of 10 years for each. The remaining two cases were dismissed by prosecutors. No date was given for sentencing.
Full Name: Kenneth Lee Wegner

Houston, TEXAS

Disgusting.

Apr 26, 2007 - Johnny G.Villalobos, 65, a Special Olympics coach and teacher's aide, was arrested after they found him parked in the driveway of an abandoned home with a 29-year-old mentally challenged woman.

Villalobos allegedly was having sex with the victim, 29, who is a member of the Special Olympics team that he coached.

He admitted having "numerous sexual encounters'' with the victim during questioning by investigators with Houston Police Department's sex crimes unit.

Villalobos, employed as a teacher's aide, was fired Tuesday by the Aldine Independent School District.

TT - we still recall John Valdez, the 66-year-old Special Olympics coach in Sterling Colorado who pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a 31-year-old retarded woman for five years.
TT entry for Valdez.

School Reform *SNICKER*

Whenever politicians talk about school reform, look out. But that's exactly what Roy Romer wants to do.

You might remember Roy Romer as the former 3-term governor of Colorado and chairman of the DNC. His last position was as Superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District. It will be a $60 million campaign to "hurtle education to the top of the presidential-election agenda."

The project, run like a presidential campaign for a single issue, is an attempt to show voters that America's education system is slipping in the global economy and to pressure presidential candidates for solutions.

"We need to have fundamental overhaul," said Romer, who was superintendent of Los Angeles schools for six years after serving three terms as Colorado governor.

We want to make sure that education is elevated as the No. 1 priority."

The problem is that Los Angeles Schools are some of the most dysfunctional in the country. They are not only a poverty magnet, they are an absolute poverty guarantee. With a 4-year dropout rate of 39.3% is it any wonder?

Wikipedia: The LAUSD has a reputation for extremely crowded schools, poor maintenance and incompetent administration.

That's understating the problem. These are the cities who have tried to secede from the school district: Carson residents tried unsuccessfully in 2002, and currently, a small area served by LAUSD in Rancho Palos Verdes, known as Eastview, has been trying to do so, and join the school district that the rest of Rancho Palos Verdes is served by--namely, the Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District.

The city of Lomita once tried to secede from the LAUSD and join Torrance Unified. Communities in southeast Los Angeles County, such as Bell, Maywood, and Cudahy, have also tried to secede and form their own districts. (Source: Wikipedia)

The campaigns to secede have been costly and opposed by unions who spend millions and with the Democrat politicians, manage to defeat the attempts in citywide elections. Despite local votes for secession. It's not hard to understand why.

Wikipedia: As of 2005, LAUSD serves over 710,000 students, and with over 74,000 employees, is the second largest employer in Los Angeles County, after County government. That pretty much explains why the cities can't secede. They are outvoted and outspent every time after long and bitter campaigns that keep children captives of a corrupt school system.

LAUSD has the single most expensive non-school in history - the Belmont Learning Center. Again, Wikipedia:

The LAUSD had spent an estimated $175 million dollars on the project by 2004, with an additional $110 million budgeted for cleanup efforts. The total cost is estimated by LAUSD at $300 million. Critics have speculated that it may end up costing closer to $500 million. The school is scheduled to open in 2008.

They don't report that an early audit recommended that 7 people be indicted for obvious fraud. None were.

The Final Investigative Report by the District Attorney's Office (241 pages) failed to find a single criminal problem, but their conclusion includes this peculiar note.

The LAUSD experience with the Belmont Learning Complex has been a continuing public tragedy of mistakes, misfortune, missed deadlines, and, ultimately, mishandling of the educational interests of our children.

LAUSD must learn from the mistakes of this experience, or it will be condemned to repeat those mistakes in the extensive school construction projects it will undertake in the near future.

Why the Gates Foundation wants to join with someone like Romer is unfathomable. This is a man who has only worked 10 years of his entire 78 years outside of government.

Trenton, NEW JERSEY

CHEATING CHILDREN out of a decent education.

Apr 26, 2007 - A 12-page report after an investigation by the Department of Education says Trenton teachers cheated, making up grades, imaginary classes.

The Times: A state investigation has revealed five city school administrators, including a former superintendent, were involved in the falsification of dozens of student records during the 2004-05 school year.

TT - Trenton Central High School rates a 1 at Great Schools. The school has 73% blacks and 24% Hispanic students. Don't forget to check out their academic performance. For a cost of -- Total per pupil expenditures --$14,483

Albany, NEW YORK

Apr 25, 2007 - David Bryan, 52, principal of Abrookin Vocational Tech Center was arraigned on charges alleging he stole about $40,000 from the Rensselaerville Library, where he is a board member with check-writing authority.

He is also being investigated for a possible connection to another $8,000 missing from the Rensselaerville Trinity Church.

Bryan pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Harrodsburg, KENTUCKY

We anticipate the e-mails: Haven't you ever made a mistake? The answer is, "No. Not that endangered the life of a child. Let alone two of them." UPDATED - grand jury did not indict.

Mar 18 - A 26-year old first-grade teacher at Evan Harlow Elementary School, left her two children, ages 2 and 4-months-old, in a locked car while she went to work. For six hours. In 80 degree weather. Police had to break a window to get the children out.

The children were still hospitalized in fair condition a day later.
She has been suspended with pay while police investigate.

The school is given an overall 4 rating by Great Schools.

Mar 14 - According to the Advocate-Messenger, a bus driver who arrived early for the school's 3 p.m. dismissal noticed the children in the car. He went in and notified the office. Even after a
schoolwide announcement was made over the intercom system, twice, describing the car and asking for the parent to come forward, there was no response. The police were called and an officer rescued the children.
A grand jury is being the case is being investigated and will be presented to a Mercer County grand jury.

Mar 15 - Police are conducting a first-degree wanton endangerment investigation. The teacher, apparently, did not ignore the P.A. announcement.

TT - You judge the rest of the article yourself. Especially the school principal's comments that include:

"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," Hatfield 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," Hatfield 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 - If that doesn't convince you homeschooling moms you made the right choice, we frankly dont' know what else would.
N-5

Update Apr 25 - A grand jury decided not to indict the teacher. Police never filed charges against her, but prosecutors went ahead with the case anyway after a wanton-endangerment investigation.

Coxsackie, NEW YORK

Apr 25, 2007 - Christopher Ahlf, 50, a substitute teacher at a middle school, was arrested on felony weapons charges after state police recovered four stolen handguns at his home.

He was arraigned yesterday on a charge of criminal sale of a firearm. Troopers say a search warrant stemming from an investigation into the theft of six handguns led to the discovery of four of the firearms and other illegally possessed handguns at Ahlf's home in Greenville.

MidHudsonMostWanted: Additional charges are pending relating to the possession of the handguns and fireworks.

Lantana, FLORIDA

Sentenced to 60 months in federal prison.

Jan 14, 2007 - Rafael Ramirez Jr, a Santaluces High School band teacher (yes, another band teacher), pleaded guilty to soliciting a former teen student for sex.

Police said Ramirez sent online messages asking for sexual relations with one of his teenage students in October 2005. He instigated online chats with the 15-year-old girl using AOL Instant Messenger that escalated until she notified her father. Detectives then took over over the girl's online identity and continued the conversation with Ramirez. When he arranged a meeting, they arrested Ramirez "before students took the field for their opening song."

He pleaded guilty to two counts of solicitation of a minor.

Jan 25 - The Palm Beach Post reported that Ramirez used America Online and MySpace.com to solicit the 15-year-old student for sex. After Ramirez's arrest, a 17-year-old student reported that Ramirez had also solicited her for sex.

Apr 25 - Ramirez was sentenced to 60 months in in federal prison.

Cassleberry, FLORIDA

Lawsuit

Apr 25, 2007 - In the first of several lawsuits, the Seminole County School Board, has paid the family of an autistic child $520,000 in settlement for abuse lawsuit by a Seminole teacher. (Kathleen Garrett, a teacher at South Seminole Middle School, was found guilty of child abuse in January. See TT link.)

The civil suits filed on behalf of five disabled students focus on alleged negligence by the School Board. A judge threw out one case last week, but three others remain, including one set to go to trial next month.

Of note in the article: Garrett was transferred to South Seminole in 2000 after complaints of abuse surfaced at Indian Trails Middle School in Winter Springs. All of the court cases concern subsequent allegations involving South Seminole Middle students.

SECOND LAWSUIT Apr 30 - The school board has agreed to pay $1.3 million to the family of a blind, profoundly disabled autistic boy who accused former teacher Kathleen Garrett of repeatedly putting him in a dark closet.

Garrett is still fighting three federal lawsuits; the school district two.

THIRD LAWSUIT May 9 - The school board approved a $100,000 settlement with a student. The board unanimously agreed to the settlement Tuesday afternoon, although a federal judge threw out the boy's lawsuit last month, saying Garrett did not harm him.

THREE OTHER LAWSUITS FILED May 25 - That brings the total to 8 lawsuits. The board attorney predicts there will be three to four other lawsuits. So far, the district has paid a little less than $2 million in settlements and for its own legal expenses. Insurers have paid $250,000, he said.

Letter from NEA to parents who complained at Indian Trails Middle School,

Wareham, MASSACHUSETTS

Apr 24, 2007 - George Fernandes, a Wareham Middle School teacher, has been charged with indecent assault on an 11-year-old student.

Fernandes is the husband of Hammond Elementary School Assistant Principal Jeanne Fernandes.

He scheduled to be arraigned May 15 on a charge of indecent assault on a person under 14 years old.

Update May 16 - Fernandes pleaded not guilty at his arraignment on Monday. In a police report, Detective William DeSilva said Fernandes admitted to being investigated by school officials for a similar incident about five years ago, but the allegation was unfounded.

He is due back in court June 26 for a pretrial hearing.

Bellefontaine, OHIO

Apr 24, 2007 - Reagan Henry, 23, a special-education teacher at Bellefontaine Middle School, was arrested, along with her roommate, on drug charges.

Officers said the woman and her roommate had more than $5,000 worth of illegal drugs in their apartment.

Henry listed as an inmate of the Logan County Sheriff's Office. Charges Filed - Drug Possession & Possession of LSD.
Full Name: Reagan Elizabeth Henry

Titusville, FLORIDA

When she's old enough to be your mommy.

Apr 24, 2007 - Janet Hughes, 32, a business teacher at Jackson Middle School, was arrested after being found with a 16-year-old boy in a van. The two were partially clothed.Police said Hughes and the teen both said they'd had one previous encounter prior to Monday's arrest.

Hughes was charged with one count of unlawful sexual acts with a minor and one count of attempted unlawful sexual acts with a minor. She's being held on $70,000 bond.

Full Name: Janet Lea Hughes

WFTV - slideshow of Hughes' MySpace photos and mugshot.

Apr 26 - Hughes pleaded not guilty. Lawyer wants a trial.

NEW CHARGES: August 4 - The state attorney's office has filed new charges against a former Jackson Middle teacher accused of having sex with a 16-year-old student. The charges are one count of sexual battery on a child by a familial or custodial authority and attempted sexual battery on a child by a familial or custodial authority. They are 1st and 2nd degree felonies.

The state charges, which replace those Titusville police filed in April, are more serious and take into account Hughes' position as a teacher, Assistant State Attorney Julia Lynch said.

Brevard Public Schools fired Hughes May 8 for violating the teachers code of conduct and forwarded the case to the Florida Department of Education.

RECORDING: August 16 - Hughes and the victim tried to coordinate their stories, according to Local 6 News. The conversation between Hughes and the boy were recorded as they sat in the back of the patrol car the night she was arrested.

The seven-page transcript of the conversation was among investigative documents released by the State Attorney's Office to Local 6 News partner Florida Today. Those documents became public record after being requested by attorneys for Hughes, who faces one count of sexual battery on a child by a familial or custodial authority and attempted sexual battery on a child by a familial or custodial authority.

A court date is scheduled for September 10.

TRIAL DELAYED - Feb 5, 2008 - Jury selection was scheduled to begin Monday but the case has been continued and is now scheduled for May 19.

Seattle, WASHINGTON

Trial date set.

Jan 7, 2007 - Alex Coberly, principal at Whittier Elementary School, was arrested and charged with indecent exposure.

Coberly has been on indefinite leave since Dec. 7, when the district learned he was the subject of a criminal investigation. The city attorney's office filed a misdemeanor complaint against him last week. Details of the complaint were not immediately available.

The school district's letter said the alleged incident "occurred outside of school hours and did not involve minors."

UPDATE - thanks to tip from poster
Jan 8 - Coberly was arrested for indecent exposure and it isn't the first time he has exposed himself. KIRO - Coberly said in the last five to six years he has exposed himself on several occasions.

But leave it to a columnist at the Seattle Post-Intelligencer to even ask:

Even if true, should an educator's stupid, reckless, even criminal behavior finish him or her in education if those acts had no connection at all to any school, kids or campus? Must teachers and principals meet a higher behavioral bar than others because of their position of power and trust with children?

TT- how about stupid, reckless, criminal, indecent, immoral, disgusting, perverted? That isn't meeting a higher behavior bar than others. It's just asking for common decency.

Update Jan 15 - Coberly is married with two children. Coberly faces a possible 90 days in jail and a $1,000 maximum fine.

Update Apr 23 - Coberly pleaded not guilty and is now on administrative leave from Whittier Elementary School, according to the Seattle School District. Trial is scheduled for June 19.

Chattanooga , TENNESSEE

Apr 22, 2007 - Marquita Jett, 25, a teacher in Kennesaw, Georgia, was arrested at an adult club in Tennessee, charged with Possession of Marijuana and Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.

Five others were arrested. Police say most of those arrested were on probation or parole. The club's manager on a 34-year probation for violent felonies. Jett was described as a "stripper." Jett will be in court on April 30th.

Stevens Point, WISCONSIN

Child Pornography

Apr 21, 2007 - Michael Foret, 53, a University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point history teacher is barred from the campus after officers arrested him on suspicion of possessing child pornography.

He was suspended with pay. Foret received the university's leadership mentor award.

He made an initial appearance in court earlier this week and is expected in court again on May 1.

Apr 25 - New rules designed to make it easier to fire professors won't impact Foret if he is found guilty. The new rules won't take effect until July 1. The U-W System Board of Regents drafted the rules after three Madison professors convicted of felonies ranging from stalking to sexual assault stayed on the payroll for several months in 2005.

WFRV reports that Foret allegedly posted several images of child pornography on the Internet along with pictures of himself that investigators used to track him down, authorities allege in the affidavit.

Several of the photos Foret allegedly posted under the name "Mick Wolff" were of girls between the ages of 10 and 13, the affidavit said. Investigators used a head shot Foret posted -- and another picture showing his naked body, including a tattoo of his wife's initials on his buttocks -- to find him, the affidavit said.

The Portage County district attorney has yet to file formal charges against Foret, but Department of Justice spokesman Kevin St. John said Tuesday he expected them in the coming days.

Update (Apr 28) - Foret was charged with two counts of possession of child pornography. "The defendant said that other people play fantasy sports and that he uses the Internet and these sites as his fantasy outlet," according to the complaint filed Thursday by Portage County District Attorney Thomas Eagon.

His areas of expertise included U.S. colonial history and North American Indians and he was known to enact Thomas Jefferson.

San Antonio, TEXAS

Apr 20, 2007 - Matthew Hernandez, 26, a teacher at El Sendero Christian Academy, was arrested following accusations that he sexually molested one of his teenage students.

A 15-year-old boy told his mother that Hernandez bought him "numerous expensive gifts" and took him in December to a motel, where they had sex, according to the arrest warrant. At one point, the student moved into Hernandez's home, sleeping in the teacher's bed, where Hernandez fondled him "numerous times," the student claimed, according to the affidavit.

Hernandez resigned in March after the boy's mother contacted school officials.
Full Name: Matthew Aaron Hernandez

Garland, TEXAS

Apr 21, 2007 - Wilfredo Carrion, 29 **, who taught Spanish at Naaman Forest High School, pleaded guilty to two counts of indecency with a child and one count of having an improper relationship between educator and student.

He was arrested in February 2005 after a two-month police investigation and placed on leave by the Garland school district. That May, school district officials decided not to renew his contract.

Before 2003, when the Texas Legislature passed a law banning sexual contact between an educator and any student, the teachers in the other two cases would not have been subject to criminal prosecution if the sex was consensual because the students were of legal age. Carrion was involved with a minor.

Carrion was one of three Garland teachers arrested in 2005 on charges of sexual misconduct with students. Sentencing will be June 7.

** age correction.

Huntington Park, CALIFORNIA

Child Pornography

Apr 20, 2007 - David Stein, 48, a teacher at Pacific Boulevard Special Education Center, was sentenced to four years in federal prison for possession of child pornography.

The judge ordered Stein to register as a sex offender and to stay away from children. Stein pleaded guilty earlier to downloading numerous images of child porn, included images of bestiality and the rape of a 4-year-old girl.

According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Yang, the educator downloaded as many as 5,000 images of child porn onto a laptop computer and compact disc.

Little Rock, ARKANSAS

If it's good enough for George Michael.

Apr 20, 2007 - Steven Robinson, 46, a teacher at Fulbright Elementary School in Little Rock. was arrested for public indecency in a public park after Deputies say he pleasured himself in front of a deputy on a park walking trail .

Investigators say he was arrested for the same thing at the same park in 2003.

Ten other men were arrested in the raid at Cadron Settlement Park off Hwy 64. The park continues to be a place where men meet up to have sex.

Lt. Rice says what these men are accused of is exactly why the park is no longer a place where families want to visit.

Monroe, NORTH CAROLINA

Apr 20, 2007 - Francisco Berrio, 30, an international exchange teacher for the past two years from Columbia, is charged with more than 30 felony counts of statutory rape and sexual offense against a 13, 14 or 15 year old, first degree kidnapping and indecent liberties with a minor.

Berrio taught at Forest Hills High.

Charlotte Observer: Berrio is the second Union high school teacher to be accused of having sexual contact with a student in recent weeks. In March, Scott Demo, 36, was charged with one count of felony sex offense and one count of indecent liberties with a student. Demo is a social studies teacher at Weddington High.

WSOC-tv: Authorities say school administration contacted them on Thursday and reported several incidents of sexual contact both on the campus of Forest Hills High School near Marshville and away from the school.

He is scheduled to appear in court in June.

La Mesa, CALIFORNIA

Sentenced to probation. Judge: "A serious error in judgement."

Dec 27, 2006 - Frank Palumbo, 27, assistant band director at Helix Charter High School, was arrested and charged with three counts of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor and three counts of oral copulation with a minor.

The 17-year-old victim admitted to having a sexual relationship with Palumbo. Her father learned of it after confronting her and immediately contacted police.

Palumbo resigned Dec 15 to take a job in Sugarland, Texas, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune. It was the same day the sexual relationship is alleged to have started.

UPDATE: Dec 28 Palumbo pleads not guilty. Readiness conference is set for Feb 22.

UPDATE: Feb 22, 2007 - Palumbo pleaded guilty to to two counts of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor. Deputy District Attorney Mark Skeels said in a interview that he made no deals on sentencing.
Sentencing is set for April 20.

UPDATE: Apr 20 - Palumbo was sentenced to to five years probation.

Lexington, KENTUCKY

Originally posted in December 2006 . Updated to include sentencing of four years. Dunn will be a registered sex offender for life.

Dec 5, 2006 - Kenneth Edward Dunn, 51, a Linlee Elementary School physical education teacher, has been arrested and charged with five counts of sexual abuse, including two involving female students.

The sexual abuse involved three victims under the age of 12 and two misdemeanor counts of second-degree sexual abuse involving two other victims under age 14. He has resigned.

UPDATE: (Dec 7) Dunn pleaded not guilty.

UPDATE: (Feb 9, 2007) Dunn has been indicted on five sex-abuse charges.
He was charged by a grand jury with three counts of first-degree sexual abuse involving three victims younger than 12, and misdemeanor abuse involving two victims younger than 14. Two misdemeanor charges involve two students, but school officials have said that the three felony charges are not school-related.

UPDATE Mar 24 - Dunn pleaded guilty to two felony charges of first-degree sexual abuse. Those incidents did not involve students, the Fayette County Board of Education has said. Dunn agreed to the prosecution's four-year sentence recommendation and to be registered as a sex offender for life.

A formal sentencing hearing is scheduled for April 20. Dunn will be eligible for a parole after serving one-fifth of his sentence.

The parents agreed with the plea deal, according to Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Andrea Mattingly Williams.

UPDATE Apr 20 - Dun was sentenced to four years in prison for sexually molesting two young girls. Dunn told Fayette Circuit Judge James Ishmael that he was sorry for what he did and wished he could take it back.
"Whatever I get, it will probably not be enough," Dunn told Ishmael.

Dunn will be required to register as a sex offender for life and will not be able to live within 1,000 feet of public schools, day-care centers or playgrounds.