Ambridge, PENNSYLVANIA

July 31, 2007 -

Ambridge Area School Board President Dr. Bernard Logan chastised two high school teachers in a letter for testifying in Beaver County Court on behalf of a former teacher convicted of having a sexual relationship with a student.

In a letter dated July 12, Logan expressed concern that math teacher Jennifer Grabski and social studies teacher Christina Trombetta had stepped forward as teachers, and "de facto representatives" of the district, to speak on behalf of David M. Costanza.

"I believe you lost sight of the bigger picture," Logan wrote. "Mr. Costanza preyed on a 15-year-old girl. She slept at his house. The relationship went on for weeks. ... How you diminished these actions and testified to his positive contributions, while this girl, the victim, with her family, sat in the courtroom, is beyond my understanding."

And,

Logan wrote that teachers have a "sacred responsibility to protect children" and that his confidence in the two "as guardians of our children has been diminished."

Logan said he wrote the letter on his personal stationery and wasn't acting in his capacity as board president when he composed it, although he refers to himself as a school board director and signs the letter as board president.

A copy of the letter was delivered to the Times, but they didn't print it.

TT - LINK for Costanza.

Orlando, FLORIDA

July 31, 2007 -
Michael Reichert, 37, a University of Central Florida political science professor, was charged with 138 counts of possessing child pornography on his work and home computers.

Computer technicians found the images when he turned the laptop in for virus check.

Reichert's attorney, Hugh McDonnell, said his client has no explanation for how the pornography got there, but said his client is the one who discovered it and reported it to UCF.

Reichert has been on administrative leave since his arrest two weeks ago.
Full Name: Michael Shawn Reichert

See Sun-Sentinel coverage.

Floyd, VIRGINIA

Oct 12, 2006 - Daniel Farmer, 36, media specialist teacher at Floyd Elementary School and assistant girls' softball coach at Floyd County High School, was arrested for contributing to the deliquency of a minor for having sexual relationship with a 15-year-old girl. An additional charge of sodomy was added.

Oct 27 - Thirty-six-year-old Daniel Farmer pleaded not guilty to contributing to the delinquency of a minor. The judge found him guilty and sentenced him to six months in jail, but he appealed it.

His felony charge of sodomy will be held over to the December grand jury.
Farmer resigned after his arrest.

Mar 21, 2007 - No further info in search engines.

GUILTY PLEA AND SENTENCE: July 31 - Farmer pleaded guilty to sexual battery of a 15-year-old, which is a misdemeanor. Prosecutors dropped charges of oral sodomy and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Farmer must also register as a sex offender.

Farmer was sentenced to two years probation, and 400 hours of community. He must also register as a sex offender.

Queens, NEW YORK

CONVICTED: June 13, 2007 -
Khemwatie Bedessie, 38,, a teacher's aide was convicted of sexually abusing a 4-year-old boy. A jury convicted Bedessie of sexually abusing the boy on three occasions.

Bedessie, who is from Guyana, was an aide at a Queens day care center.

She will be sentenced next month. (Although newspapers quickly lose interest in stories like this and it is unlikely they will carry a story about the sentencing.

SENTENCED: July 31 - Bedessie was sentenced to 20 years in prison.

Virginia Beach, VIRGINIA

July 30, 2007 - Veta B. Faison, 59, recently retired assistant principal at Tallwood Elementary, and her husband, Louis Faison, 62, a retired school teacher, were both sentenced for income tax evasion. Faison retired in March, but for seven years, from 1998 and 2004, the couple claimed zero taxable income and submitted tax protest literature with their returns.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. Seidel Jr., who prosecuted the case, noted that the couple lived lavishly during the years they paid no taxes. He said they drove Mercedes-Benz cars, were members of a country club, paid for a $100,000 retirement fund and paid for their children's college education.

Veta was sentenced to eight months; Louis was sentenced to 15 months. The couple paid the IRS about $148,000 for back taxes.

Veta Faison's attorney, Franklin A. Swartz, asked the judge to sentence his client to home detention. He called the federal sentencing rules in this case "harsh, rigid and severe," and said that she should be given credit for her 35 years as an educator, her volunteer work and other successes.

The judge was not impressed.

Paso Robles, CALIFORNIA

"She's not a sexual deviant."

ARRESTED Mar 15, 2007 -
Cora Solorio, 24, a bilingual aide at Flamson Middle School, was arrested, charged with molesting a 13-year-old boy.

Solorio had been warned about discussing sex acts with students in the past. Investigators found several spiral notebooks in Solorio's school office that contained questions about the students sexual experiences and their answers, according to a police report released this week.

She was arrested Feb 26 and pleaded not guilty. A court hearing is scheduled for Mar 26.
Full Name: Cora Marie Solorio
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A California assemblyman has introduced bills to mandate screening for volunteers and another bill to strengthen the definitions of professional misconduct and make investigations of questionable behavior move more quickly. The bills are in response to several incidents in Central Coast schools. [Link at the site to e-mails between a 39-year-old teacher and a 14-year-old student.]

TT - The bills will, of course, never pass or even be considered in the California legislature that is dominated by teachers, former teachers, teacher union-backed representatives and funded by teacher-union contributions. Because, after all, these are just students we are talking about.
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Mar 27 - Solario pleaded not guilty five felony counts of committing a lewd act on a child under 14 years old and five felony counts of orally copulating a child under 14 years old earlier this month. A pre-preliminary hearing is scheduled for April 23, followed by a preliminary hearing April 25.

PLEADED NO CONTEST June 13 - Solorio pleaded no contest to committing a lewd act on a child under age 14 and to two charges of having oral sex with a child under age 14. She will be sentenced July 18.

Her stepfather, Joe Quiroz, is a member of the board of education. Solario is the mother of three children. She maintained a MySpace page.

SENTENCED July 30 - Solario was sentenced to 270 days in jail and five years probation. Solorio must register as a sex offender for life.

Quiroz is a Paso Robles Public Schools board member.
“She’s a good kid,” Quiroz said. “She’ll survive. She’s getting stronger and has made herself stronger because of all this. …I just want people to know that she’s not a pedophile. She’s not a sexual deviant.”

Deputy District Attorney Andy Cadena criticized a county probation department report that he said portrayed Solorio as the victim rather than the boy.

Elkins, WEST VIRGINIA

July 30, 2007 - James Beatty, 28, an Elkins High School teacher, is facing charges for Sexual Abuse by a Guardian after being accused by a 16-year old girl. She told police that Beatty tried to kiss her numerous times and then inappropriately touched her.

The criminal complaint states that Beatty tried to deny the charges, but eventually admitted to kissing and touching the girl. Beatty says he did try to kiss the girl about six times in the Future Farmers of America Office. Beatty states "he knew it was wrong but did not stop."

The school board reported the incident to the Department of Health and Human Resources.

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ONLINE RESOURCE: West Virginia criminalizes sexual contact by a parent, guardian, custodian or person in a position of trust to a child even when such child is sixteen years of age or older, and even when the child may have suffered no apparent physical injury or mental or emotional injury as a result of such conduct. WC61- 8D - 5

Hoquiam, WASHINGTON

July 28, 2007 - Four of five members of the Hoquiam School Board won't be coming back for another term. There are three candidates for the position of board president vacated by Eileen Sterling.

All three candidates view the crisis of confidence within the Hoquiam School District in the wake of allegations involving two male High School teachers and female students as one of the most important challenges facing the district.

Coach Todd Hoiness has pleaded guilty to sexual misconduct with a minor in the second degree, charges stemming from a relationship he had with a female wrestler he coached. He’ll be sentenced in August.

Plus, there were earlier allegations against former choir director Matt Hirschfelder, who has pleaded not guilty to first-degree sexual misconduct with a minor. A trial is set for next month.

In the Hoiness case, despite several warnings from bus drivers and others that something was going on between Hoiness and the female wrestler, the parents were never contacted. Not every candidate for the school board thinks they should have been.

TT - LINK for Hoiness
TT - LINK for Hirschfelder
TT - LINK for more on the School District

July 27 -

The Hoquiam School Board directed the superintendent to create a new “ombudsman” system so that citizens, district employees or anyone who has concerns about teachers, staff or administrators can offer feedback “without feeling threatened,” as School Board member Dave Smith puts it.

The Education Cash Cow

The National Urban League held its 97th conference this month. Described as "the nation's oldest and largest community-based movement devoted to empowering African-Americans to enter the economic and social mainstream," they heard from a number of presidential candidates including Hillary Clinton, John Edwards and Barack Obama.

They also heard from Michael Bloomberg, mayor of New York, who spoke on education issues. (See TT - LINK)

It was decidedly odd having Bloomberg and others address education issues in a city where the state recently took over the schools. ( See TT - LINK ) St. Louis isn't the only school district in the country where the state has replaced elected school boards.

In New Jersey, there are a number of districts currently under state control or being closely watched. Jersey City has been run by the state since 1989. Newark has been under state control since 1995. Paterson was taken over by the state in 1991. Salem is classified as a Level II district. The Level II districts were subject to an external review from the Montclair State University School of Education. Six other districts are being closely monitored.

And then there is Camden. Camden has been controlled since 2002.

About a dozen teachers at a troubled Newark elementary school were removed, and the district's longtime union boss, Joseph Del Grosso, supported their ouster.

That's the kind of teacher and union support Camden needs to turn around its struggling schools. A good education starts with teachers. If teachers don't commit to improving the education Camden students receive, nothing will change.

It's not coincidence that the same districts also suffer from political corruption in local government.

The former mayor of Newark (mayor from 1986-2006) Sharpe James has pleaded not guilty to federal corruption charges. He retains his Senate seat while awaiting trial.

Paterson mayor Martin G. Barnes (mayor from 1997 - 2002) pleaded guilty in 2002 to mail fraud, and tax evasion, admitting that he took free trips, home improvements, a swimming pool and more from city vendors or prospective vendors. He was sentenced to 37 months. Two Paterson officials were indicted last month for taking bribes.

Former Jersey City mayor Gerald McCann wants taxpayers to pick up the tab for his legal difficulties associated with his narrow election to the school board. Jersey city has a long history of political corruption.

A Camden councilman, Ali Sloan El, was sentenced to 20 months for bribery. Former Camden fixture Sen. Wayne Bryant, a member of the education committee, is also being investigated for corruption.

Annette Knox, the controversial school board superintendent, is now gone amid a test-score scandal and at least two investigations in the district. Board president Philip E. Freeman stepped down after a change in state ethics laws barred him from holding public offices while in his current job as assistant director of the New Jersey Office of Civil Rights.

Another education figure no longer in the forefront is Paul Mehne, the popular and much-admired dean of the Camden campus of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. Mehne stepped down because of a federal probe into financial irregularities and abuses.

A self-serving comment considering the rate of politicians elected in N.J. that are union-backed. A recent report on Camden schools cited more than 500 district personnel with questionable certification.

States don't take over schools because of low academic standards. They take them over because rampant corruption in state and local politics allow incompetence, bribery and political patronage to thrive in schools. They are, after all, cash cows.

Children are the VERY last concern in the political swamps of New Jersey or St. Louis.

Green, OHIO

Could I drown your two daughters?

July 28, 2007 - Jeff Doland, 45, director of technology for an Ohio school district in suburban Akron, was arrested in Florida where he traveled to meet a mother to pay her $500 to let him nearly drown her two daughters for his sexual pleasure. Fortunately, he was talking to a Secret Service agent.

Florida Attorney General Press Release on the arrest. (Dated July 25, 2007)

Doland will initially be charged with selling or buying of minors, a first-degree felony, and promoting the sexual performance of a child, a second-degree felony. The first charge is described in Florida statute as offering to purchase a minor with the intent to promote acts requiring the rendering of assistance by the minor to any other person to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of the conduct. The additional charge is described as producing, directing, manufacturing or promoting the sadomasochistic abuse or harm of a child through torture and/or physical restraint for the purpose of sexual gratification.

Doland's bond was raised to $1 million. He will have an August 15 court hearing.

Taylortown, NORTH CAROLINA

July 28, 2007 -
Lonnie Jones, 38, a Taylortown councilman and a substitute teacher with the Moore County schools, was arrested, along with his brother, after police found $3,600 worth of drugs in their home.

He was charged with seven felonies and two misdemeanors. The two men are accused of conspiracy, various charges related to the possession and sale of marijuana and cocaine, and maintaining a house to sell drugs.

The mayor was arrested in February and charged with fraud. The council has taken no action against him but are paying his legal expenses.

Jones has been elected councilman every year since 1997.

July 31 - Despite his arrest, Jones kept his seat on the all-black council. Only one councilman voted against Jones. An unidentified woman approached the board and told them her son wouldn’t understand why Jones, a substitute teacher for Moore County schools, still was on the board.

August 7 - The Pilot gives many details from the search warrant, including the three drug buys in the three-month investigation.

Lonnie Jones is a substitute teacher for the Moore County school system, according to Anita Alpenfels, the executive director of human resources for the schools. He was hired this year and "worked in a very limited capacity," she said.

The first court appearance is scheduled for Aug. 16.

Aug 7 - The Pilot editorial, "Embarrassment for Taylortown"

How embarrassing.
On Tuesday of last week, three of the five men on the Town Council of Taylortown voted to keep alleged drug dealer Lonnie Jones on their board -- and members of the public present at the meeting laughed out loud.

When one of those members of the public accused the whole board of being corrupt, a single councilman, Jesse Fuller, took exception to being included in such an insulting description. There was an apology; the man said he hadn't meant to call Fuller corrupt -- just everybody else, apparently.

Fuller accepted the apology, and silence reigned -- none of the others present even deigned to object to being called corrupt.

UPDATE: Sept 13 - Additional drug charges were filed against Lonnie Jones and his brother for a drug buy by undercover officers before the arrest were filed.

Jones and Mayor Ulysses S. G. Barrett Jr. (who was arrested by the FBI in March) have both filed for reelection in November.

Churdan, IOWA

July 27, 2007 - Ashley Keller, 24, a physical education teacher and coach for the Payton-Churdan School District, is in jail again. She was arrested in June on charges of providing alcohol to two 15-year-old students. (AOL News said they had been invited to a party at her apartment. Story in cache.)

She was charged with two counts of providing alcohol to a minor and two counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. She pleaded not guilty.

She now faces now faces 986 charges of contempt of court for contacting one of the boys after a condition of her bail was not to do so. In two weeks Keller sent and received 986 text messages. The court documents also said that some of the messages were sexual in nature.

Her trial on the alcohol charges is scheduled for September.

NEW CHARGES: August 23 - Police have charged her with with harboring a runaway and contempt of court. Police said she violated a court order not to have contact with the 15-year-old by sending him 900 text messages.
--------------------------------
LICENSE INDEFINITELY SUSPENDED without possibility of reinstatement for five years by the state Board of Education. Case Number 07-22. Minutes
Found in June 2008 minutes (pg. 4)

Lafayette, LOUISIANA

July 26, 2007 - Joel Whitmore, 40, a Lafayette High School math teacher, was arrested for internet chat with what he thought was a minor.

He is charged with six counts of indecent behavior, four counts of computer-aided solicitation for sexual purposes and one count of obscenity. His bond is $165,000 dollars.

Source: KATC Ch 3

From the Daily Advertiser:

Whitmore's arrest is a painful case of déjà vu for the school. Last April, a boys track coach at the school, Arthur Goodly, was arrested after driving from Lafayette to Iowa, just outside of Lake Charles, to meet who he thought was a 14-year-old girl he met online. The "girl" was an undercover law enforcement investigator working an online sexual predator sting.

April 8, 2008 - Whitmore waived his right to a jury and will have his case decided by a judge. The trial is scheduled for June in Bossier City.

East Brunswick, NEW JERSEY

Dec 29, 2006 - Shawn M. Feeney, 31, an English teacher at East Brunswick High School has been arrested and charged with official misconduct, sexual assault and criminal sexual contact with regards to two female students. The two female victims were between the ages of 16 and 17 and were students at the when the alleged incidents occurred. Feeney has been suspended by the Board of Education.

Dec 30 - " His bail has been set at $305,000 with no option of paying 10 percent of it."

GUILTY PLEA Apr 18, 2007 - Feeney pleaded guilty today to charges of having sexual relationships with two girls who were his students.

He pleaded to two counts of fourth-degree criminal sexual contact and a single count of official misconduct. Under the plea agreement, Feeney faces of maximum sentence of four years in prison.

May 4 - Sentencing is scheduled for June 7. As a result of his crimes, Feeney will have to register under Megan's Law.

SENTENCED July 26 - Feeney was sentenced to four years in state prison. With no minimum sentence given, Feeney is eligible for parole at any time. No mention of registration as a sex offender. As part of his plea agreement, Feeney surrendered his teaching license.

School Reform

July 25, 2007 - New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg spoke to the National Urban League in St. Louis about education reform. He spoke at a private luncheon. For two days they will hear from several presidential candidates at the four-day national conference.

---

The text of his speech can be found on his website.

He spoke about reform in NYC schools and the abolition of the Board of Education. And about tenure, the taboo topic in politics.

Focusing on how well students are actually learning will also allow us to take two other critical steps: reforming the tenure process, which right now is almost automatic. And reforming the process by which teachers can be fired, which right now is almost impossible.

When a teacher is up for tenure, too often the questions are: Did he come to work every day? Did he cover the curriculum? Do people like him? But the one question that really matters isn’t asked: Are his students learning as much as they should? Most times, the answer is ‘yes.’ But if the answer is no, that teacher should not receive tenure.

And when a tenured teacher’s students are not learning, principals, after a reasonable appeals process, should have the authority to let that teacher go. Right now, that appeals process is anything but reasonable. It’s a nightmare. That’s why many principals don’t even bother with it – and once again, it’s our children who suffer.

In New York City, we’ve begun taking the first steps toward tenure reform by requiring principals to evaluate each tenure-track teacher, so that tenure is earned by those who deserve it, and not granted as a right to those who don’t. But to inject some sanity into the process of firing bad teachers. And to pay bonuses to highly effective teachers, we need buy-in from the unions. That hasn’t been easy in New York – or anywhere else. And I’ll be honest: I’m not sure we’re going to get there without support from the federal government.

RETENTION AND PERFORMANCE

Many of you in this room work or have worked in the private sector. You know how to attract and retain the best people. Make them feel respected. And get the most out of them. You pay them more. You give them incentives to take on the toughest challenges and succeed. And you hold them accountable for results. And those who don’t perform up to standard – you let go. That’s Management 101, and it’s the way we treat all professionals – except in our schools.

In most school systems, teachers experience low pay, lockstep pay scales, no recognition of talent, no incentives for success and no accountability for failure. This kind of employment system didn’t work in the Soviet Union, and it’s time for us to recognize that it’s not working in our schools.

TT - Under his school "reforms," NYC teacher salaries have increased 43%, and senior teachers in the New York City school system will make more than $100,000. That's good for retention, provided the teacher provides value for the money and with the ability to "let go" of the non-performing teacher. Something they can't do under tenure. So what is the point of paying all teachers 43% more? Tenure is locked in the Legislature.

There's something ironic about speaking about education reform in a city that has just had their schools taken over by the state for colossal mismanagement and corruption.

See Bloomberg's, ah, reforms. TT entry

New Milford, CONNECTICUT

July 26, 2007 - Keir Hansen, 33, a fifth-grade teacher at Sarah Noble Intermediate School, is alleged to have made fraudulent purchases and charged them to a fire department. A warrant charged him with third-degree larceny, a class D felony related to thefts of amounts more than $1,000.

He was released on bond. Next court date is August 6.

TT - It's always a debate whether to post a news story or not. It sounds like a petty case that involved poor judgement, one of the main reasons we ignore most PTA and school fund thefts, even by teachers. One of the comments at the news site, however, tipped the balance.

I dont have anger towards him. i said i liked him and he was a great teacher. BUT when my son found out about his arrest, he was SHOCKED! do you know what he said...he said wow, i looked up to him. the kids in sarah noble have had enough issues this year. do they need more??

It's the very reason why the arrest and prosecution of a teacher is a tragedy. Not for the teacher, but for students whose first interaction with authority is with a school teacher. How school authorities respond constitutes a life lesson. Not just for the one student, but the chain of students in the teacher's current classes and every class he or she ever taught.

SENTENCED: Hansen must pay off the debt he incurred, write letters of apology to his victims, and perform 20 hours of community service. In exchange, if he doesn't violate any laws over the next year, his criminal record will be erased as a first-time offender. He's still on paid leave.

Oct 2 - Hansen resigned effective Sept. 14. With his resignation, Hansen retains his state teacher certification.

Fallon, NEVADA

It's why we elect school boards - to establish policy for our schools. Uh, wait, -- Reality check.




July 26, 2007 - Last year, the Churchill County School District Board of Trustees approved a policy to test district employees who are suspected of being under the influence of alcohol or drugs in the workplace. The result was a 23-page draft of administrative regulations.

Board President Greg Koenig said Monday that teacher union representative Margie Villanueva wants the administrative regulations condensed from its current 23 pages to eight pages.

The draft document that came before the board at a recent meeting outlines the process for testing a school district employee and the consequences if an employee is found to be under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs while working. It also includes forms for district employees that give permission for testing and acknowledge they have read and understand the policy.

"The association is going to look at the eight pages and if they agree on it, it's going to come before the board," Koenig said.

TT - And if they don't agree?

Be sure to read how a teacher who arrived for school was drunk, given a preliminary breath test and then was driven home by the police officer without ever administering any other tests required to prosecute.

In May, a board trustee was told to shut down his blog when he confirmed the incident.
TT - LINK

Beech Grove, INDIANA

July 26, 2007 - From the Indianapolis Star:

A Marion Superior Court judge on Wednesday set a new trial date for a former Beech Grove teacher facing new charges after a conviction last year for molesting a first-grader.

Jeffrey B. Baber, 42, is serving a 30-year sentence. A fter his arrest in 2005, more parents came forward, and prosecutors filed two more child molesting charges in December 2006. Baber now is accused of putting his hand down the pants of two kindergartners during the 2001-02 school year at Hornet Park Elementary.

Judge Tanya Walton Pratt rescheduled the trial for Oct. 1. If convicted, Baber faces up to eight years in prison on each charge.

On July 20, 2007 - Baber lost an appeal on his 2006 conviction. The Court of Appeals of Indiana wrote, in part,

With respect to his character, Baber enjoyed a reputation as a good husband, father, neighbor, friend, and teacher. However, Baber was also an elementary school teacher who kept pornographic DVDs locked in a cabinet in the same room where he taught the six- and seven-year-olds entrusted to his care. The trial court noted Baber was "pretty brazen, not only to [keep pornography in his classroom], but to commit the crimes you did in your classroom." (Id. at 1181.) This does not speak well of his character or judgment. Nothing about Baber’s character suggests his sentence is inappropriate.

Houston, TEXAS

July 26, 2007 - Robert "Kevin" Cyphers, 45, a teacher who worked for the Houston Independent School District, as well as three other districts in the Houston area, was convicted repeatedly molesting an 8-year-old girl.

The girl was not a student. Cyphers molested her while her mother was at work. [Story is vague on why he was alone with the child,]

The punishment trial is scheduled for next week.

Syracuse, NEW YORK

Jan 25, 2007 - The New York Times continues to take an unusual interest in the Albert Scerbo trial in Syracuse, NY.

They describe the case as "proving problematic for the Onondaga County district attorney’s office." On the second day of the trial. They characterize the case as "shaking up relations between the 1,500-member tribe and the surrounding community." No other newspaper reports such a conflict. And then there is the the nitpicking of the testimony of 7 and 8-year-old witnesses on events that happened in kindergarten is decidedly curious because such confusion is often seen in trials with children that young.

In stark contrast, the Syracuse Post-Standard is straightforward in presenting the trial as it unfolds, which is odd because Edward Z. Menkin, the defense attorney for Scerbo, has been writing letters to the editors of the Post-Standard for years. He even has screenshots of clips of some his newspaper articles at his site.

In all, it's puzzling. Something, or someone, and not poor, little Indian children has caught the ear of the moose-huggers.

TT - LINK for Scerbo

Montgomery, ALABAMA

CHARGED: Jan 19, 2007-
Patrick Epkins, a teacher's aide and a wrestling coach in the Elmore County School system was charged with rape of 14-year-old student.

WSFA12 wonders how he was acceptable to work in a classroom.

Court records show his wife asked for a protective order against him after a difficult divorce. He also has several bad check charges on his record.

In 2002, he forfeited a bond he'd signed for a 1995 criminal charge. Also in 2002, he pleaded guilty to a theft charge in Prattville.
And yet, Elmore County hired him to work with at-risk students in August 2005.

On January 16th, he was charged with contempt of court for failing to pay his fine from the 2002 theft to which he pleaded guilty.

GUILTY PLEA AND SENTENCING: July 25 - Epkins pleaded guilty to rape and was sentenced to two years in prison. He has to register as a sex offender twice a year upon release and must attend mandatory sex offender treatment

Midland, TEXAS

Sentenced to 26 years. He will not be eligible for parole for 13 years. Sex offender for life.
"He knows I love Winnie the Pooh," she said.

TRIAL: July 18, 2007 -
David Van Houten, 31, a social studies teacher at Midland Academy Charter School, is on trial, charged with four felonies, for sex with a 14-year-old girl.

An English teacher and a teacher's aide both testified. The English teacher saw the van Houten and the child kissing and described it as a "romantic" kiss. The aide testified that van Houten asked her to destroy letters in his desk. Instead, she gave them to the principal. A science teacher testified that she protested van Houten taking the girl out of her class.

Then the 14-year-old girl testified about the two sexual encounters on the floor of the classroom, that was preceded by the the CD's that he had given her of the music of the Beatles and Winnie the Pooh. He also bought her a necklace and held hands with her during field trips to see the "Aquila and the Bee" movie.

TT - And if you don't cry reading the humiliation of this little girl, you aren't human.

GUILTY VERDICT AND SENTENCING RECOMMENDATION
July 24 - Van Houton was convicted on all four second-degree felony counts, In the punishment phase of the trial, the jury recommended a 13-year sentence for each of the four felony charges of which it had convicted former middle school teacher David Van Houten.

The surprise of the day Monday was the punishment phase testimony of a 31-year-old Odessa woman who said Van Houten, her cousin, had molested her when they were 13 years old.

Van Houten is married and has a 5-year-old son. His wife supports him.

A judge will decide on Wednesday whether the sentence will run concurrently or consecutively.

SENTENCED: July 25 - Van Houten was sentenced to 26 years. He will not be eligible for parole for 13 years. He must also register as a Sex Offender for the rest of his life.

NO NEW TRIAL Oct 9 - Van Houten has been denied a new trial after his attorney claimed the case wasn't "properly litigated."

Queens, NEW YORK

Substitute discusses his fondness for oral sex with students.

July 25, 2007 - Michael Williams, 49, a substitute teacher at Long Island City HS, was charged with endangering the welfare of a child yesterday, after allegedly boasting to students about his fondness for performing and receiving oral sex.

On two occasions last December, Williams engaged in filthy banter about his sexual behavior with students aged 13 and 14 in the classroom, according to interviews with 12 students by a schools investigator and administrators.

Williams did not return calls for comment. The report notes that he denied discussing his private sexual life. Instead, he said, he discussed sex in the context of hip-hop lyrics.

New York Daily News: Williams also bragged about cheating on his wife. A girl used her cell phone to record a vulgar exchange between Williams and a student who can be heard begging him to "stop talking about this."

Williams has been banned from teaching since the January complaint.

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ONLINE RESOURCE: The Special Commissioner of Investigations for New York City Schools Here
Reports and Press Releases

Marietta, GEORGIA

July 25, 2007 - Leonard Lawley, Jr. 38, a teacher and coach at Sprayberry High School, was arrested on charges of child molestation and enticing a child for indecent purposes. It is alleged he molested a young relative.

Police are also looking into allegations that he took students to his home for sex. Students and parents have spoken to detectives about the student sex allegations.
Full Name: Leonard Templeton Lawley, Jr

July 26 - Cobb County school officials want to seek school board permission to fire Lawley. At least some of them.

July 30 - Lawley resigned.

August 15 - Investigators found photographs and videos of young girls posing nude and engaged in sex acts on of Lawley's computer.

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ONLINE RESOURCE: Georgia State Board of Education Decisions. LINK
(Appeals of decisions rendered by local boards of education in matters of school law pursuant to O.C.G.A. 20-2-1160. The appeals primarily involve matters relating to student discipline and the discipline and termination of certificated personnel, although any matter of school law can be appealed.)

Gloucester, MASSACHUSETTS

RANT

UPDATED to discuss newspaper editorial on the need to fire teachers convicted of felonies.

July 24, 2007 - A school can't fire a teacher who was sentenced for her fourth DUI. The school district doesn't have a policy for dealing with convicted employees, and they probably never will since collective bargaining would likely be required because the grounds for termination are laid out in each union's contract.

Kathleen Burley, 47, was the teacher who kicked one officer in the groin, bit another and had to be wrestled to the floor. She was sentenced to 4 1/2 years and 10 years' probation. TT - LINK She was found guilty of three counts of assault and battery on a police officer. Despite all that, the school claims they can't fire her. The responsibility is, apparently, on the Massachusetts Department of Education.

TT - It's up to the Massachusetts Department of Education to revoke her license, but don't expect much. They found no cause to revoke the teaching license of a Weymouth health education teacher who was convicted of his fifth drunk driving conviction last December. TT - LINK

UPDATE July 25 - The Gloucester Times editorial ("Felony policy needed in schools") on the need to adopt a school policy that would "state that felons have forfeited their right to work in the local schools." They write:

This is particularly important regarding alcohol abuse. Alcoholism is a disease, but drunken driving is a crime.

School leaders regularly tell students that there will be harsh consequences for drinking and driving. That message will be lost if students see that such consequences don't apply to faculty.If anything, the standards for teachers ought to be higher.

They are supposed to be setting an example for students.

TT - The editorial board of the Gloucester Times doesn't link to the collective bargaining agreement between their school committee members and the Gloucester Teacher's Association. Nor, the Gloucester Policy Manual, also online, that clearly states in Section note GBEC that

disciplinary action will be taken in accordance with contracts negotiated by the Gloucester School Committee with the bargaining unit representing the employee.

Source: Policy Manual PDF Section G pg 5

The bargaining agreement includes this proviso: "Teachers shall not be officially reprimanded, officially disciplined, dismissed reduced in rank or compensation, or denied a salary increase of any kind without just cause." Pg 37 B1

Just cause is explained here.

In other words, they can't fire a teacher who is convicted of a felony without the express consent of the union, who, otherwise, can file a grievance and can tie the school board, school and school administrators in legal tangles that could last months. Or years.

Brighton, COLORADO

Sentenced (sorta) to probation for failure to report sexual abuse of a student. Witness tampering charge dropped.

Jan 21, 2007 - David Mundy Sr, 53, Brighton Charter School Board president, pleaded not guilty to charges of tampering with a witness and failure to report sexual abuse. [TT-Bolding ours.]

Mundy allegedly waited to report alleged sexual contact to authorities between former Brighton Charter teacher Carrie McCandless and a teenage student on a school hiking trip to Estes Park in October until several days after it happened. McCandless’ case is being handled in Larimer County.

Mundy stepped down from the charter school board in December amid growing pressure from both parents and fellow board members. Mundy’s son, David Mundy Jr., was sentenced earlier this year in a separate case where he pleaded guilty to charges of sexual assault on a child and contributing to the delinquency of a minor for an incident involving three teenage girls including one Brighton Charter student. Mundy Jr. worked at the school as substitute teacher.

The trial is set for Jul 18.
TT entry for McCandless
TT entry for Mundy, Jr
McCandless' husband is principal of the school. He has not been involved in any of the improprieties.

June 15 - Mundy made a brief court appearance for hearings. Trial is scheduled for July 18.

GUILTY PLEA and SENTENCING : July 24 - Mundy pleaded guilty to a count of failure to report child abuse. District Court Judge Thomas Ensor "immediately sentenced Mundy, 53, to probation and a $500 fine." Charges dropped: tampering with three witnesses.

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ONLINE RESOURCE: Colorado teacher License Search LINK

State College, PENNSYLVANIA

July 25, 2007 - William A. Long Jr., 38, a teacher at Easterly Parkway Elementary School, resigned after showing up in court for a DUI sentencing with blood-alcohol content of .37

He was sentenced to six days to 12 months in jail followed by a year of supervised probation.

The board voted to accept his resignation. He had been a teacher at the school for 14 years.

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ONLINE RESOURCE: The Standards and Practices Practices Commission at the Pennsylvania Department of Education maintains and online list of actions taken against teaching certificates.

See their FAQ

Child Predators

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“Take time to notice if your child’s teacher, scout leader or a neighbor is paying extra attention to them or giving them extravagant gifts. Let your children know that they have the right to say no if they feel scared of uncomfortable.”

- Stacie Rumenap, the executive director of the national nonprofit group Stop Child Predators, from an article entitled, "Child predators don’t always use Internet, group warns"

North Adams, MASSACHUSETTS

July 25, 2007 - Steven M. Green, 42, a seventh-grade teacher at Silvio O. Conte Middle School, was arrested on June 12. He pleaded not guilty to a single charge of enticing a child under the age of 16 on Jul 20.

Green was suspended without pay "until the outcome of the case."

The case was continued until August 29.

St. Helena, CALIFORNIA

The victims were ages 15 and 16 when the assaults happened, and Sandler was 33.

April 7, 2008 - Hershel Sandler, 45, a St. Helena High School coach, delayed entering a plea this afternoon. His arraignment has been rescheduled to Thursday afternoon.

Sandler is charged with committing oral copulation with a girl under age 18 between March 2, 1996 and March 1, 1999; two counts of oral copulation with a girl under age 16 between March 21, 1997 and March 20, 1998; and having sex with a girl under age 16 between March 21, 1997 and March 20, 1998.

The alleged offenses were reported to police on Jan. 28, 2008 and on Nov. 6, 2007. The complaint alleges Sandler committed similar sexual misconduct against other girls, including other teenage girls and other volleyball players, and that evidence includes witnesses and admissions by Sandler.

Sandler resigned in October 2007.
Full Name: Hershel Bernard Sandler

ARRESTED April 3 - Sandler was arrested at his home Wednesday night. The victims, now adults, were 15 and 16 when most of the incidents occurred. Sandler resigned just before the start of the wrestling season last fall, shortly after allegations of sexual misconduct came to light, according to local press accounts.

ARRAIGNMENT DELAYED April 8 - Sandler delayed entering his plea to three counts of oral copulation with a minor and one count of lewd acts against a child. A continuance of the arraignment and a bail hearing are scheduled for Thursday afternoon. The arraignment was delayed last Thursday while he found a lawyer.

Sandler previously requested that he be released on his own recognizance. He is currently being held at Napa County Jail on $250,000 bail. Napa County Superior Court Judge Stephen Kroyer denied Sandler’s request last Thursday to be released on his own recognizance, calling him “a danger to the public based on what I’ve read in the complaint.”
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Department of Correction inmate custody entry for Sandler.
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NOT GUILTY PLEA April 11 - Sandler pleaded not guilty. Judge Rodney Stone reduced Sandler's bail to $100,000 from $250,000. The complaint alleges Sandler committed similar sexual misconduct against other girls, including other teenage girls and other volleyball players, and that evidence includes witnesses and admissions by Sandler. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 2.

SENTENCED July 23 - Sandler pleaded no contest last May to two counts of oral copulation. He was sentenced Wednesday to 270 days in Napa County Jail and five years of probation. The probation department recommended the court find that Herschel Sandler, 45, had served his time and allow him to leave the courtroom a free man.

Uppercase Judge Napa County Superior Court Judge Rodney Stone, however, disagreed, ordering Sandler to serve the nine months in the county jai - not prisonl. He must also register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.

Pleasantville, NEW JERSEY

Updated to include state monitor control of the district.




June 27, 2007 - There were calls for the resignation of Pleasantville School Board President James Pressley at the Board of Education meeting. Among the comments,

“What kind of behavior do you expect from our students?” said Charlene Clark, a special education teacher at Pleasantville High School. Clark said that as president, Pressley should lead by example, and called his behavior “discouraging.”

Pressley, 22, has said repeatedly he will not step down after being charged with DWI and reckless driving, as well as civilian complaints of assault and terroristic threats filed by board member Jerome Page and Atlantic City resident John Bunch, respectively, all within the past two weeks.

Clark submitted her resignation after the board meeting.

An editorial in the Press of Atlantic City urges the two-term, 22-year-old Pressley to resign.

Of course, any mention of the Pleasantville school district must be accompanied by the word “troubled.” Questionable contracts, violations of state laws on public meetings and public records, endless political infighting and election shenanigans haunt this school board.

Jun 20 - Pressley is alleged to have threatened a man with a gun. After totalling his car and a DWI arrest, he spoke at the graduation ceremony and urged students not to repeat his mistakes.

Jun 18 - The school board was sued for refusing to provide minutes of board meetings. They were ordered to pay $18,000 in penalities and legal fees after a newspaper sued. state-appointed special monitor who will begin overseeing the district's finances July 2. New Jersey Department of Education press release. HERE

New Jersey AFL-CIO: "Since 1997, the New Jersey State AFL-CIO Labor Candidates Program enjoys a 76% win rate electing rank-and-file union members to public office for a total of 440 election victories so far!"

STATE MONITOR APPOINTED
July 2 - The Press of Atlantic City reports that a state-appointed monitor will take over the school district after years of controversy, scandal, personnel shuffles, legal wrangling and an unfavorable audit, as well as "A recent investigation by an independent law firm accused past and present school board members of violating the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, or RICO Act."

A press release dated March 29, 2007 by the New Jersey Department of Education outlines some of the concerns and the authority.

Under the “School District Accountability Act” approved by the Legislature and signed by Governor Corzine last year, the Commissioner has the authority to appoint a state monitor in districts where serious fiscal deficiencies have been identified. The Commissioner has already appointed monitors in Willingboro, Camden, Paterson and Irvington.

TT - Bolding ours.

School Matters on Pleasantville, NJ schools. Here

Amarillo, TEXAS

SENTENCED July 24, 2007 - Martha Lynn Perry, 50, an Amarillo High School, who pleaded guilty to sexual assault of a child was sentenced to eight and a half years probation and pay a $500 fine.

She must register as a sex offender. A charge of indecency with a child was dropped as part of the plea agreement. Perry is also barred from teaching.

She was indicted in 2004 for an inappropriate relationship with a child.

From cache of the Amarillo Times: Perry was arrested for performing a sex act on a 16-year-old male student. The victim was a student at a different school, not one of her students. She resigned effective Dec 14, 2004.

[Sgt. Randy] TenBrink said the charges against Perry stem from a different investigation involving Perry, which police learned about Nov. 18.

"We had a previous investigation running on the woman for knowing and failing to stop an aggravated sexual assault of a child," TenBrink said.

Police learned about Perry's alleged encounter with the teen while investigating the other incident, TenBrink said.

TenBrink said more charges could be filed against Perry for not reporting the alleged aggravated sexual assault of a child. [A 12-year-old girl.]

Child Protective Services has placed Perry's two children, a 12-year-old girl and a 10-year-old boy, into protective custody, according to court records.

HISTORY A mistrial was declared when the jury deadlocked in November 2005 on the charges sexual assault and three counts of indecent exposure.

ARRESTED (AGAIN) Oct 29 - Martha Lynn Perry was arrested for violating her probation.

The Randall County D.A.'s office believes Perry has had contact with at least 5 kids under 17. Earlier this year, Perry pleaded guilty to sexual assault of a child. It was from an inappropriate relationship she had with a student.

Last week, we reported that the D.A. received pictures of Perry having contact with young kids on a camping trip. Randall County tells us that they will file a motion to have her probation revoked.

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ONLINE RESOURCE: State Board for Educator Certification disciplinary action search. LINK
Investigations and Enforcement FAQ

Clarksville, TENNESSEE

July 24, 2007 - Andrew Cooper, 44, a Northwest High school economics teacher and boy's basketball coach, was charged with the death of his wife, Pamela Cooper, assistant principal at Kenwood High School. Police arrested him after a manhunt that lasted 17 hours.

The couple were divorced last year. Police allege that Cooper kidnapped his ex-wife, tied her up, and shot her in the bed of his pickup truck. Neighbors called police when they arguing, a woman scream and then shots.

Clarksville high school coach arrested in slaying of ex-wife

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ONLINE RESOURCE: Tennesee Board of Education explanation of Denial, Suspension and Revocation of Teacher and Administrator Licenses.

Teacher Certification Information Search LINK

Moses Lake, WASHINGTON

Guilty plea results in one-year probation for teacher carried out by four school personnel.

First reported Mar 23, 2007 -
Samson "Sam" Lyman, a Moses Lake High School teacher who was suspended in January, was carried out of the high school after "initiating a riot," an official said.

Four school personnel carried him out of the building by his arms and his legs after he burst through the cafeteria doors and began yelling that he had been treated unfairly, peppering his language with obscenities, Principal Dave Balcom said.

"When (school officials) approached him, he jumped on a chair and started initiating a riot in our school commons," Principal Dave Balcom said. "Unfortunately it led to us having to remove him."

A police officer met him on the sidewalk. Prosecutors are considering charges. Lyman resumed a sign-carrying protest he began days earlier outside the school.

UPDATE June 6 - Lyman is scheduled to appear in court July 23. The school district forwarded reports to the state teacher licensing agency. In a strange irony, Lyman continues to study at Washington State University to achieve a doctorate in educational philosophy

Lyman was on paid leave until the end of the school AND while an "intensive investigation is completed." He's planning on suing on the way his suspension was handled.

GUILTY PLEA and SENTENCE: July 24 - Lyman pleaded guilty to charges of criminal trespass and disorderly conduct. The judge placed him on probation until March 19, 2008, at which time the charges will be dropped, provided he has no other ciminal offenses during that time.

The high school did not extend Lyman's contract, effectively ending his employment, however, he still retains his license to teach.

Roanake, VIRGINIA

Pedophile on trial again.

July 24, 2007 - Jonathan Utin, 65, has been returned to Montgomery County to face charges that he had sex with a 12-year-old girl in the early 1970s.

In April, Utin was sentenced in Ohio to 15 years for molesting another girl. The Ohio girl was molested from the age of five to eight. She was at least the seventh victim the teacher admitted to abusing during his 30 years of being around children.

After Utin goes to trial in Virginia, he will be returned to Ohio to finish his sentence there. If he is convicted in Virginia, he will then be returned to Virginia to serve any sentence he is given here.

See TT entry for Utin.

Baltimore, MARYLAND

Sentence reduced for drug dealing teacher.

Jan 26, 2007 -
Timothy Hartlove, 37, a teacher at River Hill High School, has been sentenced to more than six years in prison for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine worth about $50,000.

At River Hill, Hartlove taught advanced placement courses, coached the debate and “It’s Academic” teams, and served as a faculty adviser to the Gay-Straight Alliance.

“He was a fabulous teacher,” said his attorney, Gary Bernstein. “He’s not going to be teaching in the state of Maryland because they took away his certification. It’s very dramatic. His whole life was about the teaching.”

He was terminated from Howard County public schools on Nov 11, 2005.

His lawyer said Hartlove was an addict and used the proceeds from his drug dealing to finance his habit.

Feb 1- Howard County Times reports that a search of Hartlove's Baltimore residence turned up methamphetamine, Ecstasy, marijuana and a quart of GHB, a substance known as the "date rape drug," according to a DEA agent.

SENTENCE REDUCED: July 24 - Hartlove was re-sentenced Monday to less than four years in prison for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine worth about $50,000.

Timothy Hartlove, 37, taught at River Hill High School in Columbia for four years. He coached the debate and “It’s Academic” teams, taught advanced placement courses and served as a faculty adviser to the Gay-Straight Alliance.

No reason given for the re-sentencing.

Largo, FLORIDA

July 24, 2007 - Richard Smith, 33, a Largo High School teacher, was arrested on charges of manufacture of a controlled substance for growing marijuana plants in his home.

Police, acting on a tip, found a bedroom dedicated to growing the plants.

Investigators say that they found five full-grown marijuana plants in the closet and eleven marijuana seedlings in the bedroom. Already harvested marijuana was located in an overhead closet in a computer room.

Full Name: Richard Montgomery Smith

See St. Petersburg Times, Jul 25 Pinellas teacher accused of growing marijuana in his house

Buffalo, NEW YORK

July 23, 2007 - A hearing was postponed for Paul Hempel, 49, a teacher in Buffalo who was arrested in a bar fight which began with Nicholas Hempel allegedly hurling racial slurs at a black festival worker.

Hempel was charged with criminal impersonation of a public servant. (He approached the victim and claimed to be a police officer.) His son, Nicholas Hempel, 22, was charged with third-degree assault, criminal possession of a controlled substance and criminal mischief with the intent to damage property.

Nicholas Hempel was arrested again later in the week for disorderly conduct in the City of Tonawanda after a police officer allegedly saw him urinating between two Canal Fest vendor tents along Main Street, according to reports.

Paul Hemple is the husband of former North Tonawanda Councilwoman Sue Hempel.

The story of the arrest will make you grit your teeth.

HEARING POSTPONED: August 8 - The criminal hearings both Hempels, accused in a racially motivated bar fight, were postponed for the second time after the prosecutor said he still could not contact victims in the case.

The black carnival workers did not respond to written and telephone messages.

Dolthan, ALABAMA

July 20, 2007 - An Alabama teacher arrested on two counts of enticing a child for immoral purposes in July was "let go" in May by the school when they found out that he had prior arrests for bad checks and simple battery in Georgia. He had worked six months before they learned of the charges.

After letting him go and before his arrest, they were notified by the state Board of Education that Keaton Lamar Battle, 34, met the suitability criteria for employment despite his arrest records.

Michael Sibley, a department spokesman, said the department determines the suitability of school employees with less-than-perfect records on a case-by-case basis. Sibley said a federal court ruling prevents the department from issuing a blanket list of offenses that will automatically excludes people from getting a job in education.

TT - LINK for Battle

TT - In Oregon, they wanted to hire teachers who have been convicted of misdemeanor prostitution in the past. LINK

UPDATE July 22 - Turns out that Battle previously worked in Seminole County, Georgia, before coming to PASS, and the former school district gave him an excellent rating. Except they failed to mention that Battle had been charged in Seminole County for roughing up a student. PASS learned about the history in March and let Battle teach until May when they did not renew him.

UPDATE July 24 - WTVY reports that the state notified the school district that there were discrepancies in Battle's record.

"The letter came in March to the individual and was never presented to the board. So the employment body had no knowledge that he had falsified information on his employment application," said Gayla White of Dothan City School Board.

TT - Why are teachers even allowed inside a classroom before background checks are completed? If a school decides to employ a teacher without the results, why don't they ask, as a condition of employment, that the candidate take a lie detector test? Honest to God, how hard is that?

Beaufort, SOUTH CAROLINA

June 26, 2007 - A South Carolina school district has a $2 million surplus that could have been returned to taxpayers - except for the lawsuits.

The Beaufort County School District owes $4.6 million in settlement of six lawsuits associated with students who were molested by elementary school teacher Phillip Underwood-Sheppard between 1999 and 2000.

TT - We reported earlier on the lawsuits and wondered then, and still do, "Why exactly was the school district liable?"

UPDATE July 24 - The County Council refused a request by the Beaufort County Board of Education to raise net taxes $2.9 million to help pay for the lawsuits. Part of the reason appears to be that they are counting on the school district to succeed in their lawsuit against the insurance company.

"If we don't win that lawsuit, we should all be shot," Councilman Paul Sommerville said. "Starting with you, sir," he said to school district attorney Allen Smith of Columbia-based Childs & Halligan.

UPDATE August 3 - An eighth victim may pursue a lawsuit against the school district.

The school district resolved seven of the cases -- six through a total of $4.6 million in cash settlements and a seventh through payments from the district's insurance carrier,United National Insurance.

TT - still no reason given why the district is liable.

August 13 - An increase in property taxes is planned to pay of the $4.55 million in settlements . STILL no reason given why the district was liable.