West Bend, WISCONSIN

Dec 1, 2007 - The past president of the Oak Creek School District's teachers union, James Buss, 46, was arrested. Police are seeking criminal misdemeanor charges of unlawful use of computerized communication systems and disorderly conduct him.

Buss posed as a teacher-hater on a conservative blog (bootsandsabers.com) in a post praising the Columbine shooters. It was, apparently, an effort to discredit the discussion and the blog. A teacher in the district notified school district administrators who took it as a threat.

Buss is a chemistry teacher at Oak Creek High School. He is on an indefinite leave of absence from the school pending further investigation.

Buss' message on the bulletin board:

"Looking at those teacher salary numbers in West Bend made me sick. $60,000 for a part time job were (sic) you 'work' maybe 5 hours per day and sit in the teachers lunge (sic) and smoke the rest of the time. Thanks God we won on the referendum. But whining here doesn't stop the problem. Weve (sic) got to get in back of the kids who have had enough of lazy, no good teachers and are fighting back.

Kids like Eric Harris and Dylen Klebold members of the Young Republicans club at Columbine. They knew how to deal with the overpaid teacher union thugs. One shot at a time! Too bad the liberls (sic) rip them; they were heros (sic) and should be remembered that way."

The newspaper noted that the referendum to which Buss is accused of referring to was Nov. 6. Voters in the West Bend School District defeated a $119.3 million school building referendum by a 62% to 37% margin. Owen Robinson, the administrator of bootsandsabers.com, opposed the referendum.

Robinson also opposed having Buss arrested, calling the arrest was unwarranted and urges them to no bill the matter.

Dec 3 - Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel journo thinks the issue is anonymous e-mail.

Dec 5 - The prosecutor has decided not to charge Buss. This is how the Associated Press characterizes it:

prosecutor says he won't file charges against a teacher who posted an anonymous comment online sarcastically praising the Columbine shooters.

Washington County District Attorney Todd Martens says Buss was being facetious because he was tired of reading negative comments about teachers.

Sure. Mispellings and all.

Santa Barbara, CALIFORNIA

SCREAM. If she was arrested, the sex was NOT consensual. Minors can't legally consent to sex and adults know it. It was non-coerced. Are reporters stuck on stupid, or what?

May 30, 2007 - Kelli Jo Camp, 29, a teacher trainee was arrested on charges of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor. The 17-year-old boy is a student at New Cuyama High School where Camp worked.

School administrators became suspicious after male student visits to her classroom, photos of the victim in her desk and greeting cards from the victim. [Ya, think?]

Camp is the manager at Valarie House, a group home in Santa Maria, and also taught at Righetti High School in Santa Maria in addition to being a cheerleading instructor at Lakeview Junior High School.

Santa Barbara Sheriff's Department Press Release. (Dated May 29, 2007)

Authorities are asking anyone who has information to call Det. Ruby Wolff at (805) 934-6170.

NOT GUILTY PLEA Update June 14 - Camp pleaded not guilty. Next court appearance is July 9.

NO CONTEST PLEA - Nov 27 - Camp pleaded no contest to having unlawful sexual intercourse with the teenager. The plea agreement calls for a sentence of one year in jail - not prison - and five years' probation when she appears in court Friday.

The plea agreement also resulted in the prosecutor dropping grand theft charges against her. Those charges were not explained. She will, however, pay restitution to the school district.

SENTENCED Nov 30 - Camp was sentenced to one year in jail - not prison - and five years probation for having sex with a student. During this morning's sentencing, Camp's defense attorney argued successfully that Camp won't have to register as a sex offender once she's released from jail.

But when it came down to it, the judge decided there was not enough evidence to prove Camp would re-offend.

"I'm not going to order her to register as a sex offender," said Camp's judge.

The judge was Visiting Superior Court Judge Roger Randall.

Poland, OHIO

Nov 30, 2007 - Troy Massey, 41, a Poland Seminary School physics teacher and cross country and track coach, resigned this week during a school district investigation into his reported relationship with a former student.

There is no ongoing police investigation.

The girl with whom Massey is accused of having a relationship with graduated in June, but she was 17 and a student when the reported relationship is believed to have begun, according to school officials. The school district's investigation started in September.

Because Massey resigned while being investigated, the the school district reported the case to the Ohio Department of Education which will prompt an investigation by the Office of Professional Conduct.

[TT- The new law that required reporting resignations during an investigation went into effect March 31. The law also prevent districts from maintaining two personnel files or separating the discipline records from the personnel file. Some districts let in-house counsel investigate so that the files become protected from public view because of attorney-client privilege.]

April 8, 2008 - Massey was arrested on a traffic violation. The story included this:

A report submitted Tuesday by the school district to the Ohio Department of Education’s Office of Professional Conduct said Massey “resigned because of or in the course of an investigation regarding an act unbecoming the profession ...”

Kalama, WASHINGTON

LEGAL DECISION
Why teachers and unions hate standardized testing.

Nov 30, 2007 -

A federal jury today rejected a former Kalama teacher's claim that his civil rights were violated when administrators moved him to a smaller classroom and switched his teaching assignment in 2004.

Teacher David King claimed Superintendent Jim Sutton made the changes in retaliation for King's involvement in the Kalama teacher's union.

The district argued King, a math teacher for most of his 30-year career, was switched to teaching social studies because a high percentage of his math students scored poorly over a 10-year period.

The verdict was handed down late this morning in U.S. District Court in Tacoma after a two-week trial.

As a union "representative, King accompanied other teachers to disciplinary meetings with administrators. King's lawyer alleged that Sutton is an "anti-union guy" who disapproved of King's union involvement. Sutton said that allegation was nonsense.

TT - It took them 10 years to document his ineptness in teaching math? Too bad teachers and school administrators can't be sued for malpractice.

Cincinnati, OHIO

"She was not a coach or teacher - in no form or fashion,"

Nov 30, 2007 - A grand jury indicted Donna Hoffman, 42, a part-time employee of West Clermont School District, for sexual battery of a 16-year-old boy at Glen Este High School .

"She was the district substitute-caller, a part-time position, which had no contact with students," Superintendent Gary Brooks said in a statement. "She also assisted in the district personnel office with routine clerical duties."

Hoffman filed for divorce from her husband of 19 years in January, according to court documents. Records showed they had two children under age 18 at that time The teen is also a friend of one of her daughters, also a Glen Este student. Police said they've received new information that Hoffman may have had contact with additional teens.

It was the fifth time since 2002 that a West Clermont employee has been charged in connection with having sex with students. Three Amelia High School teachers and an administrative assistant were found guilty of sexual battery in 2002 and 2003.

A pretrial hearing is scheduled for Dec 6.

Leroy, ALABAMA

Nov 30, 2007 - At least one judge has some common sense. U.S. Magistrate Judge Bert Milling Jr. ordered Charlene Schmitz to remain jailed pending trial on a pair of federal enticement charges.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria Murphy urged Milling not to fall victim to a double standard since the defendant is a woman and her alleged victim male.

"We believe detention is the only appropriate and necessary method of protection the community has from this defendant," she said. "This defendant is a sexual predator who preyed on a 14-year-old child. ... Electronic monitoring will not stop this defendant from leaving with the child."

Schmitz is 55-years-old.

TT Link to Schmitz entry.

Pittsville, MARYLAND

Nov 30, 2007 - Jenna Hermann, 23, a teaching intern at Pittsville Elementary and Middle School, was arrested, accused of having a sexual relationship with a middle school student.

Hermann was a student from Salisbury University who was interning as a teacher's assistant at Pittsville Elementary and Middle School. They say the then 13-year-old boy was a student in her class.

Sheriff's officials say the alleged abuse occurred several times over the last three months at Hermann's apartment and also at the boy's home. And they say that student wasn't the only one who was approached.

Sheriff Mike Lewis says, "She had solicited at least one other 14-year-old for sex."

Officials say the alleged victim is now transferring to another school. And they're still investigating the situation.

WMDT notes that she looks so normal on her MySpace page, but they don't link to it. A previous story (11/29) from the site reports that,

Officials say Hermann sexually abused the minor at her home and at the minor's home between October 1 and November 27.

They say three witnesses have said they were aware of the sexual abuse. One witness says he was even sent cell phone pictures of the act. At least one of the witnesses say Hermann asked them to participate in a sexual relationship.

The Daily Times: She is charged with two counts each of second-degree custody child abuse, third-degree sex offense, sex abuse of a minor and fourth-degree sex offense. Detectives from the Wicomico Child Advocacy Center first heard of the alleged improper relationship from other students.
Full Name: Jennifer Ashley Hermann

Chester, NEW JERSEY

Nov 30, 2007 - David N. Scheck, 25, a band director at West Morris Central High School, was arrested and charged with having a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old girl who was a student at the school.

He is charged with

• one count of First Degree Aggravated Sexual Assault,
• one count of Second Degree Sexual Assault,
• one count of Third Degree Aggravated Criminal Sexual Contact,
• one count of fourth degree Criminal Sexual Contact,
• one count of second degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child, and
• one count of third degree Witness Tampering.

News Release from the Morris County Prosecutor's Office (Dated Nov 30, 2007)

Kearny, NEW JERSEY

Sentenced (sorta) to two years' probation. No sex offender registration mentioned.

Oct 11, 2007 - Celeste Adamski, 27, a Kearny High School English teacher, pleaded guilty to one count of third degree official misconduct for having sex with a 17-year-old student of hers in a car in January 2007.

The charge carries a possible sentence of 3 to 5 years in prison but it is unlikely she will go to jail because she is a first-time offender. Under the plea deal prosecutors will ask for probation only.

TT - We've always wondered why first-time offenders are given a pass-go. How does that ensure equal justice for the victim? Isn't that like saying, "Too bad. But it's just your bad luck you were the first so, sorry, you don't count? You were the freebie she got?"

Oct 12 - As part of the deal Adamski will lose her job at Kearny High School, give up her teaching certificate, and be barred from public employment. Adamski's husband, John Adamski, continues to teach history at the high school and Mooney said he is in good standing.

Adamski was never officially charged although the school talked to five boys about the allegations.

GUILTY PLEA Oct 18 - In court, Adamski admitted to having sex with her 17-year-old student and as part of the plea deal, agreed never to teach again. She will be sentenced Nov 30.

SENTENCED Nov 30 - Adamski was sentenced to two years probation. and will have have to perform 50 hours of community service and pay $155 in fines. Adamski's teaching license will be revoked and she will be ineligible for public employment.

She pleaded to one count of third-degree official misconduct on Oct. 11 and she admitted in court to having sex with a male student on Jan. 24 in a vehicle in Lyndhurst.

Adamski's husband, also a teacher, sat in the courtroom during the sentencing. Adamski is pregnant with her second child by her husband, said [defense attorney John] Young, who added that the baby is due in June. She's happy to able to put this behind her and get on with her life.

Headline from the Jersey Journal:
NO PRISON TIME FOR SEX TEACH
Must do service - but no jail for whoopee in car

Muskogee, OKLAHOMA

Nov 30, 2007 - — Larry Couch, the Marble City School District’s superintendent for more than 27 years, lost his teacher’s and administrator’s license.

The state Board of Education voted to revoke Couch's Oklahoma teaching and administrator certificate. Couch is accused of embezzling $100,000 from the southeastern school district of approximately 160 students — the majority of whom are Cherokee Indian.
Full Name: Larry Duane Couch AKA Duane Couch

Nov 29 - From The Sequoyah County Times: Couch is willing to submit his resignation and pay restitution, but only if the board can help him secure a plea agreement in district court. Couch's attorney wrote the school board.

"If the Marble City School Board of Education is willing to accept Larry Couch's outright resignation without any conditions or stipulations, accept an immediate $100,000 lump sum payment and request the district attorney to place Mr. Couch on a deferred sentence without further monetary obligation or penalty, I think Mr. Couch would be willing to immediately tender his resignation and pay restitution in the amount of $100,000," [Fourth] Scoufos wrote in the letter.

Since the charge was filed against Couch in August, the state auditor's office has uncovered over $500,000 in questionable expenditures at the school in an audit that goes back to 1999, auditor officials said recently.

CREDENTIALS REVOKED Dec 3 - The state Board of Education voted on Thursday to revoke the administrator and teacher certificates of longtime superintendent Larry Duane Couch. The revocation was not in response to the the criminal charges against him.

RESIGNATION April 10, 2008 - Couch sent a letter of resignation to the school board.

In January, the state Board of Education revoked Couch’s teacher’s and administrator’s licenses. Couch is appealing that action in Sequoyah County District Court. A spokesperson for the state Department of Education said Wednesday that the appeal is still pending and the Department of Education attorneys had not heard otherwise.The Marble City School Board did not terminate Couch because of the appeal, members said earlier this year.

An interim superintendent was appointed in December.

CHARGED May 22 - Couch was charged in Federal court with three felonies, including embezzlement of government funds and making and subscribing a false tax return. Couch also has agreed to plead guilty to state embezzlement charges. He is set to waive a federal grand jury indictment

Dallas, TEXAS

A new law that requires fingerprinting goes into effect in January in Texas.
And it won't be pretty.

Nov 29, 2007 - District tightening policy as fingerprint law draws near.

A new state law that requires school systems to fingerprint teachers and other employees for in-depth criminal background checks has some districts, including Dallas, wondering what to do when they learn people have lied about their past.

The Dallas Independent School District estimates that it could have 200 to 300 employees who are living under assumed names to hide their criminal histories or who lied on their employment applications to conceal arrests that would have prohibited their hiring.

DISD's policy says such violators may be terminated. But a group of several district administrators, formed to implement the new law in DISD, wants to remove any option. The group will recommend that all violators be fired.

The new law, dubbed the "fingerprinting bill," requires all teachers, administrators, counselors, librarians and other professionals, including substitute teachers, to submit their fingerprints to the Texas Education Agency, which will have them checked for any felonies or misdemeanors in their past.

The fingerprint screenings for educators holding current state credentials - and all substitute teachers - must be conducted by Sept. 1, 2011.

A Dallas Morning News investigation last year found the Dallas Independent School District had a backlog of a year on background checks. In addition, the district hadn't been notifying the state of all educators with criminal histories.

Riverside, CALIFORNIA

Nov 29, 2007 - Dennis Lucas Jr., 39, a school security at Fremont Elementary School, was arrested on suspicion of molesting a 10-year-old student.

He is accused of inappropriately touching a fifth-grade girl at the school. The girl told police that Lucas started talking to her on Tuesday and began touching her while touching himself through his clothes, Frasher said. He did not touch her underneath her clothes.

Police ask anyone with information to call Detective James Dana at 951-353-7121.

Full Name: Dennis Edward Lucas Jr

GreatSchools.net rates the school a 3.
Ethnicity = 79% Hispanic 10% = white

Standardized Testing

Compare the stories on standardized testing and the No Child Left Behind Act.

MICHIGAN
Nov 30, 2007 - Fewer Michigan high schools made adequate progress last school year due to tougher testing standards. The main way Michigan measures progress of high school students is through the ACT-based Michigan Merit Exam, adopted along with the tougher standards. The new exam replaces the old Michigan Educational Assessment Program test.

Under the No Child Left Behind Act, all students are to be proficient in reading and math by 2014. Public schools must periodically test students to gauge their success, a measure called adequate yearly progress.

States are given some flexibility on setting their own standards for what constitutes adequate yearly progress...

VERMONT - Editorial in the Burlington Free Press
Nov 30, 2007 - Some 100 people, many of them educators, showed up to a meeting with U.S. Senator Bernie Saunders, to rail against how No Child Left Behind is playing out in Vermont . schools.

No Child Left Behind works best when tests are used to figure out who needs what help. The accountability must start with making sure the students are offered the help.

The key is to keep No Child Left Behind from becoming the final word on student achievement, teacher performance or school success. Sanders knows how to choose a topic that hits home with Vermonters.

Bernie Saunders is the only self-described Socialist in the U.S. Senate.

NORTH CAROLINA - Editorial in the Winston-Salem Journal
From an editorial called, Trim the Tests,

Standardized tests don’t measure whether a child is creative or imaginative. They measure only whether the child can spit back what the school has fed him or her. And, when standardized results are so important, then school curricula become tied to the tests. Teachers are told they must teach a structured curriculum in the way that school administrators demand.

This is no way to learn and, more important, it is no way to engage the minds of youngsters and to make them want to learn.

AND,

Standardized tests don’t measure whether a child is creative or imaginative. They measure only whether the child can spit back what the school has fed him or her. And, when standardized results are so important, then school curricula become tied to the tests. Teachers are told they must teach a structured curriculum in the way that school administrators demand.

This is no way to learn and, more important, it is no way to engage the minds of youngsters and to make them want to learn.

A state commission has recommended eliminating the fourth-, seventh-, and 10th-grade writing, and the eighth-grade computer skills, tests. In addition, five end-of-course exams for high-school students may also be cut. That would leave only five.

There’s even better news. Two science exams scheduled to begin this year, which are designed to meet the federal government’s obsession with testing, won’t be counted for state purposes.

MARYLAND
Professors in the University Senate blasted a plan to bring national standardized tests to campus, saying yesterday that the proposal would undermine their lesson plans and restrict students' creativity

Last week, an association representing 430 public colleges and universities, including those in Maryland, voted to implement a standardized test that would make universities easier to compare. But professors in the senate, the university's most powerful policy making body, said they feared the test - at this point, only a pilot program - would steer the university's curriculum rather than faculty.

The test would be given to randomly selected groups of freshmen and seniors and measure students' writing, math skills and critical thinking.

Lake Mary, FLORIDA

She picked him up and bought a box of condoms for the 14-year-old boy.

Nov 30, 2007 -
Jennifer Tarkenton, 34, a special education teacher at Greenwood Lakes Middle School, was arrested and charged with three counts of lewd or lascivious battery on a child 12 or older by a person over the age of 18.

Deputies discovered her inside a vehicle shortly after she had sex with a 14-year-old boy.

The victim told the deputy that he and Tarkenton had just engaged in intercourse prior to the deputy's arrival.
The boy said Tarkenton had picked him up at his home at about 10 p.m. and taken him to a pharmacy where she bought a box of condoms for him. She then sexually assaulted the victim three times, police said.

Tarkenton has been suspended with pay. The school will not say whether he was one of her students or attended the school. The superintendent is planning to recommend termination at the January school board meeting. The arrest will be reported to the state Department of Education's Professional Practices Services.

Full Name: Jennifer Gwynn Tarkenton
Photo: Seiminole County Sheriff's Office
Slideshow after arrest from WFTD ch 9
PDF Arrest Report from WFTD ch 9
PDF Inmate Booking Info from WFTD ch 9
Letter sent to parents from Ch 13
The letter was sent to Middle school parents and friends, but there was this bizarre inclusion:

Tragic as the incident is that will cause embarrassment to our school, to Seminole County Public Schools, and to your noble profession, I want you to know that the incident appears to be a singularly isolated event.

RESIGNATION Dec 9 - Tarkenton resigned Saturday. The state Department of Education may also revoke her teacher certificate, depending on the outcome of the criminal investigation.

Greensboro, NORTH CAROLINA

Previous assault record in 1994. School district background checks only go back seven years.

Nov 30, 2007 - Robert Bullard, 59, a Dudley High School teacher, was arrested and charged with with simple assault. He is accused of a punching student in the face at school on Nov. 13, according to arrest warrants.

According to court records, Bullard's criminal record dates back at least 13 years to when he admitted to hitting a Danville, Va., man with a trophy, breaking his arm and sending him to the hospital. Bullard pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault with a deadly weapon and avoided a trial. He was sentenced to 150 days in jail, placed on probation for five years, and ordered to pay court costs and restitution, records show.

Bullard was hired as a social studies teacher at Dudley this year. He resigned the same day the assault was reported.
Full Name: Robert Lee Bullard

Sciota, ILLINOIS

Nov 30, 2007 - Matthew Gale, 28, a special education teacher at West Prairie High School, pleaded guilty to one count of criminal sexual abuse.

The teacher who, the Peoria Journal-Star said had a 2006 sexual relationship with a 16-year-old student, pleaded to the lesser charge and is expected to be sentenced to probation in February.

An agreement with prosecutors calls for Gale to be sentenced to 30 months of probation and $1,100 in fines and 180 days in the county jail. He will serve 60 days in jail beginning Feb. 8, and the 120-day balance will be deferred if he is in compliance with probation. The conviction requires Gale to register as a sex offender, and he is forbidden from being anywhere children younger than 18 congregate, including a school.

The investigation began with a call from another teacher to an Illinois Department of Children and Family Services hotline. Gale now lives in Florida.

SENTENCED Feb 29, 2008 - Gale was sentenced to to 60 days in jail - not prison - for criminal sexual abuse of a student. Matthew Gale also will have to serve 30 days probation and pay $1,700 in fines and court costs. The sentence called for 180 days, but 120 days were stayed to monitor his probation compliance.

He will have to register as a sex offender.

Mental Health Exams

After today's stories you have to wonder if what schools should be doing is psychological testing to determine the mental health of the people they employ.

Lakeland, FLORIDA

Nov 29, 2007 - Margaret Taylor, 56, a substitute teacher in Lakeland, was sentenced to five years in state prison today for the beating death of her 8-year-old granddaughter.

An earlier trial ended in a hung jury in June and the judge declared a mistrial and scheduled a new trial for Nov. 5. At the trial, her two sons testified that she whipped them with electrical cords, burned one of them with an iron, stabbed one of them in the shoulder, and caused them both to run away from home in their early teens to escape her abuse.

Taylor pleaded no contest Oct 16 to aggravated child abuse with great bodily harm, in exchange for an agreement that she would receive no more than five years in state prison.

Medical Examiner Dr. Stephen Nelson testified that LaShauntia’s injuries were not consistent with falling during a roller blading accident. Autopsy pictures showed that the child had bruising on the front, sides and back of her head, as well as dark stripes of bruising across her back. Mottled bruising completely covering her buttocks.

LaShauntia Thomas was 8-years-old when she died on Nov. 2, 2004.

Fulton, NEW YORK

Nov 29, 2007 - Gracia Thompson, 44, a special education teacher at Lanigan Elementary School, was arrested, accused of abusing two developmentally challenged students.

She was charged with two counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child. Investigators say Thompson hit a five year old in the head four to five times with the palm of her hand. They also say she spanked a seven year old with his pants down. The incidents happened in May, but police were not notified until five months later.

The school said they were conducting their own investigation.
Police Press Release ( Dated Nov 29, 2007)

Dec 26, 2007 - A greatly-modified story that began with with the attorney for Thompson saying that the allegations from two teacher’s aides are nothing more than a vendetta against his client, ended up somewhat different.

The aides did not approach the police with their information but were called in by the police department after the call to a child abuse hotline that started the police investigation. That investigation occurred well after the school district’s own investigation was completed. We did not mean to imply that the aides sought out the police, when in fact it was the other way ’round.

The full text of depositions and accusatory instruments filed with the court are available for viewing at the site.

Despite what they’d witnessed, [teacher's aide Jacqueline] Meeker said that fear of being professionally “black balled” or accused of lying prevented the aides from coming forward.

“I am in the CSEA union and the teachers have their own teachers union,” she said. “Since I have been with the school district, it is known that the other unions do not go up against the teachers union. It is understood that they have a lot of power and it is believed that you may lose your job if you do.”

Jan 10, 2008 - Thompson was arraigned. The district said last month Thompson was transferred to a different job that does not include any contact with children. The case was adjourned to Feb. 27, 2008 for further action.

Davenport, IOWA

Sentenced (sorta) for selling drugs to make money.

August 6, 2007 - Mary Lane, 33, a second-grade special education teacher at Adams Elementary School, was arrested after police found ecstasy, marijuana and a loaded gun in her home.

Police, apparently, were tipped off that Lane was dealing drugs from her home. Lane was charged with two counts of drug possession and delivery, two counts of drug tax stamp violations and one count of hosting a drug house.

Police also seized an electronic scale and plastic bags. She was suspended.

WQAD has excellent coverage of the arrest and talked to neighbors.

GUILTY PLEA & SENTENCING (sorta) Nov 29 - Lane pleaded guilty to possession with intent to deliver marijuana and a drug tax stamp violation. Lane was sentenced by Scott County District Judge Gary McKenrick to -- three years of probation -- for selling marijuana out of her house.

Lane could have the conviction removed from her record if she successfully completes probation and pays a $1,500 fine.

``I made a mistake,'' Lane said during her sentencing hearing. ``I was supposed to be a role model, and I screwed that up.

``It's a huge embarrassment for me. It's a huge embarrassment for my family.''

She sold the drugs to make money.

TT - When the McCausland city treasurer stole $187,539.85, she was sentenced by the same judge to five years probation after which her conviction would be erased as well.

Ellicott City, MARYLAND

CHARGES DROPPED

ARRESTED May 17, 2007 - Alan Silberman, 62, a guidance counselor at Howard High School, was arrested for having crack cocaine in his car in the school parking lot.

Police received a tip on a drug hot line that he was a drug user and took dogs to the parking lot to check his vehicle. Silberman is the fourth Howard County high school teacher arrested this year. The other three arrests involved allegations of improper sexual conduct.

Update May 24 - According to the Howard County Times, parents -- that seems to only be the school's PTSA president - are calling for pre-employment drug testing. However,

The system's policy states that officials may subject employees to drug testing "based on reasonable suspicion of the use of contraband" and that employees violating the drug use and possession policies -- especially those who violate the policy on school grounds -- may be subject to termination.

TT - The problem with pre-employment testing is that Silberman worked for 37 years in the district. Obviously, he did not trigger any reasonable suspicion of drug use. It is unlikely that he was using cocaine prior to his employment.

Random drug testing for all teachers would be more effective. New testing doesn't rely upon urine samples taken in a controlled environment that would require time away from school. The new tests rely upon a sample of hair that can be easily collected at the school.

TRIAL SCHEDULED August 26 - Trial is scheduled for October 3.

CHARGES DROPPED Nov 29 - Insufficient evidence and the completion by Silberman of a drug evaluation led to the decision, the Howard County State's Attorney's Office said today.

Silberman's age, lack of a criminal record, and his agreement to submit to an evaluation contributed to the decision to not prosecute the case, said Brendan Clary, district court chief in the State's Attorney's Office. The charges were dropped on Nov. 13.

He retired on July 1.

Riverton, UTAH

Sentenced to 15 years to life.

ARRESTED Mar 15, 2007 -
Frank Hall, 36, was arrested this afternoon and booked into the Salt Lake County jail on allegations of 3 counts of sexual abuse of a child.

Hall is a first-grade teacher at Rosamond Elementary School. He is accused of inappropriately touching at least three girls in his current class. Department of Child and Family Services spokeswoman Carol Sisco said five more children are being interviewed, and more victims may be identified.

Bail is set at $500,000. (From County Jail Prisoner Information Center)
Full Name: Frank Laine Hall
Also Known as: Laine Hall

Mar 16 -[Date corrected.] Deseret News provides further information: A student who witnessed the touching reported the incident to his parents, which lead to the investigation. The students in his class are 6 or 7 years old, and Court documents state Hall, "participated in various activities involving teaching children outside the public school."

Mar 24 - [Date corrected.] Eleven new sex abuse charges have been filed. The victim count is up to 9. The additional charges were filed Friday. Hall now faces a total of 14 counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child, all first-degree felonies. The new charges represent six additional victims.
Next court date is April 2.

Mar 28 - News story - Experts encourage Parents to Talk to Children About Sexual Abuse. Bizarre: Three girls came forward after watching t.v. story about an arrested teacher.

Carol Sisco and her employees at the Department of Child and Family Services can not remember this ever happening.

"That is really unusual," Sisco said. But if abuse did occur, she is glad one of the three girls came forward after watching a news story on Frank Laine Hall, a teacher in Riverton arrested and charged with sexual abuse against some of his students. "Anything that gives the little child the courage to say someone hurt me is really important," Sisco said.

ANOTHER VICTIM Apr 5 - Another victim has come forward. At this point, Hall faces 15 counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child.

Paul Jaroscak, with the Salt Lake County Sheriff's department, said, "We are certainly not out there fishing or trolling for, victims but as they come forward we will certainly interview them and present those cases to the DA office and that has in fact happened."

PLEADED GUILTY Sept 20 - Hall pleaded guilty to reduced charges of 10 counts of attempted aggravated sex abuse of a child, all first-degree felonies, and second-degree felony sex abuse of a child. In exchange, five other counts of aggravated sex abuse of a child were dismissed. He will be sentenced Nov 14.

SENTENCED Nov 29 - Laine was sentenced to 15 years to life. The judge imposed a sentence of three-years-to-life for each of 10 counts of first-degree felony attempted aggravated sex abuse of a child. Hansen also sentenced Hall to one-to-15 years in prison for one count of second-degree felony sex abuse of a child.

The judge also recommended to the Board of Pardons that Hall get a mental health evaluation and sex abuse treatment; have no contact with victims, their family members or any minors; and register as a sex offender.

More Harlequin Romance headlines

Sex between a 15-year-old girl and a 37-year-old teacher described as an "affair."

Nov 29 - From the Star-Ledger: Jury hears teary Somerville coach describe affair to cops

After hearing the prosecution describe the relationship between the former Immaculata High School basketball coach and her teenage player as one that turned into an illegal, sexual affair, jurors in the trial heard the coach describe it herself.

In a nearly two-hour video, a teary Pamela Balogh described the remorse she felt and the connection she had with the teenage girl. It was an interview Balogh gave two female detectives from the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office, a case that started with an angry e-mail from the girl who detectives said was confused and "screwed up" by her alleged relationship with a woman 22 years her senior.

The student was 15-years-old at the time.

The defense? "What the trial is about is when did this relationship begin?" the defense attorney said.

TT - Link to Balogh

Mundelein, ILLINOIS

Sentenced to probation and ---
registration as a sex offender FOR LIFE.





CHARGED Feb 28, 2007 -
Scott Lempa, 33, a mathematics teacher at Mundelein High School, was charged with child pornography for allegedly having a 17-year-old student in his math class send him naked photos of herself using her cell phone.

Lempa's home and school computers and his cell telephone have been seized and a forensic analysis is being conducted to determine if there were any additional violations or other students involved, according to police.

Police were notified by school officials. They turned over several text messages between the two. He has been suspended with pay.
Full Name: Scott S. Lempa

ANOTHER TEACHER CHARGED Lempa is the second Lake County teacher in two months to be charged with child pornography. In December, Wayne Kuklinski, 59 of Ingleside, was arrested in a sting operation and charged with 30 counts of child pornography. (Who also got probation for - child pornography.)
TT entry for Kuklinski.

NOT GUILTY PLEA Apr 25 - Lempa pleaded not guilty. (In archives of Daily Herald.)

July 3 - ONLINE story: Mundelein Review, Mar 1, 2007:

School officials notified police of suspicions that inappropriate activity was taking place, including text messages with inappropriate photos and discussion of them with a 17-year-old female student.

GUILTY PLEA & SENTENCING Nov 29 - Lempa pleaded guilty to a reduced charge. A judge accepted the plea and Lempa was sentenced to 30 months of probation with the sex offender unit, forfeiting his teaching license, and registering for life as a sex offender.

Lempa must also pay a $1,000 fine and perform 100 hours of public service work, have no contact with the girl, provide a DNA sample for the national registry, and use the Internet only for employment.

Sentencing story says his wife contacted police when she found the e-mails. She has filed for divorce.

Corruption

School board trustee pleads guilty.

Nov 29, 2007 - Carlos Villa Cordova, 80, a El Paso Independent School District trustee, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, wire fraud and the deprivation of honest services.

Cordova resigned in August citing health reasons. Cordova is the fourth person to plead guilty as part of a widespread public corruption investigation by the FBI that began sometime in 2005.

The others are: John Travis Ketner, former chief of staff for County Judge Anthony Cobos, former County Commissioner Betti Flores, and Bernardo Lucero Jr., the vice president of Lucero/Melendez Architects. None has been sentenced, court records show.

Nov 30 - Community shocked by Cordova's plea. Cordova is a retired EPISD teacher, coach and administrator.

No other details of the criminal activities have been made public.
He is the fourth person to plead guilty to conspiracy charges in the ongoing FBI public corruption case, which started in 2005 and has implicated dozens of elected officials and community leaders in El Paso.

Cordova has not been arrested and has not been sentenced.

Knoxville, TENNESEE

Married , 35-years-old, two small children, pregnant with student's child.
Sentenced to judicial diversion for statutory rape.

Sept 28, 2007 -
Dianne Dieterich, 35, head Cross Country and Track and Field Coach at Knoxville Catholic High School, pleaded guilty to statutory rape of a male minor between the age of 15 and 18 years old. She was sentenced to 4 years in prison. The agreement calls for judicial diversion.

Dieterich will go through mandatory marital and sexual counseling. If Dieterich meets all of her probation criteria at the end of the 4 years, it will be cleared from her record.

NEW TWIST Nov 29 - Dietrich claims she is pregnant. The father is the student.

"(Dieterich) reported being … pregnant and has a projected due date of April 29, 2008," state Board of Probation and Parole Officer Laura Thompson wrote. "She said the baby is the victim's child. She stated her husband is aware of her pregnancy and knows the baby is not his."

Priceless paragraph:

At the time, neither Isaacs nor Assistant District Attorney General Charme Knight would discuss details of Dieterich's affair with the Catholic senior. There was no mention of her pregnancy.

Her paramour's family did not attend the hearing and specifically asked Knight to conceal details of his identity and the affair.

TT - She's married, the mother of two daughters ages 4 and 7, and the student was 17-years- old. What part of statutory rape is hard for the reporter to understand?

SENTENCED Nov 29 - A judge formally accepted the judicial diversion sentencing negotiated as part of a plea agreement. It means Dieterich will remain free unless she violates either the law or conditions of her probation, which includes staying away from the student victim.

Judge Mary Beth Leibowitz ordered that Dieterich be supervised, and she made reference to her pregnancy but didn't address it outright.

"She's going to deal with that the rest of her life," Leibowitz said.

TT - We're sure it will be a cause of introspection for her.

Hampton, VIRGINIA

CHARGES DROPPED

ARRESTED Oct 2, 2007 - Cary Forrest, a a Kecoughtan High School social studies teacher, was arrested after Hampton Police carried out a scheduled school search at the high school and discovered drugs and alcohol linked to Forrest.

He faces charges of one count of possession of marijuana on school property and one count of possession of alcohol on school property.

No press release at the Hampton Police Department yet.

CHARGES DROPPED Nov 29 - All charges have been dropped against Forrest.

Diane Nelms, Hampton's assistant commonwealth's attorney, said the seeds found in Forrest's car had been tested at a crime laboratory and "no controlled substance was found."

And although bottles of beer were found in the car's trunk, Nelms said, the alcohol charges were dismissed because the vehicle was registered to Forrest' father.

Nelms said the police canine used to search the parking lot might have picked up an old odor of marijuana in the car. She said police and school authorities handled the investigation correctly. "The field test kit came out positive but the laboratory test is more accurate," she said.

Hampton schools spokeswoman Ann Stephens said Wednesday it was unlikely Forrest would return to Kecoughtan. "He chose to resign. We did not take his job away," Stephens said.

Un-Pleasantville

Speaking of corruption....

Nov 29 - The latest from the Pleasantville (NJ) Board of Education includes a resolution by the Pleasantville Board of Education to the state commissioner of education to complain about the state-appointed monitor and asking for his removal.

They were following up on a letter to the commissioner from teachers' union President Mark Delcher who complained that state-appointed monitor John Deserable blew a kiss to teacher and yelled her name across a room.

Yes, things in the inaptly named Pleasantville are that silly. And not just Pleasantville. Pleasantville is the fifth school district in New Jersey to have a state-appointed fiscal monitor. State monitors have been appointed for Willingboro, Camden, Paterson and Irvington.

The Board president is 22-year-old James Pressley who refuses to resign in spite of his personal problems. video This is the school board web site.

Other TT Pleasantville coverage here here here <--- has list of those arrested SERIES on NJ Corruption by NJ.com (Don't miss the Corruption cases in 2004 and be prepared for small print and a long scroll. "an average of one corrupt act playing out on the public stage every three days.")

Opinion

We are not going to comment on the British teacher who was arrested in the Sudan and the teddy bear who, doubtless, won't be given 40 lashes either.

We would like to go on record saying that we like teddy bears. And the media outrage seems excessive in the scale of things in the world.

And we would like to remind readers of the Beanie Bear lawsuit.

Teacher Raises in Naples, Florida

Nov 28, 2007 - The Naples (FL) Chamber of Commerce has written a letter to the Collier County representatives asking them to help the Collier County School District give teachers raises.

You have to go a long way down the article to discover that:

• The district gave its teachers a 1 percent bonus for the 2007-08 school year.
• The district was forced to return $4.9 million to the state as a result of the state’s general revenue shortfall.

  Of that, $2.5 million was for the Merit Award Program, which the district would have had to return anyway because the district and teachers could not come to an agreement. The remaining $2.37 million was in actual budget cuts.

• The district actually experienced a declining enrollment this year and will have to give back $1.35 million for students they did not have in local schools.
• Teachers are working to rule, which means teachers will come in at the contract-approved time. Teachers are not doing anything above and beyond the 7.5-hour day.

---

That, apparently, includes not working on the school year book with students.

Some facts about the district the Naples newspaper doesn't tell you.
From GreatSchools.net
INCOME
Median Income Naples $74,214
Median Income Florida $44,313
Median Income U.S. $45,937

Teaching out of field
Classes taught by out-of-field teachers = 22% Collier County School District
Classes taught by out-of-field teachers = 7% State Average

Total operating costs per pupil
$6,992 This district
$6,072 State average

SALARIES
A Collier teacher who has been teaching in the district for five years and has a bachelor’s degree is paid = $40,761 salary.
For a Collier teacher who has a bachelor’s degree and 10 years = $47,168.
Those with 19 years experience and a bachelor’s degree = $58,812 salary.
Those are only bachelor degree salaries.

Last year, Collier County teachers got a 6% increase.

Teacher Discipline

Teacher who viewed child pornography in a second grade class couldn't be fired.

Nov 26, 2007 - Luther Stephney, a 2nd grade teacher, has had his license revoked by the New York State Education Department after a bizarre process that gives a lot of insight into why New York State does not list educator disciplinary records online.

Stephney was placed on paid administrative leave in March 2004 after software revealed he had visited child pornography sites on his school computer. He admitted using the computers.

After being caught, Stephney admitted viewing the sites two or three times, but an examination of his classroom computers revealed that in one month he viewed porn six times on all three computers. He viewed the sites for 50 minutes once and 54 minutes another time.

He was suspended with pay.

Administrative charges were lodged against him for insubordination; neglect of duties; searching for and viewing inappropriate, immoral and obscene images on the Internet; and violating the district's Internet policy. On Jan 11, 2004, Hearing Officer Ira Lobel found Stephney guilty of every charge except providing false and misleading information to the district during its investigation.

Lobel's ruling was that Stephney be suspended without pay for the remainder of the 2004-05 school year, and he retained jurisdiction over the matter for two years.

The SCHOOL BOARD APPEALED the ruling and again sought Stephney's dismissal, arguing through counsel that the ruling violated public policy and trivialized federal, state and local efforts to keep pornography out of the classroom. Clinton County Supreme Court Acting Justice Kevin Ryan agreed with the School Board and ordered that Lobel impose a new penalty.

In his second decision, Lobel stopped short of dismissal but ordered that besides the original suspension without pay, Stephney must attend counseling at his own expense and on his own time.

The State Certification Board reopened the case after its review, and an arbitrator recommended Stephney's teaching license be pulled. Stephney's license was pulled this month.

The final straw: Stephney could resign, or he has the right to initiate a further hearing process to prove beyond any doubt that his teaching certificate was revoked.

Fernley, NEVADA

CHARGED Dec 20, 2006 -
Kymberly Tamburello, 43, a 6th grade special-education teacher at Fernley Intermediate School, is charged with trafficking methamphetamine, maintaining a residence for the purpose of sales, possession of marijuana for sale, possession of marijuana and unlawful use of both marijuana and methamphetamine.

Police arrested her husband, Charles Tamburello, and he has pleaded guilty to a charge of trafficking methamphetamine. Her preliminary is set for January 9th.

HUSBAND SENTENCED Jan 8, 2007 - Charles Tambuerello was sentenced to one to four years in the Nevada State Prison.

UPDATE: Jan 10 - A judge found sufficient evidence to try Kymberly Tamburello on charges of of selling and using drugs. Next appearance will be an arraignment, date not given.

UPDATE: Jan 12 - Arraignment is scheduled for Feb 26.

Update Feb 28 - The arraignment has been rescheduled for Mar 5.

During her January preliminary hearing in Fernley Justice Court, sufficient evidence was presented to bind charges of use of methamphetamine and marijuana as well as possession of controlled substance for purposes of sale and trafficking in a controlled substance in an amount of 14-28 grams.

Other charges of maintaining a place for sale/use of a controlled substance have not been pursued.

NOT GUILTY PLEA Mar 7 - Kymberly Tamburello pleaded not guilty. Through her attorney Tamburello agreed to waive the right to trial within 60 days. The judge set the trial for June 20-22.

GUILTY PLEA Oct 3 - Tamburello pleaded guilty to one charge of trafficking methamphetamine. Her husband was sentenced Jan 15 to one to four years. She will be sentenced Nov 26.

SENTENCED Nov 28 - Tamburello was sentenced to one to four years in the Nevada State Prison. Tamburello also received a rare occurrence of probation not to exceed five years. Typically, trafficking in a controlled substance is a non-probation offense.

She originally pleaded not guilty to four charges including use of meth and marijuana, possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell and trafficking meth. Following a plea agreement, she changed her plea and was arraigned solely on the trafficking charge in October.

TT - Either she got probation and the prison time, or just probation. The article is not clear. We will look for other sentencing information.

Blasdell, NEW YORK

First reported Feb 2, 2007
- Kollin King, 26, a 4th-grade teacher at Blasdell Elementary School, was arrested and charged with arranging to meet two teenage boys for sex. One was supposed to have been 14-years-old. He met an undercover FBI agent.

When authorities asked King what he would have done had two boys arrived at the restaurant, King replied, "I hope nothing would have happened," Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison Gioia said.

But King later acknowledged that it was not the first such meeting he had arranged, and that he had engaged in sexual activity with a 16-year-old boy he met on the Internet in a park and in his apartment, Gioia said.

Other scheduled meetings never came to fruition, King told authorities, because the minors did not show up or the meeting location was fictitious.

He denied having inappropriate contact with any of his students or with members of a Cub Scout den he led. He was suspended from the Boy Scout program pending resolution of the charge.

Feb 3 - From Buffalo News: Kollin Roy King, arrested Thursday night, is at least the fifth Frontier Schools employee to be charged with improper conduct with youngsters or Internet child pornography since the latter part of 2004.

BAIL DENIED: Feb 7 - King has been denied bail.

"Based on his prior conduct, based on the desire he's shown to arrange [sexual] meetings with a 14-year-old and a 12-year-old, we feel he is a potential danger to minors in the community," U.S. Attorney Terrance P. Flynn said.

The judge agreed. He will will remain jailed while awaiting further proceedings in his federal court case.

GUILTY PLEA: August 6 - King pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography in exchange for an 8 1/2-year prison sentence.

As part of the plea deal, King admitted to the attempted enticement — an online sting operation in which an undercover agent posed as a 14-year-old boy, prosecutor Paul Campana said in a telephone interview. He also agreed to surrender his teaching certificates, Campana said.

Sentencing was set for Nov. 28.

FBI Press Release on guilty plea. (Dated Aug 6, 2007)

SENTENCED Nov 28 - Kollin was was sentenced to eight years and six months in federal prison. There is no parole for federal sentencing. King will also be monitored by the U.S. Probation Office with a GPS device for several years after his release from prison.
King also agreed to surrender his teaching certificate.

Child Pornography and Teachers
TT - List sentenced for child pornography.
TT - List guilty but not yet sentenced for child pornography.

Apple Valley, CALIFORNIA

Nov 27, 2007 -
Douglas Johnston, 33, a teacher at Hills High School, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of sexual exploitation of a child. The remaining 49 counts against him were dismissed.

Johnston was sentenced to three years of probation, 90 days in a county jail and a $130 fine to the victims restitution fund.
Full Name: Douglas Alexander Johnston

TT - No other details available. But, then, it's the Los Angeles Newspaper Group that barely keeps stories in their current archives 30 hours before making it impossible to access them. Luckily, only 62,000 people subscribe to the San Bernardino Sun. Owned by MediaNews Group - that currently owns these newspapers.

Hanahan, SOUTH CAROLINA

Nov 27, 2007 - Eugene Payton, 53, head of the ROTC program at Hanahan High, was arrested and charged with criminal sexual conduct with a minor. The charge is in connection with inappropriate conduct with a 15-year-old female student.

The investigations began after the parents of the alleged victim met with the school's principal to talk about their suspicions that their daughter and Payton were physically involved.

Payton is on administrative leave with pay.

Dec 3 - Payton resigned. He is now out on a $150,000 personal recognizance bond.

Glendale, ARIZONA

Nov 27, 2007 - A 9-year-old boy was suspended for a "hate crime" and was made to stand in front of his class to public confess - something he didn't say.

The boy was suspended for three days this month for allegedly committing a “hate crime” by using the expression “brown people.” Only, a tape recording of the parent-teacher conference indicates this only came out after another parent was allowed to question the boy and elicited from him the statement that he “doesn't cooperate with brown people.” The parent was the mother of the other child in the conflict who also happens to be a detention-room officer.

The tape indicates that rather than just spouting off with racial invective, the boy was asked first why he didn't want to cooperate with brown people by the parent/school official.

When the 9-year-old boy's mother objected to the suspension during a press conference, the school principal told her that she didn't have any rights; that parents give up their rights to discipline when they send a child to school, the tape shows.

“If you don't want that, you can take him out of here,” [Principal Virginia] Voinovich said tersely. The tape-recorded parent-teacher conference also recorded Voinovich as saying, "As we said to (the boy) when he was in here, in your heart you may have that feeling, and that is OK if that is your personal belief.” Or, as the Arizona Republic reporter said, is OK to have racist feelings as long as you keep them to yourself.

The mother did remove her child from the school.

TT - Maybe they should have the detention-room officer stand in front of the class to confess her hate crime and the principal stand there to admit her stupidity.

The school rates a 9 at Greatschools.net Be sure to read the parent comments. there are 14 pages of them. A common theme?

'strong curriculum but..unfortunetly the teachers are just as unprofessional as the principal' As mentioned by another post...they are very self centered, hold grudges & if you child isn't 'perfect' the parent is treated like dirt. They only treat 10% of the children with dignity and respect.

AND,

If you have any sort of problem that you would like to take to the highest source on campus, you are very likely to hear 'This is a school of choice, and maybe this school is not for you'.

Others referred to the "politics" at the school.

It looks as if the "choice" involved in this public school is which students they want to accept and keep.

Nov 28 - Voinovich has tendered her resignation, effective Dec. 24, citing personal reasons.

McAllen, TEXAS

Nov 27, 2007 - Pedro Calderon III, 42, a Mission ISD teacher and coach, was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison to be followed by a two-year term of supervised release for possesion of child pornography.

GUILTY PLEA Calderon pleaded guilty in July 2006 to possessing child pornography obtained via the internet and admitted he had entered into a chat room and corresponded with a girl who he believed to be 14 years old. The girl turned out to be a police officer.

Calderon and the undercover officer corresponded with one another on numerous occasions via the internet. In one such contact, Calderon sent the officer a picture of an unknown naked female child. Further investigation lead to the identification of Calderon and the execution of a search warrant at his residence in Mission. Forensic examination of the computer and computer disks seized found 28 images of children under the age of 12 engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

According to the testimony by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent given in court Monday, Calderon's computer had been "cleaned out" by a technician only three days before the execution of the search warrant.

Calderon claimed he had done the "clean out" because he believed he may have become the victim of identity theft.

However, the agent testified that their investigation showed Calderon had been tipped about the search warrant by a friend of a Mission Police Department employee.

Calderon must register as a sex offender. Federal sentencing has no parole.

U.S. Attorneys' Office Press Release (Dated Nov 27, 2007)

Child Pornography and Teachers
TT - List sentenced for child pornography.
TT - List guilty but not yet sentenced for child pornography.