Feb 21, 2008 - Matt Lindholm, 32, has been released on bond and will be tracked by a Global Positioning System ankle monitor. Lindholm was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of sexual assault on a child. He is a business teacher at Central High School.
Lindholm is accused of kissing and fondling a female student during separate incidents at the school this year. A parent told the principal Feb 9 that she heard that Lindholm was “getting too close” to the girl. Lindholm is married. Central High School Athletics Director Paul Cain said he warned Lindholm at the end of the 2006-2007 school year about getting too close to the student, according to Lindholm’s arrest affidavit.
Lindholm faces charges of sexual assault on a child by a person in a position of trust and sexual assault on a child as a pattern of abuse.
INEXPLICABLE NOTE IN STORY
District 51 spokesman Jeff Kirtland said the school district will implement new training on ethical behavior for all of its employees in the fall, but the training was not prompted solely by this investigation. He said school supervisors are required to act on information of improprieties by staff, but that information can’t be speculative.Posted Comment at newspaper site.
“There’s the expectation that issues are resolved on a factual basis and in the best interest for students,” he said.
Kirtland said the district does not have a policy for a time line in which staff members are required to report allegations of misconduct against other staff members.
As a former high school teacher, I just can't understand how teachers end up with these "lapses in judgment." I don't get what makes them think it's a good idea to do anything that might somehow be deemed inappropriate with a student. It takes a lot of work to become a good teacher, to be respected and to get a good job at a school you love. Why would anyone jeopardize that, and the reputation of a student? I feel bad for him because now he'll have this stigma to deal with forever. I feel bad for the student involved because she's going to face a lot of unwanted and unnecessary attention as well.Lindholm will be formally advised of his charges March 4.
RESIGNED Feb 26 - Lindholm resigned his teaching position in a one-sentence letter. Investigators, according to Lindholm’s arrest affidavit, also uncovered letters, e-mails, text messages and gifts showing the teacher’s romantic feelings for the student. Investigators learned he might have kissed and had other inappropriate contact with a student starting at the end of the 2006-2007 school year.
IN COURT March 6 - Lindholm was granted supervised visits of relatives with supervision by an adult over 18. Conditions of his bond required him to have no contact with children under 18. Today his attorney asked for an exception to one of those conditions so Lindholm could see his 5 and 11 year old nephews and his 2 year old niece in the care of his parents. The prosecution did not object and the judge granted the motion.
GUILTY PLEA & SENTENCING October 7 - Lindholm had pleaded guilty in July to a felony charge of attempted sexual assault on a child by a person in a position of trust. He was sentenced to five years intensive probation for the attempted sexual assault of a student. He must also register as a sex offender.
The victim’s mother told Mesa County District Judge Richard Gurley that Lindholm’s actions severed ties between her and the teenager, and also damaged the teen’s relationships with her friends and others on the basketball team.The punishment, however, did not fit the crime, according to statements from the victim, her mother, father and stepfather, who wanted Lindholm to spend some time in jail.
“I always wanted to believe children are safe,” the victim’s mother said. “(She) was taken advantage of. He manipulated her into thinking her life should revolve around him. Mr. Lindholm stole these years away from (her) and me.”
The victim’s family members said the teen was subjected to ridicule and harassment from parents and other students this year after news of the student and teacher relationship emerged.
