Irrigon, OREGON

October 29, 2008 - Forrest McKinnis, 31, was indicted on theft and 43 counts of official misconduct Monday after having allegedly stolen $1,000 in textbooks and then selling them on eBay. Theft is a felony.

McKinnis was placed on administrative leave in September after the Morrow County School District discovered that textbooks stored in a closet were being sold on the Web site. He was arrested September 17.

A program director at Morrow Education Center, McKinnis coached boys' basketball at Heppner High School for five years and was scheduled to coach the Riverside High School girls' basketball team this winter.

McKinnis was a former former Educator of the Year. If he is convicted, McKinnis could lose his Oregon teaching license. He will be arraigned on Nov. 6.
Full Name: Forrest Dean McKinnis
Morrow County
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The Morrow Education Center is for “at-risk” students. The center serves as the alternative program for Morrow and Umatilla School Districts. They can 75 enroll students who are referred by district administrators.

St Clair Shores, MICHIGAN

Teacher accused of groping male students.

August 6, 2008 - Melissa Lavender, 33, a South Lake High School culinary arts teacher, was arraigned on two charges of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct, accused of engaging in sex acts with two male students, age 15 and 16.

Police said the incident happened on a former student’s parents' boat that was docked in a St. Clair Shores marina.

He said there were eight former and current students on the boat. Lavender was the only teacher. A witness came forward just last week and told police Lavender had inappropriately touched two of the current students. The alleged victims are 16 and 17, respectively.

“Criminal sexual conduct is any unwanted touching,” said Det. Harold Bergeron. “When a person is touched for the sexual gratification of another, that’s just inappropriate.” St. Clair Shores investigators said even though the alleged victims are both of the age of consent, state law forbids teachers from having sex with students who are under 18 years old.

Lavender has been suspended with pay. She is married with two children. A pretrial conference is scheduled for August 26.

PRELIMINARY SCHEDULED August 27 - Lavender (See photo at story) has a preliminary scheduled for October 10.

West Plains, MISSOURI

August 18, 2008 - A federal grand jury indicted Michael Wilson, 45, a West Plains high school teacher, for possessing and receiving child pornography over the Internet.

The indictment was unsealed and made public upon Wilson’s arrest and initial court appearance on Wednesday, Aug. 13. The federal indictment alleges that Wilson received child pornography over the Internet from April 8, 2005, to July 20, 2007.

The indictment also alleges that Wilson was in possession of child pornography on his computer.
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U.S. Attorneys Office Press Release (dated August 18, 2008)

Casstown, OHIO

August 15, 2008 - Chad Widener, 37, a history teacher at Miami East Junior High School, was indicted by a Miami County grand jury on one count of felony importuning.

In February, the parents of a 15-year-old girl reported to police that they had been having issues with their daughter regarding sending and receipt of "inappropriate" e-mails and text messages, so they installed a spyware program on the computer. They said the program intercepted a text message between the girl and an unknown male that occurred Dec. 6 and contained "sexual statements" by the male, the report said. A sheriff's investigation identified Widener through phone records.

Widener joined the district as a special education teacher and coach in 1995. He resigned in August. An arraignment is scheduled for August 22.

Widener's father is a Miami County commissioner.The investigation was turned over to a special prosecutor in Shelby County by Miami County Prosecutor Gary Nasal. Nasal, whose office serves as legal counsel to the county commission, said Ralph Bauer, Shelby County prosecutor, handled the case to avoid any appearance of impropriety by the local office.
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SCHOOL INFO: The school rates an 9 at GreatSchools.net. The district rates an 8.
Google Map
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TRIAL SCHEDULED September 2 - Widener's trial is scheduled for Dec. 11-12 in Miami County Common Pleas Court. He pleaded not guilty at arraignment Aug. 22.

Buffalo, NEW YORK

School officials failed to inform law enforcement officials or the boy's parents until more than three four months after a teacher witnessed the abuse and reported it.

May 28, 2008 - John Colazzi, 60, a teacher's aide at Discovery School, Public School # 67, was indicted on charges of sexual abuse in the first degree and endangering the welfare of a child for fondling a four year-old autistic boy in the bathroom in November 2007.

The boy is unable to testify about the incident, but a teacher who witnessed the abuse reported it to the principal shortly after the incident occurred. School officials failed to inform law enforcement officials or the boy's parents until more than three months later.

HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR FIRED Joy Trotter, the human resources director who initially ruled the allegation "unfounded," was dismissed by Superintendent James A. Williams for mishandling the investigation.

CERTIFIED LETTER The teacher who witnessed the abuse sent a certified letter outlining her allegations to school superintendent James Williams. The superintendent admitted signing for the letter, but said he passed it on to a staff member without reading it.

The district attorneys office is preparing a report on where school officials "failed to respond properly" to the teacher's allegations. (Update: June 27, 2008 entry on Final report)

NOTABLE QUOTES
Buffalo Teachers Federation President Phil Rumore said, "[The teacher] was also told not to contact the parents, that she'd be insubordinate if she contacted the parents. She was told that by the principal, according to the teacher."
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Buffalo School Board Member Ralph Hernandez, who asked the State ethics Committee to examine why this case was not turned over to District Attorney Frank Clark until March, says the scary part is this case could have been swept under the rug. "We don't know where the verdict will go, but if they must have some evidence. I think we did the right thing here, and hopefully it will be behind us."
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UPDATE June 27, 2008 entry on Final report)

Neptune City, NEW JERSEY

April 18, 2008 - Alexis Anderson, 24, a teacher at Neptune Middle School, was indicted by a Monmouth County grand jury on charges of child endangerment, for allegedly having sexually explicit phone conversations with a 14-year-old student at the middle school.

Anderson is alleged to have had the conversations with one of her eighth grade science students between January and July 2007. Police began the investigation in July 2007. After the indictment, Anderson turned herself into police.

Anderson resigned after the investigation began.

Littleton, COLORADO

April 17, 2008 - Nicole Marie Sirbu, 29, a teacher at Stony Creek Elementary School and a coach for the combined Columbine and Chatfield high school pole-vaulting team, was indicted by a grand jury on a felony charge of tampering/destruction of physical evidence.

In September 2007, Jefferson County Sheriff's Office began investigating an allegation that Sirbu had "inappropriate sexual contact" with a 17-year-old Columbine student who was on the pole-vaulting team. Sirbu had exchanged numerous e-mails with the student using her work e-mail address and her work laptop, investigators said.

The indictment states Sirbu became aware of the investigation and resigned from her teaching job on Oct. 1, 2007. When Sirbu turned in her school district-issued laptop a few days later, investigators said they discovered the hard drive originally in the computer was gone and that it had been replaced with a new hard drive. She used her credit card to buy a new hard drive.
Full Name: Nichole Marie Sirbu

TT - It's painful when the Denver Post calls it an "affair."
Ex-Jeffco teacher accused of tampering to hide alleged affair posted at 04/17/2008 02:57:50 PM MDT

Knoxville, TENNESSEE

April 18, 2008 - Corey DeHart, 43, a math teacher at Halls High School, was indicted Tuesday on charges of statutory rape by an authority figure and sexual battery by an authority figure. He is accused of having sex with a female student. The incidents occurred in 2007.

Police arrested him Wednesday.

He was placed on paid leave Sept 19, however, school officials changed that status to unpaid leave in December without explanation.

Milford, OHIO

Once a sex offender...

April 17, 2007 - Roger Ramsey, 57, was indicted on charges that he stalked and raped a nurse he met at a drug research company where he participated in paid drug research. He was indicted on on single counts of rape and telephone harassment and two counts of menacing by stalking.

Ramsey is a registered sex offender with a history of sex offenses. In 1997, a judge sentenced Ramsey to eight-years in prison for sexual battery involving a student in Milford, where he taught.

The girl sued both school districts saying Great Oaks failed to check the employment history of Ramsey when they hired him in 1985. He was convicted of gross sexual imposition of a student in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, where he was teaching a year earlier.
Full Name: Roger Loring Ramsey

Chapel Hill, NORTH CAROLINA

April 9, 2008 - Michael Ingram, a coach at East Chapel Hill High School, was indicted Monday by a Durham County grand jury on seven counts each of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor and seven couns of third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor. The charges stem from child pornography found on Ingram's home computers, the SBI said.

Ingram's name came up in an unrelated investigation.

Ingram was a soccer coach at Leesville High School from 2004 to 2006, when he moved to coach at East Chapel Hill High School. He also worked as a teacher's assistant at both schools. The indictments allege that the pornographic videos and images were obtained between July 2004 and August 2007 – the period he was at the two schools.
Full Name: Michael Anthony Ingram

April 11 - Ingram surrendered to the State Bureau of Investigation on Friday at the Durham County Detention Center, the state Justice Department announced.
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North Carolina Dept of Justice Press Release (dated April 11) PDF

Mt. Vernon, GEORGIA

This is one of those outrageous stories that we seemed to have missed last year.

April 4, 2008 -
Carrie O'Conner, 33, a Montgomery County high school counselor, was indicted by a grand jury in December 2007 on a charge of sexual assault against a student by a school teacher or administrator. According to the indictment, O'Conner and the 16-year-old student allegedly had a sexual relationship from the beginning of January until the end of July.

She was arrested in August 2007.

From the Dec 11, 2007 story:

A student reported the abuse to a teacher and a probation officer working at the school in March.The teacher and officer avoided reporting the incident to Montgomery schools superintendent Dale Clark because she is the counselor's mother.

The case was turned over to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI).

O'Conner was suspended for a short time in March, but continued working at the school through the end of the year and returned as a counselor for the 2007 school year.

When the GBI requested all contact stop between O'Conner and the student last Tuesday, Principal Luke Smith sent a letter to the boy's parents.

He wrote that the boy would be sent to the alternative school until the GBI completed its investigation. Meanwhile O'Conner could remain counseling at the high school.But on Wednesday, the school's lawyers said the student could return to school as long as he and O'Conner stayed separated.

On Monday, GBI investigators removed O'Connor from the school.

April 4, 2008 - The mother dropped her lawsuit against the against the Montgomery County Board of Education, the teacher and the superintendent.. Her lawyers filed a dismissal without prejudice last week, which means she can re-file the case in the future.

TEACHING CREDENTIALS REVOKED in 2007 Sept 18, 2007 - The Georgia Professional Standards Commission voted last week to revoke O'Conner's teaching credentials and those of her mother, Superintendent Dale Clark.

Clark, who is legally able to continue as superintendent while the ruling is being appealed, has been suspended with pay by the Montgomery County school board.

O'Connor is awaiting trial and a jury is expected to hear her case in August or in February 2009.

Winslow, NEW JERSEY

Feb 20, 2008 - Freddie Alexander, Jr., 30, was indicted on charges of second-degree official misconduct, third-degree theft by deception and fourth-degree falsifying records.

It is alleged that he falsified documents to claim he was teaching homebound students, those who could not attend due to disciplinary problems. It is alleged that Alexander stole at least $4,000 by submitting forms that falsely indicated he provided instruction to certain students at dates and times when he did not, in fact, provide instruction to those students.

Alexander was suspended in January 2007 after the alleged misconduct was discovered. He resigned from his position as a special education teacher in December.

Poughkeepsie, NEW YORK

INDICTED on six felony counts.

Feb 7, 2008 - Robert Watson, former Poughkeepsie City School District Superintendent, was indicted on two counts of grand larceny, four counts of offering a false instrument for filing and the seventh county alleges a misdemeanor of payment of an unqualified teacher as an unclassified misdemeanor.

Six of the seven counts are felonies.

The Poughkeepsie Journal: The grand jury, which began hearing testimony in 2006, was investigating the school system’s fiscal affairs during Watson’s nearly six years as superintendent.

Watson resigned in late 2005 with a six-figure separation agreement approved by the school board. At the time, Watson said he was leaving to pursue other interests in education.

An audit by the state Comptroller’s Office released last summer was highly critical of Watson and found $1.2 million in questionable spending during his tenure. [District Attorney William] Grady said the grand jury used the state audit during its investigation.

The panel began hearing testimony in 2006. Grady’s office began its initial inquiry into the district in late 2005, soon after Watson’s resignation was accepted by the board.

Watson is expected to turn himself in after which the indictments will be unsealed.

DWI CHARGES June 24 - Watson pleaded guilty to to driving with his ability impaired, a violation, but not drunken driving misdeamor as was originally charged wi following a traffic stop last month in the Town of LaGrange. He allegedly registered a 0.14 percent blood-alcohol reading. He was fined $500, ordered to pay $85 in court costs and attend a victim impact panel.

Watson also faces a DWI charge in upstate Colonie following his arrest there in March, although that might be dismissed, according to Watson's lawyer, after a judge found the police officer who arrested Watson could not recall details of the field sobriety test. Watson refused a breath test following that traffic stop.

No date wa given for an appearance on the felony larceny charges.
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August 15, 2007 - Audit: $1.2M in Questionable Spending at Poughkeepsie Schools
NYSSCPA = New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants.

TRIAL DELAYED October 31 - The trial has been delayed until Wednesday for unspecified reasons. Watson, 44, is accused of misappropriating more than $1 million in district funds. He is charged with two felony counts of grand larceny, four felony counts of offering a false instrument for filing and one count of payment of an unqualified teacher, a misdemeanor.

Alvin, TEXAS

Apr 3, 2007 - Brian Cody, 39, who taught social studies at Manvel Junior High School until mid-November, when a seventh-grader’s parents alleged Cody had an improper sexual relationship with their son, turned himself in last week. A grand jury indicted him on Mar 21.

He posted a $75,000 bond. School board members are considering whether to terminate his contract.
Full Name: Brian Edward Cody
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Court Record link.

FIRED Apr 6 - School trustees voted unanimously to terminate Cody's contract. He has been on leave since November.

UNABLE TO UPDATE: August 30, 2007 - No online stories on the resolution of this case. A check on the Texas Educator Lookup shows this message: "Note: This individual is currently under review by the SBEC Professional Discipline Unit."

All teaching certificates are valid through November 2007.

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ONLINE RESOURCE: Official Record of Educator Certificates Educator Search Criteria

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GUILTY PLEA and SENTENCING Jan 18, 2008 - Cody pleaded guilty to aggravated sexual assault of a child, and improper educator-student contact. Cody was sentenced to 12 years in prison. The district attorney said they had consulted with the victims on the sentencing. (Victims, plural?)

(The newspaper should cut and paste better. The victim is no longer an "alleged victim.)

Delran, NEW JERSEY

At least she waited until he was out of elementary school.

Dec 11, 2007 - Angela Stellwag, 27, a substitute teacher in the Riverside School District, has pleaded innocent to four counts of sexual assault and one count of endangering the welfare of a child.

Police allege she had sex with a 14-year-old student after he was promoted from the Beverly School District to the Riverside School District, where she became a substitute teacher in October 2004. A Burlington County grand jury indicted Stellwag for alleged acts between July 4 and Sept. 30, 2004. A judge refused to dismiss the case.

Stellwag met the student, who is now 17, in 2003 while working as a substitute teacher at Beverly City Elementary School, prosecutors said.

She is the daughter of Delran's mayor, Joseph Stellwag.

She is due to appear in court for another status conference on her case Feb 25.

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.

Surprise, ARIZONA

Nov 2, 2007 - Brian David Ramsay, 34, a teacher at at Sonoran Heights Elementary School, has been indicted, along with Louise Lisa Pollok, 33, for abuse of their son, Austin.

They were arrested in 2004 when the child was taken to a Phoenix hospital with injuries consistent with severe shaking. The child later was turned over to a guardian that has been approved by Child Protective Services.

The couple was indicted for child abuse, but a Superior Court judge tossed out the charges, saying the defendants were denied justice in the way that prosecutors presented the case to the grand jury that indicted them. The judge sent the case back to the grand jury for reconsideration. The grand jury issued a new indictment. Ramsay no longer works for the school.

A pretrial is scheduled for Nov 27.

Wyckoff, NEW JERSEY

Oct 30, 2007 - The Feds have indicted Glenn O'Neill, a Wyckoff school director of facilities, with two counts of mail fraud in connection with an alleged scheme to overcharge the district to get a contractor to install window curtains at his home. The FBI wired the contractor.

Interestingly, O'Neill is said not to be the subject of the investigation that led to his arrest.

The judge ordered O'Neill to surrender a shotgun and .38-caliber handgun to police within 24 hours.

Press Releases from the U.S. Attorney's office in New Jersey are a never ending source of information about elected officials in that state. You can find press releases from all their offices at the Contact Information page.

Aberdeen, NEW JERSEY

Indicted for failing to register as a sex offender.

Oct 12, 2007 -
Robert B. Johnson, 41, a teacher at a private school in Aberdeen, was indicted on two counts of violating the requirements of community supervision for life, under Megan's Law pertaining to sexual offenders.

Sentenced in 2004 to four years for endangering the welfare of a child, he failed to register after his release and failed to get approval for his living arrangements. He pleaded guilty to that offense on June 9, 2004, in the midst of his trial on that charge and a charge of possessing child pornography.

Johnson had previously been a teacher at Home Away From Home Academy, a private school for infants through second-graders on Route 34 in Aberdeen but had left employment there under circumstances that were not disclosed by the school.

He secretly videotaped a 14-year-old female victim naked in the bathroom of his house with a camera hidden in the heating grate of his basement.

Johnson now lives in Canada. If he returns to the U.S., there is an active warrant out for his arrest.

Bandera, TEXAS

August 28, 2007 - Cathy Brown , 47, a Gifted and Talented Program teacher at Alkek and Hill Country Elementary schools, turned herself into authorities last week, after a grand jury indicted her on felony drug charges.

Police were called to the school when paraphernalia that appeared to be drug related, including a rolled up dollar bill, two cut straws and a jar with white residue were found in her desk. Brown claimed she found the items in her daughter's room and brought them to school for safekeeping.

She also claimed she gave a bag with white residue to a DARE officer at the school. He reportedly threw it away. He was fired for failing to follow department protocol and mishandling evidence.

Brown was indicted Aug. 20 for possession of a controlled substance - penalty group one - cocaine. The charge is a third-degree felony because the items were found in a drug-free zone.