Reno, NEVADA

LAWSUIT for failing to report sexual abuse

September 9, 2008 - The mother of an autistic boy filed a federal lawsuit filed Monday that contends that Washoe County School District officials failed to protect her son and failed to report he was raped twice last year by another student in a restroom.

According to the lawsuit, the autistic boy was taking part in the special education program at the school Jan. 13, 2007, when another male student "intentionally, willfully and maliciously sexually assaulted and forcibly raped (the boy) during school hours, within a restroom at the Sparks Middle School campus."

The student who allegedly attacked the boy "threatened (him) with physical harm if he reported these unlawful acts to anyone," the suit said.

The boy reported the alleged rape to Bedrow, who talked with the accused attacker and concluded that he "would never do anything like that." She then sent the autistic boy back to the classroom, the suit said. He also reported the alleged rape to his teacher, the suit said, but she allegedly failed to report the incident.

Within days, the autistic boy was raped a second time by the same alleged attacker, the suit said. His mother called Sparks police, and a physical examination "indicated tears to the rectum and bruising on (the boy's) back," the suit said.

The alleged attacker was "removed by the administration of the Sparks Middle School for 'unacceptable behavior,'" the suit said.

Named in the lawsuit was the school district officials, a teacher, a school counselor and attacker's parents.
-------------------------
tt- See Mandatory Reporting links maintained by Susan K. Smith.

See Clark County, NV Department of Family Services on Child Protection and Nevada's Child Abuse/Neglect Reporting Laws.

A report of suspected child abuse or neglect is only a request for an investigation. The person making the report does not need to prove or provide proof that abuse has or may have occurred. Investigation is the responsibility of the Child Protective Services Agency and/or law enforcement.

tt- There is, you might note, no provision for schools to conduct their own investigations of their own personnel.

Reno, NEVADA

No information yet on where Platshorn taught special education.

June 18, 2008 - When the Reno, Nevada, Internet Crimes Task Force arrested eight men on suspicion and distribution of child pornography, one of those arrested was a former special education teacher who worked for the state as a mental health counselor.

Matthew Platshorn, 32, former state mental health counselor, was arrested in March. His father is Robert Platshorn, known as “Bobby Tuna,” who was the country’s longest serving marijuana offender who was released from federal prison earlier this year following a 1980 conviction in central Florida.

KTVN Reno story on the arrests: (June 18)

Serving 15 search warrants, deputies say they found more than 120,000 pictures and more than 9,000 videos of nude children, some engaged in sexual acts.

They expect more arrests to come in the operation dubbed "Northern Justice."

"There may be other sexual crimes or other crimes associated with these people that we're unaware of at this time," said Det. Dennis Carry.

The men arrested so far are described as collectors and distributors, not suspected of creating child porn- they don't have to.

Detectives say oftentimes the kids take nude pictures of themselves with a cell phone or a webcam... not thinking about the fact that whatever they capture can be copied and sent anywhere around the world once it's on the internet.

"It's out there forever at that point," adds Carry, "communicate to your kids. Encourage them not to put personal information or personal photos of themselves on the internet."

What may seem funny to a high school student may fuel the fantasies of a predator.

LINKS at story to Child Web Safety Answers and Child Web Safety Resources

Teacher Licenses in Nevada

It’s been nearly two years since a legislative audit criticized the Nevada Education Department for taking too long to revoke the teaching licenses of criminals.

But officials are still taking up to 21 months to get the job done.

June 11, 2008 - The Las Vegas Sun is following up on a 2006 story on a legislative audit of state Department of Education problems in tracking teacher licenses. On Saturday the state Board of Education will consider revoking the licenses of three teachers convicted and sentenced for possession of child pornography. Two of them are already out of prison. There is still only one full-time staff member assigned to to monitor teachers facing potential discipline. And it still takes nearly two years to revoke a teachers license.

BACKGROUND Oct 10, 2006 - A 2006 audit by the Legislative Counsel Bureau uncovered a lack of policies and procedures to track criminal cases involving educators. State education officials said at that time that they often learned of teacher arrests from newspaper articles. One person was employed to monitor teachers licenses.

Keith Rheault, Nevada's superintendent of public instruction on licensing problems.

Ten years ago, when Rheault first began working with the licensing department, about 20 FBI reports came back with "hits," which indicate either a criminal history or red flags that require more investigation by her. That number is now in the hundreds annually.

In 2005, the state Board of Education revoked four teachers' licenses, three for sex-related offenses.

TT - You might notice that all three teachers whose licenses will be considered on Saturday were in possession of child pornography.

TT entry for Carl Leiner
TT entry for Mark Zana

Pahrump, LAS VEGAS

A search of this elementary teacher's home turned up more than 60,000 images containing child pornography.

August 17, 2007 - Michael Gogerty, 41, a fifth-grade teacher at Hafen Elementary School, was arrested for inappropriate behavior. Federal authorities found hundreds of child porn pictures and video clips on his computer.

Prior to that job, the 41-year old was a teacher's aide here in Las Vegas, and he worked in three different day care centers.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Press Release (Dated August 17, 2007)

From Press Release: They were alerted by Toronto Police Services Sex Crime Unit that a child pornography video file had been posted on the Internet via "yousendit.com." ICE agents traced the address to Gogerty.

During a consensual search of Gogerty's home, investigators discovered numerous images and video files containing child pornography on his computer.

Agents seized more than 200 CDs and floppy disks which, according to Gogerty, contained images of prepubescent minors engaged illicit sexual conduct. Further investigation determined that Gogerty's computer contained more than 250 video files with names indicating child pornography.

The judge held that Gogerty was a danger to the community and ordered him to remain in custody.

Las Vegas Review-Journal: After Gogerty's arrest Thursday, he told federal agents that he has also posed as a 13-year-old boy to chat with young girls on the computer, Koppe said. According to Koppe, Gogerty also acknowledged that he has been accused of inappropriate behavior at school.

SENTENCED May 6, 2008 - Gogerty pleaded guilty to the charges in February. (We are looking for online stories and will check the Federal sites.) He was sentenced to 97 months in prison, followed by lifetime supervision.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Press Release (dated May 6, 2008)

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

Carson City, NEVADA

Arpil 25, 2008 - Brittany Baxter-Stuchell, 20, a pre-school teacher at Capital Christian Daycare Center., was sentenced to 30 days in jail - not prison - as part of her probation for selling cocaine in an undercover sting operation.

She pleaded guilty to sale of a controlled substance stemming from a Feb. 28, 2007, transaction where she sold 24 grams of cocaine to an undercover officer. She also told the officer that she could provide marijuana, Ecstasy or hallucinogenic mushrooms. When she was released from jail, the judge was blunt. "You're accused of selling dope and a lot of it. What's the matter with you?" asked East Fork Justice Jim EnEarl. "You don't have a clue."

The probation was because she cooperated with law enforcement in other drug investigations.

Her lawyer, Derrick Lopez, said Baxter-Stuchell realized the felony conviction put her dreams of becoming a teacher on hold for at least 15 years until her record may be sealed.

"She did have dreams of becoming a teacher," Lopez said. "She knows now that is gone for a very long time. That is a significant punishment."

Las Vegas, NEVADA

April 14, 2008 -
Angel Menes, 39, a Driver's Education teacher at Durango High School, was was arrested last night after a parent accused the teacher of engaging in sexual activities with a student. He was booked on one count each of sexual assault and sexual misconduct with a student.

The district said that Menes worked as a long-term substitute. Police said Menes was a driver's education teacher at Durango. The school's Web site lists him as a social studies teacher.

Terri Miller, president of Stop Educator Sexual Abuse, Misconduct and Exploitation, said the allegations against Menes are particularly troubling because there might be multiple victims.

Miller said that under Nevada's state law, a school employee who is convicted of sex with a minor isn't required to register as a sex offender if it is the only charge he or she is convicted of. Miller has been lobbying the Legislature to change that law. She said the loophole allows teachers to prey on students and move from district to district.

"It would be easy for them to move to another jurisdiction and gain employment working with children again," Miller said. "And that's just not right."

Anyone with information concerning Menes' activities is urged to contact Las Vegas police at 828-3421, or, for those who wish to provide information anonymously, 385-5555.

Full Name: Angel Benjamin Menes
Claerk County Detention Center Inmate Search

News 3: (Apr 14) Police say the case represents one of the first times that a law prohibiting sexual misconduct with a student has been used since its passage by the 2007 Legislature.

April 15 - News3 obtained a copy of the arrest report.

The arrest report provides graphic details of what allegedly happened between a married substitute teacher and his student. Police say the teacher told investigators that he had oral sex with the student in his wife's minivan. ... According to the arrest report, Menes forced himself upon the student inside his car, not far from the girl's home. ... Police [got involved after] a call from the mother of the alleged victim who says, in the police report, her daughter called her in tears for help.

There seems to have been some prior contact where Menes grabbed and kissed the student and she sent him some sexually suggestive photos.

He is now being charged with five felony counts including sexual assault and sexual misconduct with a student. He is on unpaid leave.

In Nevada, the legal age of consent is 16 but it's against the law for school employees to have sex with students.

Clark County, NEVADA

March 30, 2008 - Readers in Clark County, Nevada respond to a news story that math scores in Clark County are the lowest ever. The letters to the editor to the Las Vegas Review Journal are thoughtful and practical and to the point. Sample, but, by all means, read them all.

So schools consultant Bill Hanlon has discovered that teachers aren't teaching advanced math skills because they're too busy teaching basic math skills? Doesn't this mean that students shouldn't be passed on to advanced classes until they have achieved grade-level in basic classes? Whatever happened to the concept of retaining students who weren't ready for advancement?

And,

After reading your Thursday article about the math test failures, I don't know which is worse: the actual scores or that the administration seemed so surprised. How could it be that no one knew the level of education was so poor? What are the school principals and administration doing all day?

If the Clark County School District were a business, it would be bankrupt for not delivering on its promises.

TT - Preliminary math test FAILURE RATE link

March 28 Las Vegas Review Journal article on the shock

End-of-semester math exams developed to measure whether students were mastering concepts required by district standards were given for the first time in January. The preliminary results, published Wednesday in the Review-Journal, shocked everyone, including Superintendent Walt Rulffes.

Rulffes said the district voluntarily developed and administered the test, knowing the results might not be positive. But the results, even though they're disappointing, are a necessary step in improving math performance, reducing the level of student remediation required in college and meeting higher federal standards.

A major finding: Teachers are departing from required curriculum to review basic math skills, which means they aren't covering all the areas students need in the first semester. It's a deficit that's compounded from year to year.

Clark County school district encompasses Las Vegas and surrounds and is the fastest-growing district in the country. It is the fifth largest in the country. See Clark County School District entry at Wikipedia.

Yerington, NEVADA

No contest plea. Probation and two years of hell for the parents.

Oct 24, 2007 - Kevin Kegel, 28, a Yerington High School teacher, has been charged with with one count of "sexual conduct by a school employee with a pupil (age 14 or 15) from the same school" and two similar counts including a pupil of age 16 or 17. [A single victim.]

FIRED Kegel was arrested in July. He was fired in late June following a vote by the Lyon County School District Board of Trustees.

A preliminary hearing has been set for Nov 5.
Full Name: Kevin Joseph Kegel

Nov 22 - Kegel waived his preliminary hearing and will now continue to District Court for arraignment in the case.

Kegel was originally charged with one count of "sexual conduct by a school employee with a pupil (age 14 or 15) from the same school" and two similar counts including a pupil of age 16 or 17.

As of Monday, he has been bound over on only the latter two counts.

Lyon County District Attorney Bob Auer, in a later phone interview, said the first count was dropped, as evidence came forward showing the victim was 16 at the time of the incident.
Arraignment is scheduled for Dec 17.

ARRAIGNMENT Dec 21 - Kegel pleaded no contest. He will return to court March 24 for judgment and sentencing on the class C felony. [A no contest plea is not an admission of guilt but an admission that should the case go to court, the defendant would likely be found guilty. It has the same effect as a guilty plea.]

SENTENCED March 26, 2008 - Kegel was sentenced to 16 months to four years in the Nevada State Prison; however, probation was granted with the special condition that he spend three months in the Lyon County Jail.

The mother charged she found sexually explicit text messages to the victim; and that when she confronted Kegel he was quick to create a cover story, though his pursuit of the victim did not wane. The father said a restraining order was filed against Kegel; however, Lyon County Sheriff's reports show this did not stop the defendant from trying to contact the victim.

Reno, NEVADA

March 4, 2008 - Daniel Bryant, a counselor at a middle school, was fired for impregnating one of his students.

Officials say Bryant met the girl when he was her counselor at Vaughn Middle School. The girl is now 19.

"We believe that he was absolutely manipulative," Superintendent Paul Dugan said. "I don't know how you defend something like this, (but) that's up to him to deal with. We're not defending it, and that's why we're terminating him."

Bryant denied being the father of the child when the district investigated the allegations in November and placed him on administrative leave with pay. He was fired in January but appealed the action. His appeal was denied last week.

District officials say they also will seek to revoke Bryant's teaching and counseling licenses. The district attorney's office has been informed.

Virginia City, NEVADA

Jan 29, 2008 -
William Beeson, an English and theater arts teacher at Virginia City High School, has been arrested on sexual assault charges.

He was charged with one count of suspicion of felony sexual assault of a child under the age of 16, one general count of suspicion of felony sexual assault and one count of suspicion of misdemeanor unlawful conduct with a child. The cases police are investigating are several years old.

[He is listed as "former" teacher in the article, but it doesn't indicate when he left Virginia City High School or if the charges are related to his employment at the school.]

Photo Storey County Sheriff's Department

SETTLEMENT REJECTED BY SCHOOL BOARD Jan 30 - KOLO 8 on the settlement that the school rejected.

Beeson was accused in April 2007 of improperly touching a student and was placed on administrative leave by the school district a month later. He was fired in August.

In November he offered a settlement that was rejected by the school board. Under the proposal, Beeson would have been allowed to resign rather than be fired, and the board would have bought out the remaining time on his contract.

In return, Beeson would have waived appeals, given up his teaching credentials and agreed not to seek or accept a similar position anywhere in the United States.

School board members upheld the firing in December, and the matter is now headed to arbitration.

Jan 30, 2008 - Beeson was placed on administrative leave after authorities said a security camera captured him touching a male student in a common school during an April play rehearsal. County District Attorney Harold Swafford said then no charges were filed because he didn’t believe a crime was committed.

In December, however, Law enforcement authorities disclosed that two other former students made similar allegations against Beeson.

Feb 5 - Arraignment is scheduled for Feb 13.

ARRESTED (AGAIN) May 3 - Beeson was arrested on Friday for allegedly violating court-ordered conditions of his release by being in the company of a 16-year-old male described by Storey County Sheriff's Sgt. Ken Quirk as a runaway and incorrigible juvenile. Beeson was booked into the Storey County jail with a no bail hold for contempt of court by violating conditions of his bail release.

TRIAL ORDERED July 3 - After a five-hour preliminary hearing in which the two alleged victims testified, Storey County Justice Court Senior Judge Edward R. Johnson determined there was enough evidence to try William Beeson, 58, on a count of felony sexual assault and gross misdemeanor unlawful contact with a child. He will be arraigned later this month.

Assistant district attorney Grant argued the willful and malicious intent pertained only to the repetitive way in which Beeson allegedly rubbed the back of the alleged victim before eventually putting his hand into the waistband of the boy’s underwear, all of which was caught on tape during a rehearsal at Piper’s Opera House.

Las Vegas, NEVADA

Jan 22, 2008 - Dale Scharpf, a teacher at Harney Middle School, was arrested after a 13-year-old female student told administrators that he touched her breast over her clothes. He is facing charges of lewdness with a minor for fondling the special education student.

According to the arrest report, Scharpf told police during their investigation that in 2005 he received a 10 day suspension for reportedly touching a female student's breast.

According to KVBC, the arrest report also indicates that one or two teachers may have noticed some inappropriate touching going on, but it's unclear if they ever reported it.

NEW QUESTIONS Jan 24 - Police said the incident at Harney was witnessed by both teachers and students of the school.

Terri Miller, president of Stop Educator Sexual Abuse, Misconduct and Exploitation, said her first question is whether or not the prior episode Scharpf described in the arrest report had been reported to police, as is required by law. Educators are mandatory reporters under the law, Miller said.

"Was the 2005 incident investigated?" Miller said. "It's a criminal offense. If the district didn't report him as it should and he went on to perpetrate against this child, I think they're facing a lawsuit."

Las Vegas, NEVADA

The long-awaited murder trial of John M. Watson has been postponed again. Scheduling conflicts have pushed the trial date to April 21.

Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for Watson who is accused of killing his wife. Her body has never been found. He was a retired Ontario, California teacher. He was first charged in Dec 2006. He has a colorful history.

See TT- Link for Watson.

Anything for a Buck

Or $250 million bucks.

Jan 1, 2007 - The Nevada State Education Union has an initiative petition to increase gaming taxes to raise $250 million a year for public schools. It's being challenged by the gaming industry.

TT - The beauty of such ballot measures is that, if successful, they serve to eliminate the power of the legislative to determine spending on school funding. So much for representative government. Whether you agree with the priorities of the legislature, they, at least, can be voted out of office.

RELATED LEGAL DECISION Feb 18 - District Judge Bill Maddox threw out two petitions Friday that would have let Nevada voters decide whether to triple the state's 6.75 percent gaming tax.

Maddox said attorney Kermitt Waters' petitions were invalid because they would let legislatures in other states set the gaming tax rate for Nevada. He added they also violated a state law that requires petitions deal with a single subject.

District Judge Bill Maddox threw out two petitions Friday that would have let Nevada voters decide whether to triple the state's 6.75 percent gaming tax.

If Waters wanted to circulate a petition that increased the gaming tax rate to 40 percent and did not specify where the money would be spent, then that "would be fine," Maddox said.

In making his decision, Maddox mentioned that Senior Supreme Court Justice Miriam Shearing, acting as a district judge, last month threw out a Nevada State Education Association petition to raise the gaming tax rate because it also violated the single-subject law.

But the teachers union in early February filed a new petition with the secretary of state. This second petition also would increase the gaming tax rate and earmark the additional money to increase the salaries of school employees other than administrators.

A gaming industry challenge to the latest teachers' petition is expected next week.

Las Vegas, NEVADA

Dec 27, 2007 - Kenneth Craig, 27, high school track coach at Las Vegas High School and a substitute teacher, was arrested Dec 20 on charge of sexual misconduct with a student.

He is facing a criminal charge after he was accused of getting a female team member pregnant and helping her get an abortion. (LasVegasNow: "The police report says the girl got pregnant and says Craig's girlfriend at the time paid for the abortion." - the only news story to report that.)

Craig's former girlfriend reported the relationship. Craig claims the relationship occurred after the girl graduated, but investigators obtained e-mails and messages between Craig and the then-17-year-old senior that contradict his account. The investigation took seven months.

From San Diego Union-Tribune: Medical records obtained by police through a grand jury subpoena showed the victim had an abortion in June 2006, the same month she graduated, police said.

Craig's ex-girlfriend, Deanna Riddle, told police she suspected Craig had a relationship with the girl, and said she drove the girl to a doctor's office near the end of her senior year in school.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Feb. 20.

Henderson, NEVADA

Sentenced - not eligible for parole for 22 years.

ON TRIAL: August 8, 2007 - Mark Zana, 39, a teacher at Lorna J. Kesterson Elementary School, is on trial for molesting several students, including a second grader he taught in 1998. He is charged with nine counts of lewdness and 11 counts of child pornography.

Zana was arrested in September 2005. (Yes, the year is right.) Police began an investigation after a woman in Colorado contacted police there, alleging he had abused her in 1998. By October 6, 2006, it was discovered that Zana had been arrested and convicted in 1993 in Pennsylvania for lewd behavior toward two students. His record was expunged and his record was erased.

In many cases school officials cannot deny an applicant a teaching license for an expunged offense because the offender has, for example, gone through a rehabilitation program, [State Superintendant of Public Instruction Keith ] Rheault said.

Story dated Jul 4, 2006 - News reports show Zana was

arrested in 1998 in connection with an allegation that was nearly identical to some of the allegations in the current criminal case against him, according to court records.
The charge in the 1998 case was dismissed after a family decided it did not want a child to have to testify against Mark Zana. Zana had the records sealed and kept his job with the Clark County School District.

The Las Vegas Review-Journal also found out that three years prior (2003) Zana had hidden a video camera in one of his classrooms. The court records also said that at least one of Zana's fellow teachers said he had taken his concern about Zana touching students to school administrators. The police were not notified.

GUILTY: August 13 - Zana was found guilty on 10 of 21 counts. Those include lewdness with a child and possession of sexual photos of a minor. He will be sentenced Oct 4.

KESQ: Zana was found guilty of 3 felony counts of lewdness with a minor and 6 felony counts of possession of child pornography.

SENTENCING POSTPONED: Sept 12 - A judge has postponed indefinitely the sentencing of Zana while the court investigates possible jury misconduct. The juror reportedly Googled Zana. A new trial is possible.

SENTENCING SCHEDULED Oct 4 - Sentencing has been scheduled for Nov 8.

SENTENCED - Dec 20 -

A former Henderson grade school teacher will spend the next two decades in prison for molesting female students and possessing child pornography.

Mark Zana, who worked at Newton and Kesterson elementary schools, will not be eligible for parole for 22 years. Zana was sentenced Thursday after he made an attempt to get a new trial because one of the jurors researched the case online.

A judge ruled that the violation was not enough to overturn the conviction.

From KSBY6 News: Kane was sentenced to 22 years in prison without parole for molesting female students and possessing child pornography.

From KOLO: (Dec 21) The judge rejected results of a psycho-sexual evaluation that concluded that Zana was unlikely to commit the same offenses, citing allegations of inappropriate contact between Zana and young girls going back 15 years. He sentenced Zana to 22 years to life.

The prosecutor said the evaluator did not know about the previous accusations in 1992 and 1998. Those records were sealed until the jury heard about them. After release, Zana also would face lifetime supervision.

Sparks, NEVADA

An inside look at how those settlement agreements work.

Dec 15, 2007 - The District Attorney's office has assigned a new assistant district attorney to review their case against William Beeson, a Virginia City High School English and theater arts teacher who was fired after an allegation that he improperly touched a male student.

Beeson was fired by the Storey County School Board in August. The district board upheld the firing on Dec 5, after rejecting a settlement in which Beeson offered to give up his teaching certificate, not teach in any other state and have no contact with children in exchange for being allowed to resign and having his retirement bought out **. The next step for the case is arbitration.

Storey County Sheriff's Sgt. Ken Quirk said there have been three allegations of previous sexual incidents involving former male students, going back to the late 1990s, but that Beeson was never arrested. The latest alleged incident happened in April and a complaint was filed with the sheriff's office in May, at which time Beeson was placed on administrative leave.

In the latest incident, the District Attorney declined to prosecute, saying he did not believe a crime was committed.

**In the online Dec 6 story, the settlement was somewhat different: "Beeson had offered a settlement that the board rejected on Nov. 21, in which he would hold harmless the school district, waive further appeals, and would give up his teaching credential and not seek or accept teaching positions, either professional or voluntary, in the United States." An AP story in November has a different settlement offer being rejected. Beeson would have been allowed to resign, rather than be fired. The board would have bought out the remaining time on his contract. He would give up his teaching credential, waive all appeals, and he would agree not to teach again anywhere in the United States.

TT - How does any of this benefit parents and students? Taxpayers?

The unmistakable impression is that the District Attorney's office may be reviving their interest in prosecution to put pressure on the teacher.

On the other hand, settlement agreements - the contents of which are almost never revealed - often shield more than the teacher. They are cozy arrangements whereby each seeks to limit their legal liability. But mostly, it is meant to spare themselves public scrutiny for their actions or inaction. Parents, students, and taxpayers be damned.

In this case, rejection of the settlement offer will mean an appeals process that might cost up to $190,000. It's a net loss for taxpayers because the teacher will be represented free of charge by his union.

So when unions speak about wanting more money to go for education, look closely at how they affect the cost of education. And remember who negotiates those settlement agreements with school boards.

Boulder City, NEVADA

August 9, 2007 - Brett Storsved, 38, a science and broadcasting teacher at Garrett Middle School, was arrested, charged with six felony counts of lewdness with a child under the age of 14 and one gross misdemeanor count of open and gross lewdness.

Police said the incidents occurred at the middle school during the 2006 to 2007 school year and involved seven different female victims, ages 12 to 14.

The conduct was inappropriate touching, including chest bumping, patting the students on the rear-end, kicking them in the ear-end, poking with his fingers on their stomach or waist.

August 10 - KTNV-NBC:

While some fear that students have made the stories up, some girls at the school say he is perverted. Fed up, complaints trickled in reaching parents and school faculty. This led to an all out investigation, accusing Storsved of inappropriately touching seven female students.

All of the students, but one, was under the age of 14.

Students say they hesitated coming forward because he is a good teacher.

GUILTY PLEA Dec 11 - Storsved pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful contact with a child under 16. That charge is a gross misdemeanor, unless it is committed again. It then it becomes a felony. [The news site reports that Storsved is set to be arraigned in district court January 9th. We think they mean formally sentenced.]

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.

Las Vegas, NEVADA

Nov 20, 2007 - Don Smith, 51, a at Myrtle Tate Elementary School, waived his right to a preliminary hearing and told the judge he would enter an Alford Plea to one count of lewdness with a minor under 14.

Smith is accused of sexual misconduct with three female students at the school.

When he was arrested in May, parents wanted to know why it took the school 13 days to notify them. A day after Smith was arrested, Thomas Gaff, 21, a teacher at Sierra Vista High School, was arrested for three counts of sexual misconduct with a student and three counts of statutory sexual seduction

Full Name: Don Kevin Smith

Nov 21 - Smith could get probation with a favorable report from state parole and probation officials. Prosecutor Lisa Luzaich said the plea deal avoided testimony from the three girls, ensures Smith cannot teach again and allows for the possibility of prison time. He is scheduled to appear in court Dec 5.

Reform isn't easy

Especially when you get only half the story.

Nov 17, 2007 - From the Reno Gazette Journal: "Teacher exodus feared."

A mass departure of Nevada’s most experienced teachers and administrators could happen next year because of a new law that affects the future retirement benefits of public employees.

Under Senate Bill 544, local government employees must retire by Sept. 1, 2008 if they want to remain in the state’s Public Employees’ Benefits Program by the Nov. 30 enrollment deadline. If they do not retire in September, they will lose a state subsidy to their health insurance premiums that ranges from $91 to $502 a month.

TT - A simple Google search would link the reporter to this FAQ about SB 544. Or better yet, this article on SB 544.

In summary, what has happened is that teachers and local government employees have been given the option of retiring under the state pension plan where subsidies for health benefits are generous. They have been allowed to do so even when they have not paid into the plan. This allowed local governments and teacher unions to shift the burden of healthcare costs to the state. SB-544 ended the practice.

So if teachers will be leaving in a mass exodus as predicted, so will local government workers throughout the state. It won't happen. It's just a political theatre.