Marietta, GEORGIA

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

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

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

July 30 - Lawley resigned.

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

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

Gloucester, MASSACHUSETTS

RANT

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

They are supposed to be setting an example for students.

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

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

Source: Policy Manual PDF Section G pg 5

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

Just cause is explained here.

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

Brighton, COLORADO

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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ONLINE RESOURCE: Colorado teacher License Search LINK

State College, PENNSYLVANIA

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

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

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

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

See their FAQ

Child Predators

QUOTE OF THE DAY

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

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

North Adams, MASSACHUSETTS

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

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

The case was continued until August 29.

St. Helena, CALIFORNIA

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pleasantville, NEW JERSEY

Updated to include state monitor control of the district.




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

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

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

Clark submitted her resignation after the board meeting.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

TT - Bolding ours.

School Matters on Pleasantville, NJ schools. Here

Amarillo, TEXAS

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Clarksville, TENNESSEE

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

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

Clarksville high school coach arrested in slaying of ex-wife

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

Teacher Certification Information Search LINK

Moses Lake, WASHINGTON

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Roanake, VIRGINIA

Pedophile on trial again.

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

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

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

See TT entry for Utin.

Baltimore, MARYLAND

Sentence reduced for drug dealing teacher.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

No reason given for the re-sentencing.

Largo, FLORIDA

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

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

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

Full Name: Richard Montgomery Smith

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

Buffalo, NEW YORK

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dolthan, ALABAMA

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

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

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

TT - LINK for Battle

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

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

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

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

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

Beaufort, SOUTH CAROLINA

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Grosse Point, MICHIGAN

July 24, 2007 -

"This is a long-standing problem," former school board member Cindy Pangborn said of Bowen's behavior. "We don't reward bad behavior in our students. Why should we reward bad behavior in our faculty?"

A hearing will likely determine if Ellen Bowen, choir director at Grosse Pointe South High School, retains her teaching license.

The district drew up a behaviorial improvement plan in 1999. Her personnel file includes at least three reprimands and three suspensions. She was suspended after a conviction last month of misdemeanor assault and battery for a 2006 road rage incident involving a former student where even the judge pointed out ""She admitted that she intentionally struck the car to teach a lesson." The assault might have been the last straw.

New laws require a state hearing for teachers convicted of assault, to review whether they should continue to hold a teaching license.

September 5, 2007 - Bowen was suspended for one month and will be allowed back in the classroom in October. She's been suspended with pay since May. In a signed agreement, Bowen indicated she would not seek any further action or grievance and accepted the disciplinary action.

Sept 27 - Bowen has refused to sign a discipline agreement with the state that calls for a six-month suspension because of a road rage incident. She is appealing the action from the state Department of Education that also threatens the loss of her teaching certification if she faces any new discipline.

In August, the district suspended Bowen without pay from her $92,000 a year job because of the road rage suspension.

Jan 28, 2008 - Fighting her suspension.

Michigan law says the state Department of Education must review the certificate of any teacher convicted of certain offenses such as assault or a sexual offense. The department’s initial ruling, which Bowen is appealing today, included a six-month suspension on her license and requirements that she take anger management classes and send her performance evaluations to the MDE, among others.

Bowen has disputed many of the incidents for which she has been disciplined or the circumstances surrounding them. Her 2 1/2-inch thick personnel file includes several letters in which she asks that complaints be removed.

APPEAL DENIED Feb 13 - Bowen was denied in her appeal of a road rage conviction stemming from a 2006 incident. Wayne County Circuit Judge Carole Youngblood ruled Friday there were no prejudicial errors in her initial trial in Grosse Pointe Park Municipal Court. Bowen could appeal Youngblood's decision or ask the court to reconsider.

ADMINISTRATIVE HEARING DECISION Feb 28 - A state administrative law judge recommended that Grosse Pointe South High School choir director Ellen Bowen’s teaching certificate be suspended, but also said she could retain her teaching certificate "for the limited purpose" of teaching in Grosse Pointe Public Schools. He thought she showed no signs of being rehabilitated.

"In my view, Ms. Bowen has an anger management problem," Ward wrote in a ruling dated last Friday. "Ms. Bowen's off campus conviction appears to be related to her school related disciplines."

He also thought that "there is a strong likelihood that she will continue to use unprofessional language in front of students, parents and staff."

Next ping-pong volley: The recommendation goes to the state Superintendent Michael Flanigan, who will make the final decision about Bowen's certificate. Flanigan can accept Ward's recommendation or he can make an entirely different decision.

San Antonio, TEXAS

"The drugs were planted in my car."

July 23, 2007 - Kimberly Williams, 41, a former teacher who worked for two different school districts, neither one of which would comment on why she left, was arrested when marijuana, cocaine and prescription drugs were found in her car.

A man was arrested at the same time.

He claimed he did not know anything about Williams, including her last name. "It was in her car," Meredith said. "That was her stuff. She had crack cocaine and everything, so I don't know.”

Williams worked as a special education teacher. She resigned in March. She and the man were picked up near a park.

San Antonio Express-News: Williams confessed to coming to the area to buy drugs and had brought $200 with her to make the purchase, according to police.

Oakland, CALIFORNIA

SCHOOL BOARD TRUSTEE INVESTIGATED

July 23, 2007 - The school district is investigating school board trustee and former teacher Chris Dobbins, 35, for his friendship with a 17-year-old high school student.

The investigation comes as a blow — not only to those directly involved, but to a board that is trying to regain credibility. After years in state receivership following a financial debacle, the school board regained a small slice of responsibility this month from the California Department of Education.

Some board members expressed disappointment and dismay at the news, while others said they wouldn't comment on the situation until the investigation was over.

"There is no excuse, no reason and no way to justify an adult having any kind of relationship with a young girl like that," said Noel Gallo, who has teenage daughters.

"Chris is a public official and a teacher," Gallo added. "I think he has no choice but to resign."
Despite pressure from his colleagues and from state administrator Kimberly Statham to step down, Dobbins said he wants to finish out his term.

Still, he said, "From here on out, my political career is over, no matter what I do."

Dobbins denies any impropriety. He turned over copies of his e-mail exchanges with the girl to the school district.

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TT - Voter information from June 2006 election. The full endorsement list includes school board member Noel Gallo as a backer, and the Oakland Education Association and its president, vice-president, and secretary.

Oakland school district was once described as , "a financially disastrous district unhappy with state control, yet, unable to run its own affairs." Kimberly Statham is the state-appointed administrator for the school district. The state bailed out the district in 2003 to the tune of $100 million.

Dobbins has a MySpace page. According to his profile, he has 592 friends. It's just so thrilling to know he's a Capricorn.

UPDATE August 2 - Police said that no criminal charges will be filed against Oakland school board member Chris Dobbins for his relationship with a 17-year-old female student.

UPDATE: August 14 - From the Berkeley Daily Planet: Last week, officials with the Youth and Family Services Section of the Oakland Police Department said that no criminal charges would be filed surrounding Dobbins’ relationship with a 17-year-old OUSD high school student because “there was nothing criminal to prosecute.”

Board members are considering a censure. TT Link

Kalamazoo, MICHIGAN

His attorney said his client "accepts responsibility and wants to put everything behind him."





June 9, 2007 - James Lighthizer, 54, assistant principal at Milwood Magnet School, pleaded guilty to sexually abusing a 15-year-old male student. He had been charged with four counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, but pleaded to a single second-degree charge.

The plea agreement stipulates to a one year in jail with no early release. He will then be on probation for 5 years. Lighthizer has to continue with sex offender counseling and comply with sex offender registration statutes.

He will be formally sentenced July 23.

UPDATE June 22 - Lighthizer will lose his teaching certificate and his job as a Kalamazoo Public Schools administrator. He's been on leave since last August. He will be dismissed once his teaching license is revoked. TT - No estimate on how long THAT will be.

SENTENCED July 23 - Lighthizer was sentenced to one year in the county jail, five years probation, must register with the Sex Offender Registry, and pay court fines and fees.

Former Assistant Principal Sentenced For Sex With Student
Siegel teacher loses license after sex plea

After this case, Gill said the school system met with Sheriff Truman Jones and his staff and revised its policy. If the staff attorney and human resources director find any merit to a complaint, they now turn it over to law enforcement for investigation. "As a result, we turn it over to law enforcement in lieu of us conducting our own in-depth investigation," Gill said.

"He will surrender his teaching certificate," [District Attorney Bill] Whitesell said. "I have it in my possession."

Charleston, WEST VIRGINIA

Eight teachers in trouble with the law over drugs in the past year.

July 23 - 2007 - The Kanawha County Board of Education is still debating random drug testing for teachers. They adopted a policy for random testing of bus drivers and mechanics. Three months ago the Board narrowly voted down testing for teachers.

"Eight [teachers], that I know of," said board member Pete Thaw when asked how many educators have been in trouble with the law over drugs in the past year."

Another board member was unconcerned. "I feel that overall they are doing a darn splendid job," said Welch. "Like I say, we have a few that have misbehaved." (Barbara Welch is the only board member without biographical information at the school board website.)

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From TT - Link for Michael White

Pratt Elementary School Principal David Anderson was charged with cocaine possession in October and was suspended from his job. Anderson was acquitted by a Kanawha County Magistrate Court jury in February and returned to his post as principal.

Other issues HERE

Teaneck, NEW JERSEY

July 23, 2007 - The Record editorializes about the guilty plea of Joseph White.

What a terrible way for children to find out that a trusted adult who had a central role in their lives was the polar opposite of what he appeared to be.

In fact, children at the high school were in danger from their own principal. He betrayed them. And he betrayed all the parents and community members who trusted him with their children and with the leadership of the township's high school.

That trust was so strong that it survived White's first arrest for the alleged sexual abuse of a teenager five years ago. The teen was a Teaneck High School student whom White was about to adopt. Loyal friends and co-workers often filled the courtroom at his trial on those charges. White was acquitted with his reputation intact -- his supporters gave him a standing ovation after the verdict was read -- and he returned to his job as principal.

In that case, it was a respected principal's word against that of the teenager, who was vilified by White's lawyer in court. In the more recent case, the teenager in question was wearing a concealed microphone and the evidence was on tape.

And

It is heartbreaking to explain to children that they must be on guard against even the people they are supposed to trust. No parent wants to destroy a child's faith in the world.

But the truth is that sexual predators are rarely frightening or repulsive. They are more often popular and charming and supportive. They know how to get children's attention and win their friendship. They work at it.

TT - It is a special betrayal for a teacher to abuse a child because students frequently spend more time with a teacher than they do their own parents. Children are expected to learn more from a teacher. Parents trust and respect teachers and through them, they try to instill respect for adults in their children.

The pity, the absolute pity, is that it is a profession that is proving itself less and less worthy of that admiration.

Muncie, INDIANA

Some people deserve our respect.

July 23, 2007 - A Muncie, Indiana judge refused to accept a plea agreement for a school secretary who was accused of stealing from several school accounts.

The deal would have allowed Judith Lynne Straub, 50,to plead guilty to theft, a class D felony carrying a standard 18-month sentence, but limited any jail time she could receive to 60 days.

Instead, Judge Robert Barnet Jr. last week declined to accept the agreement, and rescheduled Straub's trial for Oct. 3.

Warner Robins, GEORGIA

July 23, 2007 - Despite pleading guilty and being sentenced on harassment charges, a Georgia teacher has yet to fulfill part of the plea agreement to drop his appeal of his termination.

Current School Superintendent David Carpenter said Taylor “has to notify us in writing of his intent not to appeal and he has not done so yet. We expect him to, but he has not yet.”

David Carpenter said “we want to make sure to follow the law, so the personnel hearing is still scheduled.” The charges stem from May 26 incident with a co-worker at Northside Middle School at her home The reasons for the personnel hearing, beyond the indictment were spelled out in a letter from Carpenter sent to Taylor the week after his arrest.

According to a letter from Danny Carpenter, Taylor was told on Feb. 9, 2006 and April 1, 2004 about unprofessional behavior and discussing his personal life with students.

Carpenter said Taylor apparently “willfully and intentionally violated the directives contained in these letters,” by discussing the relationship with other teacher and one or more students including using students to deliver personal notes and messages.

“In doing so,” Carpenter wrote, “you have behaved unprofessionally and in direct violation of my directives, all of which constitute insubordination.”

Taylor’s arrest for the criminal offenses above toward another teacher at the school was also cited. “Your behavior can not and will not be tolerated by this school district as such behavior is wrong, unprofessional for an educator employed by this district,” Carpenter said, “and constitutes immorality and other good an sufficient cause as defined by the Fair Dismissal Act.”
Carpenter also referred to previous criminal charges, saying in the letter, “unfortunately this is not the first occasion in which you have been charged with criminal charges involving your personal life.”

These charges, according tot the District Attorney’s Office include a guilty plea to a violation of family violence order on Nov. 10, 2004, which Taylor was given 12 months probation and ordered to stay away from the victim and abide by a custody order.

The charges were reduced on the Aug. 27, 2003, offense from the original three count indictment on aggravated stalking, battery - family violence and terroristic threats or acts. Taylor also pled guilty less than a year later, on July 21, 2005, to simple assault and harassing phone calls for a June 30, 2005, incident. He was sentenced to 24 months probation and ordered to have no contact with the victim or her family.

TT - LINK to Taylor entry.
Using the difficulty of firing a tenured teacher in plea bargains was a subject of a Daily Rant at Teachers and Trash Education. TT - LINK

Highly Qualified Teachers

You would think finding "highly qualified teachers" was equivalent to the search for the Holy Grail.

July 22, 2007 - At least the Bakersfield Chronicle apparently thinks so.

Of Kern's 250 or so schools, 141 traditional schools had yet to meet the No Child Left Behind requirement to have 100 percent highly qualified teachers as of October 2006. Of those 141 schools, about 74 percent are considered "high poverty."

They quote the coordinator for teacher quality for the California Department of Education.

"That tells us right there the neediest kids in our state are still not getting access to those experienced, highly qualified teachers."

The methods of recruiting and keeping highly qualified teachers vary. "Competitive salaries" and assuming student loans if they agree to teach in needy areas and bonuses are all considered.
---------------------- OPINION ----------------------
TT - To be a highly qualified teacher, you only need three things:

1. A bachelor’s degree
2. State credential or intern certificate/credential for no more than three years
3. Demonstrated competence in the core academic subject or subjects they teach. They can prove that competence in a number of ways, such as by passing a test or taking classes in that subject.

If it strikes you that those are what you thought were the minimal requirements all along to be a teacher, join the club. It's what the No Child Left Behind Act was all about. One of their core requirements was to ask for those three things to improve teacher quality.

The problem isn't the bachelor's degree. It's that colleges that awarded those degrees are turning out graduates who can't pass certification and licensing tests, let alone demonstrate competence in the core academic subject they teach by passing a simple test.

The worst part about this, however, is that the unqualified teacher continues to predominate in classroom. Despite failing either, or both, of these competency exams, teachers are given 1 to 4 years to practice teaching on your child, despite lack of aptitude. That's why retention rates are so bad. It isn't low salaries; it's low test scores. Over and over.

If 56% of Kern schools can't meet the NCLB Act requirement that 100% of the teachers are -- let's call it what it is -- minimally qualified -- it's because the Kern schools and the teachers unions don't want it to succeed. They're pinning their hopes on a change in the White House. That way, no one will know just how little they care about teacher quality.

And they will continue to cheat children out of an education, further miring blacks in poverty and Hispanics into the same low expectations. Uneducated voters don't vote. It's a win-win for incompetent schools.

Nanty Glo, PENNSYLVANIA

School's out.

July 21, 2007 - Donald Edward Thomas II, 36, an elementary school teacher, is facing charges of attempting to steal firewood, becoming unruly with state police and driving while intoxicated. "Both the attempted theft and drunken driving charges are misdemeanor offenses. The three summary violations of disorderly conduct and one of public drunkenness will be addressed in apreliminary that scheduled for September 17.

He is also charged with simple assault and harassment in a domestic violence at his apartment. He was arraigned on that and released on bail. A preliminary hearing on that is scheduled for July 30.

Thomas is the son of Donald Thomas, the Blacklick Valley superintendent, who has removed himself from the review by school authorities.

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TT - From Greatschools.com - The Blacklick School District has 2 schools with 681 students, 336 at the elementary school.

You often wonder why such people feel no responsibility to behave for the sake of parents and the students they teach.

Maynard, MASSACHUSETTS

LAWSUIT

July 21, 2007 - Joseph Magno died a day before his trial could begin on charges of raping a 13-year-old boy. Fourteen other boys were also slated to testify against the 66-year-old teacher. Now one victim's family is suing the town of Maynard.

The mayor refused to give the specifics of the lawsuit.
See TT - LINK for Magno.

Colchester, CONNECTICUT

July 21, 2007 - Michael J. Garvie, 30, a teacher and coach at St. Bernard, a Catholic school, has resigned. He was arrested July 6 on charges of enticing a minor and risk of injury to a minor for internet sex chats with what he thought was a 15-year-old girl. It was a police officer.

According to court documents, Garvie told police he and his wife had recently returned from their honeymoon and he had never intended to meet with the girl. That caused a poster at the site to wonder,

Please let us know why men will do this internet thing. I find it so difficult to understand. Why do they endanger their lives, wives and careers for this obvious thrill. Are they mentally unstable, do they have some weakness that believes they are above us all or are they obsessive about this type of action and is there any help or treatment for them? If so what is the rate of cure?

TT - We wonder, too. But for sheer wonderfulness, there was this comment:

"Why is he pleading not guilty if everyone knows he did it???

If he worked at a public school, it would be a different matter. Teacher Tenure Law in Connecticut.

Benton, ILLINOIS

One of the most respected and popular public figures in Franklin County. (Which is worrisome.)

July 21, 2007 - Barry Kohl, 60, Superintendent of the Franklin-Williamson Regional Office of Education,** was sentenced to 6 years for felony bribery and 2 years for guilty pleas to theft by deception, felony theft (over $300) and three counts of official misconduct.

He pleaded guilty in April. In addition to prison time, he will also lose his pension.

[Franklin County State’s Attorney Tom Dinn said Kohl will forfeit his Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund pension following his bribery conviction.

“If you are a felon you forfeit your pension,”” Dinn said. “He’s lost everything he worked for - not just his retirement, but his reputation.”

** Franklin-Williamson Regional Office of Education provides support services to 15 school districts in both Franklin and Williamson counties in Southern Illinois. - from their website.

Kohl was forced to resign after the U.S. Department of Education announced funding would be pulled if he remained on the job. It is an elected position.

Lorain, OHIO

July 21, 2007 - A school district that recently learned from the district’s new treasurer that the district would be $4.75 million in debt by June 30 has laid off 243 teachers and 22 preschool teacher aides. The Chronicle-Telegram also lists the names of all of the teachers who were laid off.

Not reported in the story above, but found in the Morning Journal, is that the district has also laid off 101 administrators and support staff, putting the total number of people being laid off at 366.

The Chronicle-Telegram gives what appears to be the reason for the massive shortfall in revenue.

For the 2006-07 school year, the district offered all-day preschool to more than 400 students, which cost more than $3.3 million.

But the district received only $94,000 in tuition — covering the remaining $3.2 million internally — because tuition was based on family income, the release said.

TT - How did a pre-school program that enrolled 400 children cost $3.3 million?

West Las Vegas, NEW MEXICO

July 20, 2007 - Roberta Vigil, a Director of Bilingual Education, pleaded not guilty to charges of

Fraud (2nd degree felony),

Misuse of Public Money (4th degree felony),

Prohibited Sales by School Board Members (4th degree felony) and

Conspiracy (3rd degree felony).

I n addition, Roberta Vigil is charged with Tampering with Public Records (4th degree felony) and Procurement Code violation (misdemeanor).

The accusations against her include allegedly reporting false test scores to the Public Education Department to boost the number of students labeled as “English language learners” and thus increase the amount of funding for the district.

Four members of the West Las Vegas school district were indicted on government corruption charges in June.

Vigil is the wife of Rep. Richard Vigil, D-Las Vegas. She is also the sister-in-law of Robert Vigil, the former state treasurer who was convicted in federal court last September of attempted extortion. He resigned in October 2005 as lawmakers were considering whether to impeach him. He began serving a 37-month sentence in April.

TT - LINK to previous post and New Mexico Attorney General press release.

Feb 23, 2008 - Vigil is now a part-time instructor at Luna Community College. College interim president Sigfredo Maestas says he was aware of the indictment when he hired Vigil as an adjunct instructor in a teacher education course.

Muskogee, OKLAHOMA

Sentenced to 18 months for stealing student medications.





Jan 9, 2007 - Melba Polston, 39, was arrested after she did not show up for a court hearing. She is charged with possession of a controlled substance within 2-thousand feet of a school and with tampering with a security camera or system.

Polston was suspended from a Muskogee elementary school Nov 1, 2006 after an investigation into missing student prescriptions. The school board is set (Jan 9) to dismiss her.

Last November, school leaders discovered some students' prescriptions were missing. "That process has both the parent and the person receiving the medication both signing off that the count is correct and that’s when a red flag went up, when there was not enough pills for the child in that particular case," said [Muskogee Superintendent Mike] Garde.

Polston worked with a program that benefits elementary-age children who are in disciplinary trouble.

Feb 27 - A due process hearing has been scheduled for Feb 27 to discuss and vote on dismissal of an elementary teacher who had been charged with possession of a controlled substance.

SENTENCED: July 21 - After pleading no contest, Polston was given an 18-month deferred sentence, meaning that her record will be expunged at some later date. The tampering with a security camera charge was dismissed as part of the plea.

Gloucester, MASSACHUSETTS

She kicked one officer in the groin, bit another and had to be wrestled to the floor.

July 21, 2007 - Kathleen Burley, 47, a high school special education teacher, was sentenced to 4 years in prison and 10 years probation after her 4th drunk driving conviction. She was also found guilty in of three counts of assault and battery on a police officer for kicking a patrolman in the groin during her arrest in Sept. 2006.

When the officer stopped her, she asked him not to arrest her because she was a high school teacher. After the arrest, she kicked one officer in the groin. During interrogation, she threw jewelry at one officer and bit another, had to be wrestled to the floor.

Wagram, NORTH CAROLINA

"I would have never thought she was drunk. She’s a school teacher.”

Apr 20, 2007 - Vickie White Leavitt, 48, a first-grade teacher at Wagram Primary School, was arrested and charged with driving while impaired, contributing to the delinquency of a minor and failure to properly secure a child in a car.

She was taking a neighbor's 7-year-old child to school. Leavitt had a blood-alcohol level of .30, nearly four times the legal limit of .08, according to court documents.

Court records show that Leavitt pleaded guilty to impaired driving in 2004. She had a blood-alcohol level of .26 when she was pulled over on U.S. 15-501 near Carthage. Leavitt’s driving record shows that since 1998 her license has been revoked two other times and she has been involved in two crashes.

She is scheduled to appear in court May 9.
TT - The boy was one of her pupils. Presumably, she was on her way to teach a classroom full of first graders.

Apr 25 - Leavitt resigned.

July 20 - Leavitt pleaded guilty and was sentenced Leavitt to two years in prison, but he suspended the term. She was given 45 days in jail but received credit for 22 days — the majority of which was spent in a substance abuse treatment center. Since 1998, her license has been revoked three other times, and she has been involved in two crashes, according to her driving record.

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North Carolina State Board of Education is one of the few states that maintains an online list of Disciplinary Actions.

Las Vegas, NEVADA

KAZEE WILL NOT BE CHARGED BECAUSE STUDENT WAS 16 AT THE TIME.

July 20, 2007 - Two teachers have been arrested as a result of a successful lawsuit against the Fayette public schools. A third teacher, Richard M. Kazee, who was accused but not arrested teaches in Las Vegas, despite a conviction on a misdemeanor sex solicitation charge.

In 1991, Kazee was convicted of soliciting an undercover police officer for sex and suspended from teaching, according to his Fayette County personnel file.

He didn’t lose his job after the conviction because a judge and a three-member tribunal decided the school district had not acted quickly enough in coming to a decision on his case.

But Kazee was suspended a second time in November 1991 after drinking beer on campus during a first aid class for coaches. Kazee fabricated a story about switching the beer with non-alcoholic beer to try to cover up the incident, according to school personnel files.

Some interesting statistics about Clark County, Nevada.

[Fred Perdomo, principal of Carson City High School and member of the Nevada Commission on Professional Standards in Education] said the sheer size of Clark County’s district could be a factor in why Kazee found a job there. The Clark County School District is the fifth largest in the country, [Byron Green, director of recruitment for the district] said. It opens an average of 12 new schools a year, hires 2,500 to 3,000 teachers a year and deals with tens of thousands of applicants.

Green said the number of applicants has no effect on the screening process, but [Fred Perdomo, principal of Carson City High School and member of the Nevada Commission on Professional Standards in Education] was not so sure. “Las Vegas on any given day is 500 teachers short of their needs,” Perdomo said. “They have so many openings and so much need, maybe it slipped through the cracks.”

About three-fourths of Nevada’s teachers come from out of state, Perdomo said, adding that teachers leaving one state for another after problems in a school are fairly common.

See - The lawsuit against Fayette County, Kentucky TT - LINK
See - The teamsters union are battling the teachers union for control of the right to represent teachers in Clark County. See TT - LINK

August 29 - Police in Lexington, Kentucky, will not be charging Kazee because Maler was 16 at the time of the "interaction."

Charlottesville, NORTH CAROLINA

Story dated July 15, 2007 - No one seems to be responsible for the job offer to Debra Duncan to be the next principal of Greenbrier Elementary School. It turned out that they changed their minds when they finally conducted a background check.

Duncan’s husband, Eric, has been connected with a 1990 unsolved murder in San Antonio involving 11-year-old Heidi Seeman. Eric Duncan, a former Air Force officer, was investigated by the Air Force in 1996 but the case was never brought to a military trial.

Duncan was never charged

It's not the first time the Charlottesville has had a problem with background checks. A former superintendent resigned when two lawsuits dating back to 1999 were discovered. She sued one school district and was sued BY another. Both were settled. No details were given of either lawsuit.

Greensboro, NORTH CAROLINA

Talk about role models.

July 20, 2007 - The Guilford County School Superintendent has asked a judge to allow a news anchorman who has been charged DWI and with death by motor vehicle to speak to Driver's Education students in response to a request by the news anchorman's lawyer.

WFMY News2 got a copy of the letter the school superinendent wrote.

"Mr. Carr is a resident of Greensboro who teaches at Winston-Salem State University and was the morning news anchor at WXII; that he will be pleading guilty to the felony charges he is facing; that he is presently residing in the Winston-Salem jail and that he is extremely remorseful for his misconduct.


My guess is that a professional teacher and speaker who admits criminal guilt and takes responsibility for the death of another person could be a powerful and positive influence on our students. Please accept this letter as an invitation to the court and to Mr. Carr to participate in our driver's education program. If it proves successful, I will advise other superintendents in the Piedmont Coalition."

TT - The media doesn't report if the anchorman and the school superintendent are personally acquainted, but it would be nice to know how the school executive knows the news anchorman is remorseful. It occurs to us that calling drunk driving that resulted in death "misconduct" seems to miss the point that it was a C-R-I-M-E and someone D-I-E-D.

Wouldn't it be more effective to invite the family of the victim? He was 26-year-old Casey Ryan Bokhoven, who died across the street from his home. Oh, wait, the victim or his family aren't celebrities. Our bad.

The Winston-Salem Journal provides links to:
Letter to the court. PDF
Police Report of arrest. PDF

Mason, OHIO

July 20, 2007 -
Russell Fallon, 29, (shown at the left) an eighth grade teacher at Mason Middle School and football coach, was arrested, charged with possession of marijuana, drug paraphernalia, and possession of a controlled substance.

Another teacher was cited for possession of marijuana at the same time. (same school)

Police were called to a hotel in Covington, Kentucky after a hotel employee complained about a loud party. The hotel management wanted Fallon and two others to leave. Police searched the room after smelling marijuana.

See WCPO CH 9 Coverage
Make sure to see the school district response in the Middletown Journal story.

Dayton Daily News: A third man, Jabree Jones, 27, of Cincinnati, was also arrested and charged with drug possession.

WCPO 9 (Jul 20) reports that after the charges, the two men spent this past week teaching a football camp for Mason students.

Story date August 9 - All charges were dropped against the second teacher following a drug test and polygraph test. The polygraph showed that not only was he not involved the night in question but had never smoked or possessed marijuana at any time. Link Link

Teacher Conduct

RANT OF THE DAY

A good many teacher misconduct cases are finalized in a plea bargain agreement. Whether it's an Alford plea or it's called "No Contest," or a guilty plea, not infrequently the news reports include "As part of the plea agreement, he accepted the loss of his teaching license." or "The teacher agreed to surrender their teaching license." It ought to be automatic that the teacher loses his license for engaging in sex with a child, but the vagaries of the Education Establishment is that it is not a foregone conclusion.

A recent case illustrates perfectly how the difficulty of firing a teacher gives the defendant a bargaining chip that no other group of citizens is given. Lance Diefenderfer, a 38-year-old assistant principal was sentenced to 1 year of home confinement for sex with a 16-year-old student. In a story on the sentencing, there was this rationale for the conclusion of the case.

Assistant Solicitor Julie Anders said the main goal was to ensure that Diefenderfer never taught again. As a condition of the plea agreement, his teaching license was permanently revoked last week, Anders said in court Thursday.

Not justice for the victim, mind you, but convenience for the state of South Carolina.

Why is it that police or firemen aren't asked to give up their badges in negotiations with prosecutors when either are accused, or convicted, of sex crimes? They lose their badges.

We give teachers free and unmonitored access to our children. That alone creates a bond of trust we offer few individuals. We would frown if a doctor called our child on a cell phone or sent instant text messages asking the child to visit them at their homes. We would be outraged if the doctor encouraged our child to borrow her sister's car to visit him at his house and then lie to her parents. We would be incensed if he picked up the child at home and told us they were going to a library and then proceeded to have oral sex at his home.

In every profession, we would find such behavior so abominable that it would call for jail and automatic peer review. Why is it that teaching is the one profession that it isn't guaranteed that peer review would even occur, let alone result in revocation of his or her license?

Teaching isn't a privilege. It's being privileged because the same state that hires the teacher also prosecutes the teacher for misconduct. The result is a blatant conflict of interest.

See Passing the Trash, Self-policing doesn't work TT - LINK
See TT - LINK - Plea agreement includes dropping termination appeal.

Columbus, OHIO

July 20, 2007 - A former student who was abused by Angela Koppes is suing the school board, claiming they knew of the crimes. Koppes is also named in the lawsuit as well as Jonathan Alder High School and the special education program. Several John Does are also included.

Arrested in 2006, Angie Koppes, a former tutor at Jonathan Alder High School, pleaded guilty (in April 2007) to two counts of sexual battery against one of her 17-year-old special education students. She was sentenced to six months in prison.

Bizarrely, in a KBNS-10 news story on her expected arraignment, Koppes approached the boy's mother.

Angela Koppes, the teacher's tutor at Jonathan Alder, approached the mother of the victim indicating that she was in love with her 17-year-old son and that they had been having a sexual relationship," said Lt. Doug Crabbe, Madison County Sheriff's Department.

A special prosecutor is being brought in because Koppes' husband is an official in Madison County.

MSNBC also stated that

During the original trial, Koppes' attorney claimed, her Multiple Sclerosis and bipolar disorders were to blame for the crime.
When Koppes is released she will be on probation for five years and will have to register as a sex offender for 10 years.

Standards for Graduation

Lawsuit creates legislation.

July 19, 2007 - A lawsuit has been tentatively settled between lawyers representing Richmond, Newark and Oakland students and the state of California pending passage of legislation that schools would ensure students who failed exit exams the right to return for additional classes.

That may mean students re-enroll as seniors, sign up for independent study or receive some other type of service, said Hilary McLean, department of education spokeswoman.

BACKGROUND The state of California approved the exit exam as a graduation requirement in 1999.

Passage of the test as a graduation requirement was scheduled to begin in 2004. But, in the face of poor test results, lawmakers delayed the requirement until 2006 and changed the difficulty of the exam, which now measures eighth-grade math and sophomore English skills. Students must pass both parts of the test to earn a diploma.

TT - It is a wonder that students don't sue the state for those loans they have to take out the first year of college to pay for remedial classes.