Summary June 27, 2007Follow links for updated information.
ARRESTED
A temporary teacher at Goleta Valley Junior High School was arrested and charged with furnishing a 14-year-old student with marijuana and contributing to his delinquency. Alerted by the boy's parents, the police investigated a month before arresting Melissa Dunning, 31. (California)
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ARRESTED (Again)
A Washington coach, Todd Hoiness, 40, was arrested for sexual misconduct with a 17-year-old girl and released on his own recognizance last week. This week, he was arrested again for contacting the victim. His lawyer had a novel defense. “The texting had nothing whatsoever to do with the case. … Now he understands he can’t connect through friends …” Yeah.
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ARRESTED (Again) and NO CONTEST PLEA
In Kansas, Marsha Mote, 37, pleaded no contest to aggravated indecent liberties with an underage girl after she was arrested for violating the conditions of her bond by dropping her two children off at a public pool in violation of an order to not be around children. She'll be sentenced in September for the March incident.
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ARRESTED - Sex with a 14-year-old boy
A teacher at Leroy High School was arrested and charged with having sex with a 14-year-old boy. The teacher is Charlene Schmitz, 54. The boy's mother found graphic e-mails she sent the boy about oral sex. And, YES, her age is 54. (Alabama)
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ARRESTED - Well, when he shows up
Edison Muñoz, 51, a teacher in North Miami, has been ordered to turn himself in on Monday. He's accused of showing a cell phone picture of his penis to a 17-year-old female student. He said it was his. She obviously wasn't thrilled.
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ARRESTED - Drunk and disorderly, aggravated assault, simple assault, obstructing the administration of law
A Pennsylvania social studies teacher was arrested for all that after a brawl with two police officers in a restaurant. Katie Quartuch, 26, was arrested, along with her husband. The odd thing was that she and her husband were not the two that officers were trying to evict.
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ARRESTED - Exposing himself to a 3-year-old boy
In Illinois, Douglas R. Jones, 46, is a substitute teacher who also drives an ice cream truck. He was arrested and charged with sexual exploitation of a child younger than 13 after allegedly exposing himself to the toddler. From inside the truck.
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INDICTED
William Marshall, 54, a substitute at a Maryland school was indicted on four counts of third-degree sex offense, sex abuse of a minor and second-degree assault for fondling a 13-year-old girl. Other students, apparently, witnessed the touching.
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SENTENCED (sorta) - Classroom Cocaine Use
A retired teacher told the judge she was bored after retiring and began using cocaine. While she was substituting, two 4th-graders found her snorting cocaine in the classroom out of a pen cap. Joan Donatelli, 59, pleaded guilty in April to seventh-degree attempted criminal possession of a controlled substance. It's a plea agreement that may result in a mere 60 days in jail . The judge, however, gave her 100 days community service. Fantastic lesson for those children. (New York)
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SENTENCED - Sex with 14-year-old girl
In Tennessee, Johnny McElroy, 55, pleaded guilty to multiple charges of statutory rape and sexual battery by an authority figure. The girl was 14-years-old when the sex began. He was sentenced to 15 years, but will be eligible for parole in less than 5. Yes, his age is correct.
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School Board Watch
The Cliffside, New Jersey school board is going to save big bucks by reducing the salary of the board treasurer from $28,500 a year to $7,000 a year. It's only a part-time position that should pay around $6,000. They probably have to save money after a former superintendent pleaded guilty in April to funneling $110,000 to two borough clerks, as well as taking more than $26,000 in unapproved business meals at two eateries.
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The Pleasantville, New Jersey school board president is a 22-year-old. He was recently arrested after totalling his SUV and making terrorist threats to two other board members. He recently told students at a graduating ceremony not to make his mistakes. The state appointed a special monitor to oversee the District's finances starting July 2. It's all so very -- New Jersey.
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Teacher Quality
The National Council on Teacher Quality issued their first annual report on Teacher Quality for all the states. There is some suprising information in the report as well as some very useful and concrete recommendations for reform. Typical finding:
Only 4 states require classroom effectiveness to be the preponderant criterion for evaluating teacher performance, with other states giving equal weight to factors such as attending faculty meetings.Only 14 states require annual evaluations. Of those, only 7 allow dismissal after two bad evaluations.
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Tip for Parents
If you are a parent, you have the right to know the qualifications of your child's teacher. It is a requirement of the No Child Left Behind Act. Ask your school or visit your school web site where the information should be posted. Remember that only 3 states require teachers to pass licensure tests before entering the classroom. The licensure tests are minimal competency exams for teachers. They measure basic academic skills. An unqualified, untested teacher shouldn't be practicing on your child.
You can see State Testing Requirements and sample questions (and answers) at the Educational Testing Service web site. LINK - drop down menu at left for each state.
