Summary - June 8, 2007

Summary June 8, 2007

ARRESTED

A Pima Community College Chemistry teacher was arrested for violation of his parole. Among other things, he failed to mention his conviction when he was hired by the college. There was no mention that Patrick Allen Rundhaug, 43, was ever given a background check. TT - Link

ARRESTED

In Queens, a special education teacher, Sonia Vargas, 44, was arrested for kisssing an 11-year-old boy. Despite all-caps headline, there is so much missing in the story that it makes you wonder. Not that newspapers will go beyond the LIP LOCK SHOCK. TT - Link

ARRESTED

A coach at a middle school was arrested for sexual battery on a 14-year-old girl. James Simmons, 25, was a friend of the family. The emphasis is probably on the past tense. (Florida) TT - Link

ARRESTED

In Michigan, Stephen Tisch, 31, was charged for having sex with a 16-year-old student. The girl's mother notified police. The school was taking steps to fire him. He must not have been tenured. TT - Link

ARRAIGNED for Child Pornography
When a retired elementary school teacher has an extensive child pornography collection, it's worrisome. Gary E. Rademacher, 53, was also a Boy Scout leader and the pornography included 1,346 image files and 12 movies featuring boys younger than 14 years old. In total, he had 225,628 image files and 520 movie files. He'd been collecting since he was a teenager. (Missouri) TT - Link He was president of the Missouri State Teachers Association.

ARRAIGNED - (Nearly) the whole school board

Three current school board members, the district superintendent, the ex-husband of a former board member, the former mayor, an insurance company owner, and the president of the school board in Texas. TT - Link

INDICTED
The principal of a New Jersey parochial school was indicted on theft charges. Joseph Lemme was accused of stealing $400,000. He's also being sued by the school. TT - Link

GUILTY PLEA

She was arrested twice for drugs (methamphetamine), once for intent to sell. Joanna Chavez, 38, pleaded guilty to the two felony charges. The state has taken away her teaching certificate. (New Mexico) TT - Link

ANOTHER TRIAL

In Streetboro, Ohio, Dennis W. Ferguson, 64, will be tried on molesting a 9-year-old boy in 1992. Ferguson is already in prison for molesting children. (Ohio) TT - Link

SENTENCED

Paris Hilton will be playing her in the movie or maybe it's the other way around. Carrie McCandless, 29, a social studies teacher and cheerleading coach (and married to the principal) was sentenced to a 45 days for a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old boy. Of course, McCandless also has 5 years probation and has to register as a sex offender. (Colorado) TT - Link

SENTENCED

An elementary school teacher was sentenced to 13 years for sexual abuse of a 7-year-old girl. Juan Villanueva, 58, pleaded no contest in March. The girl was a relative. TT - Link

New Teacher Ethics Policy

A new teacher ethics policy is being crafted in Utah, a collaboration of the State Board of Education and the teacher's union. It sounds more like a legal document than a statement of principles and ethics, but that's what passes for morality in schools now. TT - Link

EXPERIMENT

Also in Utah, a school district is experimenting with a four-day school week. We're willing to bet there will be no reduction in teacher salaries. Their reasons for the experiment says a lot about education priorities. TT - Link

UPDATE

An update on a teacher arrested for stalking, harassing and threatening a fellow teacher reveals he had two prior arrests and convictions for violence and harassment. Both of which were known by the school. (Texas) TT - Link