SENTENCED - first degree sexual assaultIn New Rochelle, New York, James J. Nieto, 80, was sentenced to 30 years. He was found guilty of of first-degree sexual assault of a victim under 13 and two counts of risk of injury to a minor by a jury in September. The two girls were relatives.
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GUILTY PLEA - 17 counts of taking indecent liberties with a child
Michael Gates, 33, a Virginia teacher, pleaded guilty to 17 felony counts of sexual offense (taking indecent liberties with a child) against a female student. And he's facing charges in another county.
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GUILTY PLEA - possession with intent to distribute
Also in Virginia, Frank "Chip" Rea, 30, a P.E. teacher and coach pleaded guilty to cocaine possession and marijuana possession with the intent to distribute. He'll be sentenced in January.
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GUILTY PLEA
Former Democratic Assemblyman Alfred E. Steele, pleaded guilty to taking bribes while Democratic state assemblyman and current Orange Mayor Mims Hackett Jr. pleaded not guilty in the Pleasantville School District scandal that netted eleven New Jersey officials.
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NOT GUILTY VERDICT
Deana Luedtke, 31, was found not guilty by a jury. She was accused of criminal sexual conduct involving a 13-year-old boy more than four years ago . The jury didn't buy it.
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ARRESTED - Sexual assault on a child by person in a position of trust
A volunteer and a contract employee who taught music and color-guard for five Jefferson County schools was arrested on suspicion of sexual assault and sexual assault on a child by a person in a position of trust. The female student is 16-years-old. William Paxton is 42. (Colorado)
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LAWSUIT
The eighth victim has filed a lawsuit against the Beaufort County School District that has already paid out $4.6 million that isn't covered by their insurance carrier. Sometimes a lawsuit is the only way to get people to say they are sorry. So far, no one in the school district seems to understand that concept. (South Carolina)
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Why doesn't this surprise us?
In Brunswick, Maine a 21-year-old Brunswick High School graduate with 18 criminal convictions in the past two years wants to run for the school board.
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Editorial in Hawaii
The Honolulu Star Bulletin responded to the AP series on teacher misconduct that revealed that Hawaii hasn't revoked the credentials of a single teacher for sexual misconduct since 2001. As we noted, they haven't revoked the credentials for any of the drug dealing teachers either. Nor a single teacher for gross incompetence. However, seven teachers lost their licenses because they had stopped paying licensing fees after resigning from their jobs. A little self interest there? The Standards Board is comprised of teachers, administrators and educrats.
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Tougher Penalities
In South Carolina, they're talking about tougher sentencing for teachers and those in authority who molest children. One proposal is to add five years to the sentence that can't be suspended to probation. Must be they finally got around to looking at the number of teachers who got parole or suspended sentences in S.C. courts. It is, however, unlikely that they could add a five-year penalty just because someone was a teacher. Or maybe the purpose is to write a law that won't withstand legal challenges. It's hard to tell.
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Fruit Loops in Maine
A committee school member wants to modify the plan of the Maine middle school that wants to provide birth control pills and patches and abortions to all their students ages 11 to 15. He wants to limit the birth control pills, patches and abortions to those 14 and up. The age of consent in Maine is 14. He also wants parents to have the right to opt out of the program. Of course, an election is next month which ought to be a good indication of how parents feel about the issue.
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Legislative Hearings in Ohio
Have been scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday in response to the Columbus Dispatch series "ABCs of Betrayal," a damning portrait of the callous indifference of state education authorities to the rule of law. One immediate result of the series is that the state will put their database of teacher discipline decisions online. That will take care of those cases where a negotiated settlement doesn't include non disclosure clauses. This way, we can see if Ohio teachers who were sentenced have their licenses revoked or not.
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