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School Board looks inward after arrests

 
Published |Updated

Following the arrest of three Citrus County school employees in less than three weeks, School Board members are questioning their own hiring practices and asking whether students are being held to a higher standard than teachers.

The criticism came Wednesday, after the Citrus Times reported that:

Crystal River Middle School assistant principal Jeffrey Walz admitted shoplifting at an Inverness Wal-Mart on March 21.

Authorities have accused Lecanto High School teacher Bob Chambers of driving drunk and being involved in a crash on March 31.

Crystal River Primary School teacher's aide Merlin Cooper faces charges that he forged $2,000 worth of checks stolen from another teacher between January and March.

School Board member Carol Snyder fielded phone calls Wednesday from parents who were upset not only about the recent arrests, but also that two of the three school workers had prior arrest records, including one who had been accused of child molestation. The latter charge was dropped.

Snyder said one incredulous mother asked: "Would you put someone addicted to sugar in charge of the candy store?"

At least two School Board members had not heard details of all the arrests until Wednesday afternoon, when Times reporters began asking questions.

"We should have known," said Snyder, who learned of two of the three arrests just minutes after school Superintendent David Hickey was interviewed about the workers. "I know that there are administrative things happening with this, but we're the ones who are going to get the phone calls."

Snyder and board member Pat Deutschman said they were surprised to learn Chambers and Cooper had prior arrests. Records showed that Chambers previously pleaded no contest to disorderly conduct and criminal mischief; a formal finding of guilt was withheld.

Cooper was accused in 1998 of fondling an 11-year-old girl. The child was not a student. The charge later was dropped.

Originally, Cooper was suspended from teaching in 1998, and the district launched its own investigation. The girl said Cooper fondled her and then offered her money not to tell anyone, records stated. Cooper countered that the girl was upset at him for personal reasons and tried to get back at him. He said the girl had lied to so many people she was unwilling to admit the truth even though the situation, including his arrest on formal charges, had gone beyond what she intended.

Soon after prosecutors dropped the case for lack of evidence, Cooper returned to the classroom.

"I think parents would have been surprised and shocked" when they read about the employees' previous records, Snyder said.

"I found that very disturbing," Deutschman agreed.

Deutschman said school administrators would determine where to draw the line concerning hiring and retaining employees who run afoul of the law. Snyder took an extra step.

"We need to take a very good look at our policies," she said. "I want to talk to Mr. Hickey about what are our expectations and do we abide by them. They certainly ought to be at least as strenuous as they are for students."

Snyder noted that students caught with alcohol or drugs are expelled. School officials are not saying what will happen with the three employees, pending the outcome of their cases.

"It does seem to me that there is a different standard applied to the employees than to the students, and that is not acceptable," Snyder said.

Snyder said she agreed with Hickey and personnel director Sam Stiteler, who have said each case must be examined on its own merits. But she said educators need to uphold the highest standards "because they are our role models."

She also questioned why Hickey had not informed the board of the arrests sooner instead of waiting until the media started inquiring.

"We're notified every time a student is arrested, and I would assume that the same would be done with an employee," she said.

Deutschman and Snyder said they were especially saddened by Chambers' arrest because it jeopardizes the Oracle Internet Academy grant, a program that would certify students in computer skills.

"I think part of the problem here is that teachers are human and they make mistakes," Deutschman said.