Scale of JusticeUEA REPRESENTS YOUR INTERESTS

Recently, an article in a Salt Lake newspaper carried the story that a coach at a Salt Lake County junior high school was "charged . . . with seven counts of forcible sexual abuse, all second-degree felonies." The article named the teacher, where he taught, gave some of his teaching background, and recited that the "district suspended [the teacher] May 10 while police investigated the allegations."

A letter recently sent to a building principal by a parent, copied to the superintendent, the president of the local school board, and the Division of Child and Family Services, charged that a teacher was "using inappropriate means of discipline, such as harsh physical contact and verbal abuse." The letter accused the teacher of grabbing a student's arm and using pressure so hard that the arm started to go numb and marks were left on the skin. The lengthy letter detailed angry outbursts by the teacher, who allegedly slammed books down on desks, screamed at students, slapped a student across the back, and threw a student "out the door and into the hallway." While the students were unable to see what happened next, they "all agreed that he probably fell to the floor due to the force of her throw - and that his feet did leave the ground," according to the letter.

The principal investigated the second complaint and found no evidence to support the claims of physical abuse. The criminal charges against the coach are still pending.

The problems for the coach and teacher only began with the charges. Before the accusations are resolved, (1) the district will carefully review the charges and make decisions about the educator's employment, (2) the educators will be subjected to a criminal investigation, (3) the Division of Child and Family Services will investigate the charges for purposes of determining whether abuse occurred, (4) the Utah State Office of Education will investigate the charges for purposes of determining whether action should be taken against the educator, and (5) the school district and the individual may be sued for monetary damages by the student and the student's parents.

In response to the parent's unfounded charges, the UEA attorney wrote the parent pointing out that unfounded and unsupported charges of criminal and unprofessional conduct warrant litigation for defamation. The letter pointed out that UEA had in the past supported litigation against other parents who had defamed teachers and obtained monetary judgments.

Of interest to teachers that have been around a long time is how different the process is today. Twenty years ago, the DCFS did not investigate these kinds of charges, the USOE relied on the school district to handle the case, and very few suits were filed against teachers for assaulting a student. Today, students make up charges against educators and it's expected that parents will sue, the USOE will investigate, law enforcement agencies will conduct a criminal investigation, and school districts will conduct thorough investigations.

During these trying times educators need somebody on their side - somebody with experience who can represent their interests. Each of the other agencies represent other interests at least in part. The school district must be impartial in its investigations. Only your Association represents you.