A Council Rock South math teacher, Robert Hawkins, was arrested and arraigned today on charges of corruption of minors and child endangerment, based on an inappropriate sexual relationship with a 17-year old female student and supplying her with alcohol and marijuana.
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s database, Mr. Hawkins had been employed by Council Rock for eleven years as of 2007-08.
The Council Rock website has a letter from the superintendent posted regarding this incident. In addition to this arrest, Mr. Klein’s letter indicates one teacher’s resignation was accepted after it was found that a teacher knew of this relationship but failed to report it. Two other teachers have been suspended for now, although the letter indicates further discipline is still possible.
Mr. Klein maintains in his letter that he remains “most confident in the integrity and the professional conduct of our entire staff.” I think the involvement of at least one if not three additional teachers who may have known about this and did nothing would raise some questions for the community about the culture of Council Rock.
Below is a reprint of the text of the Courier Times’ on-line story from the court, as well as Mr. Klein’s letter on the incident.
(Update 5:45 pm: Here’s a link to a detailed story in the Philadelphia Inquirer about this incident.)
(Update 5:53 pm: Per the minutes of the Board’s May 21st meeting, there was a Termination action for Robert Hawkins from his position as Math Teacher, CRHS-South, effective that date.)
Here is the Courier Times report by Laurie Mason posted on-line:
Police today charged Council Rock South math teacher Robert Hawkins, 43, with corruption of minors and child endangerment. Hawkins, of Newtown Township, is accused of having a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old female student and supplying her with marijuana and alcohol.
District Attorney Michelle Henry called Hawkins’ behavior “offensive.” He was arraigned before District Justice Donald Nasshorn and held on $500,000 bail.
Here is the text of Mark Klein’s letter:
August 25, 2009
To Parents and Members of the Council Rock School District Community:
Today, the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office and Northampton Township Police arrested a Council Rock High School South teacher, Robert Hawkins, for alleged criminal offenses associated with an inappropriate sexual relationship with a 2009 CR South graduate. This indictment will likely be one of the top stories in the news tonight and tomorrow.
The arrest was the result of an investigation initiated by the Council Rock School District based on allegations that this teacher had an inappropriate and unlawful sexual relationship with a former high school student. As the police began their investigation, Council Rock appointed an independent investigator, attorney Dean Ibrahim, to ensure a deliberate, fair, and impartial investigation of this matter. Ibrahim and Council Rock have cooperated fully with the investigation by Northampton Police and the District Attorney’s office.
As a result of Council Rock’s initial investigation, the school district immediately suspended and later terminated Mr. Hawkins. While the police investigation proceeded, Council Rock, through Mr. Ibrahim, continued to pursue its investigation. As a result, the school district has accepted the resignation of one additional teacher who knew of this misconduct prior to the onset of the police investigation yet did not come forward to report. Two other teachers have been suspended from their positions and are facing termination. These three teachers face school district discipline for their failure to report this incident to school officials.
Council Rock can now sincerely apologize to this student and her family for the actions of this teacher and for the failure of others to report this incident. We regret the impact this teacher’s conduct has had on one of our students and the impact this process has had on our school community.
There are over 1400 staff in the Council Rock School District. Trust is a delicate matter – it can be lost in a blink of an eye and take time to rebuild. This one incident should not indict an entire school district. The actions we took to investigate this matter and cooperate with the police were pursued with diligence to ensure that we could represent to you, at the conclusion of this matter, that we had investigated the matter fully and took appropriate actions against this teacher and other staff that failed to meet their obligations under our policy, the law, and professional ethics. I remain most confident in the integrity and the professional conduct of our entire staff.
Most sincerely,
Mark Klein
Superintendent of Schools
Filed under: Administration, Council Rock, Crime, Teachers | Tagged: Administration, Crime, Ethics, Teachers
Watchdog.
You are 100% correct about this district. It is a stellar system, but needs some controls! Enough! At the most recent meeting, some guy shows up dressed as Washington? I swear, that’s the same guy who wanted to be one of the school district supervisors! I am suspicious of it all, and they are taxing us out of existence!
F.R Gaffney
[...] story at http://crwatchdog.wordpress.com/2009/08/25/arrest-of-a-council-rock-teacher-and-resignationsuspensio... « james [...]
Dear F.R. –
Thanks for your comment. let me explain about the George Washington costume at the last meeting (that was me). I was appearing in a play about the history of Newtown which opened the same night as the last Board Meeting. Because our show started at 7:30, the same time as the meeting, I wanted to somehow be at the meeting to keep an eye on things but I had to be on stage just after 8:00 so I already had to be in costume (I was playing Gen. John Stark in a scene about Washington crossing the Delaware). So my choice was either to miss the meeting or go there in costume. And I thought it was important to try and be at the meeting so my choice was to be dressed for the show and attend.
It was not meant as a joke. If you’ve followed my participation over the years on issues like budget, taxes, Turf etc. I would hope you recognize I don’t take any of this lightly.
I hope that clarifies things a bit, but I appreciate you posting the comment.
[...] Arrest of a Council Rock Teacher (and Resignation/Suspension of …A Council Rock South math teacher, Robert Hawkins, was arrested and arraigned today on charges of corruption of minors and child endangerment, based on an inappropriate sexual relationship with a 17-year old female student and supplying …The Council Rock Watchdog Blog – http://crwatchdog.wordpress.com/|||Bredesen Names Appointments to Boards and Commissions | TN.gov …Governor Share and Enjoy: [...]
Ugh, I liked! So clear and positively.
Nadine