Three Elizabeth Center College employees members are dealing with misdemeanor fees for failing to report suspected youngster abuse after they allegedly didn’t report scholar complaints a few trainer to legislation enforcement, the 18th Judicial District Attorney’s Office announced Thursday on X.
The three employees members — recognized by the district legal professional’s workplace as principal Brett Michel, assistant principal Jeff Sparrow, and counselor Shannon Paxton — had been on administrative leave for nearly a month whereas legislation enforcement and the Elizabeth College District investigated the complaints, the school district said in a news release Thursday.
The varsity district additionally introduced it’s ending the three employees members’ employment, pending approval by the district Board of Training at its Monday assembly.
“Whereas we acknowledge these people’ many constructive, previous contributions to the college neighborhood, now we have excessive expectations that our employees will comply with authorized expectations and board insurance policies in holding our college students secure and investigating any and all stories of regarding habits,” college district Superintendent Dan Snowberger stated within the information launch.
The trainer concerned within the suspected youngster abuse, who has not been publicly recognized or charged, remains to be on administrative go away, the district stated.
On Sept. 26, Snowberger obtained calls from each Elizabeth Police Chief Jeff Engel and the 18th Judicial District Legal professional’s Workplace a few criticism filed with legislation enforcement concerning a center college trainer stemming from considerations the earlier college 12 months, according to a Nov. 15 school district news release.
Snowberger positioned the trainer on go away the subsequent morning.
College district officers had not been made conscious of the considerations reported to highschool directors earlier than the legislation enforcement investigation, in keeping with the information launch.
As soon as legislation enforcement had completed its interviews, Snowberger started a district investigation and interviewed employees, college students and oldsters.
Based mostly on these interviews, the information launch states, Snowberger “discovered numerous considerations involving employees adherence to district insurance policies and legislation concerning the obligatory reporting requirement when receiving allegations that concerned a baby.”
Colorado is a mandatory reporting state, and the punishment for not reporting could possibly be a effective of $750 and/or imprisonment of as much as six months.
Michel, Sparrow and Paxton had been positioned on go away Nov. 8, and, following the announcement of the costs towards them, will not be employed by the college district pending college board approval, in keeping with the Thursday information launch.
The varsity district stated it’ll conduct its personal investigation into the trainer in query after the 18th Judicial District’s legal investigation is accomplished to find out if additional motion is required.