It took high school students and a former student's TikTok video to get the attention of the cops and the brass at a small Oregon school district. The message was pretty simple: They're sick of the predateachers at their school—teachers that students have been complaining about since at least 2019. When the dust settled, school had been canceled due to a protest by parents and teachers, two teachers had been arrested and charged with sexually abusing students, the superintendent and principal were put on leave, and the school board chair resigned.
Between the choir teacher who still taught at St. Helens High School, and a teacher who retired last year, students allegedly had been in danger for nearly a decade.
On Friday, students and parents protested outside the school the school to demand that the adults in charge be fired. Their complaint was that the St. Helens School District did nothing to protect students for all these years and, worse, that the school brass allowed a music teacher to remain in his job while being investigated by local police.
That's how bad this was. pic.twitter.com/I4JQKsHlEP
— Victoria Taft, The Adult in the Room, FITF Squad (@VictoriaTaft) November 18, 2024
A former St. Helens High student, Doug Weaver, who's now a St. Louis teacher, posted a TikTok video in September in which he related the troubles he'd had as a student with creepy teachers. That brought out multiple students who told of their current experiences with at least one teacher. Weaver, a mandatory reporter, called the St. Helen's police and the investigation began.
@dougweaverart This has been going on for far too long. Its about time we saw some consequences. Now it is time to look at the district’s leadership. #accountability #investigativereporting #sthelens #shhs #greenscreen ♬ original sound - dougweaverart
Choir teacher Eric Stearns, who's 46, and retired teacher Mark Collins, who's 64, were arrested Tuesday. St. Helens police reported that, "Stearns was subsequently indicted for seven counts of Sexual Abuse in the Second Degree and one count of Sexual Abuse in the Third Degree. Mark Collins was indicted on two counts of Sexual Abuse in the Second Degree and one count of Attempted Sexual Abuse in the Second Degree. Both Stearns and Collins were lodged at the Columbia County Jail."
Corey A. DeAngelis, a school choice activist, amplified the videos of student after student, and parent after parent, who came to the school board podium to pour on the vitriol against those who knew of the alleged predator in their midst and remained silent.
One student angrily told the school board at a meeting last week that she was disgusted her fellow students were the prey.
Student: "I am just disgusted with you guys for letting him near me and my friends.. they were let around a p*dophil*." pic.twitter.com/dx3bo4ujGx
— Corey A. DeAngelis, school choice evangelist (@DeAngelisCorey) November 18, 2024
An angry parent fumed, "Two months this teacher was at the school in contact with minors and children. If you were aware of this situation, notified through police and investigators, why was he still allowed on school grounds?"
Great question.
"Two months this teacher was at the school in contact with minors and children.. if you were aware of this situation, notified through police and investigators, why was he still allowed on school grounds?" pic.twitter.com/e76ruUA7HL
— Corey A. DeAngelis, school choice evangelist (@DeAngelisCorey) November 18, 2024
Another student brought up yet another teacher who was still on staff and a coach dating 17-year-old girls. Oof.
The New York Times reported that Stearns's attorney was outraged by the charges, saying the police had done a sloppy job and that grand jurors, who handed up the indictments, had conflated the cases.
“This is not only prejudicial, but unconstitutional,” she said. “As a result, Mr. Stearns will not only be litigating his criminal matter, but intends to file a civil case.” She also said “haphazard law enforcement work has been done” that has caused “immense trauma within the community unlikely to be undone.”
St. Helens is an old logging town northwest of Portland. It's now turning into a more affordable, booming suburb of Portland.
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