Sex scandals and social media: Teachers need to learn boundaries

In a wireless world, teachers need to learn boundaries

Exterior of Triton Regional High School in Runnemede.

 

A high school principal told investigators she was “in denial” when she kept quiet about claims that three teachers were having sex with students, a court record shows.

 

The silence from Catherine DePaul — who, along with an aide, allegedly concealed multiple warnings of a scandal at Triton Regional High School — apparently allowed illicit relationships to continue for months at the Runnemede institution.


But education experts say a similar blindness to consequence can be exhibited by teachers who seek sex from students. In particular, some cite younger faculty members who risk hurting children and destroying careers through the misuse of social media.


“This generation of teachers entering the schools has grown up with social media from MySpace to Facebook,” said Mike Yaple, a spokesman for the New Jersey School Boards Association. “From that end of the spectrum, they may not know the boundaries.”


Social media played a role in alleged wrongdoing at Triton, where three teachers and two administrators now face criminal charges.


“School policy prohibits teachers from socializing with students outside of school and communicating by phone or by text message, yet these teachers openly did both,” the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office said in announcing the charges on Thursday.

That statement came shortly after the arrests of math teachers Jeff Logandro, 32, and Daniel Michielli, 27, both of Blackwood, and health instructor Nick Martinelli, 28, of Cherry Hill.

Authorities alleged they had improper relationships with three senior girls from November until June, when the students graduated.

All three teachers are accused of official misconduct. Logandro and Michielli also face sex charges because their alleged activities involved girls younger than 18 years old, the prosecutor’s office said.

All five have been suspended. Two of the teachers were suspended toward the end of last school year and the other in early September. Both administrators were suspended Wednesday.

Investigators said DePaul was told of the alleged wrongdoing in April, but that she and a vice principal, Jernee Kollock, acted instead to protect the teachers. The two women also face criminal charges of official misconduct.

Among other warnings, investigative records show, a substitute teacher told DePaul that the three men were engaging in sex acts with the girls and a student told the principal that classmates were “hooking up” with the teachers.

The school’s leader also heard of a teacher’s texts to a girl, including at least one “about how much he liked the (girl),” says a court record. Other texts were described as “graphic” by investigators.


All three men had signed a school policy that prohibits “inappropriate” comments, language and sexual conduct “toward or with pupils,” according to the prosecutor’s office, which had conducted a two-month investigation in the case.


While the rules may seem clear on paper, in a wireless world, things are tangled more than ever, said Jessica de Koninck, a school law attorney who has worked with the state Department of Education.


“We have all this electronic stuff that is wonderful and you want them to be able to communicate,” de Koninck said. “You just don’t want adults engaged in conduct they should not be engaging in.”


Borders can blur as teachers may contact students by email or cellphone “if it’s academically necessary,” added Steve Wollmer, a spokesman for the New Jersey Education Association.


NJEA advises teachers to “never get involved” with students on social media.


“It’s not appropriate,” said Wollmer, who noted the union has held conferences on the proper use of electronic communication and social media.


“I’m not saying it’s a clear line,” he said of online communications. “Teachers need to use common sense and prudent judgment when it comes to their students.”


“There’s always going to be a gray area,” says Koninck, an Essex County attorney who will be giving a presentation at a training conference for the school boards association later this month. The topic: “Lessons Learned from Penn State.”


Indeed, the school boards group recently released a model policy that sets guidelines for the use of social networking sites. It advises district officials to annually “remind staff members and orient new staff members concerning the importance of maintaining proper decorum in the on-line digital world, as well as in person.”

 

“We’ve been trying to get that out (to New Jersey districts),” said Yaple, who noted the state group had received an inquiry about the model policy from the National School Boards Association.

 

Among other rules, the model policy proposes:


• Teachers may not list current students as “friends” on networking sites.

• All electronic contacts with students should be made through the district’s communications systems.
• Teachers will not give out private phone numbers without the district’s approval.


The policy also says all contact by coaches with team members “shall be sent to all team members.” Two of the Triton teachers held coaching positions — Logandro with girls track and Martinelli with boys soccer.


The model policy also calls for “monitoring and penalties” for improper use of district technology, as well as “the possibility of penalties, including dismissal … for failure to exercise good judgment in online conduct.”
It also calls on district officials to conduct periodic Internet searches “to see if teachers have posted inappropriate materials online.” Those materials, if found, should be downloaded and brought before “the board’s personnel committee for review.”


Online policies shouldn’t be difficult to follow, said Gayle Porter, professor of management at Rutgers School of Business-Camden.


“It’s not possible to monitor every minute of a teacher’s life for enforcement of policies, and most of us would hope the teachers have reasonable privacy when there is no indication at all of a problem,” she said.
“However, the teachers know these policies are in place and should, therefore, expect to sometimes be asked about social activities.”


“There might be some concern about false accusations, which is why a thorough investigation is required for any charges of this seriousness,” said Porter.


At the same time, she noted, the risk of wrongly impugning a teacher’s reputation doesn’t outweigh “the possibility of letting inappropriate behavior continue.”


And while emotions are still running high over the allegations at Triton, Wollmer said the public should understand this isn’t an everyday occurrence.


“It’s important to maintain perspective,” he said. “It’s rare. It’s extremely rare. No one should assume it’s a widespread problem. It’s not.”