Teacher Smackdown

Here at Teacher Smackdown, I like finding stories about teachers stealing. It certainly beats teachers having affairs with their teenage students, or feeling up kindergarteners…sigh.

In Cumberland, Maryland, Carmen Belen Harden, 35, was charged with embezzlement and theft. She was arrested at her home on a warrant and posted a $20,000 bond later that day.

The investigation began in June when the county board of education notified the Cumberland Police Department that a teacher was embezzling funds.

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In Edgewater, Maryland, Christopher Thomas Newman, 31, a South River High School teacher and assistant football coach was charged with two counts of sex abuse of a minor and two counts of fourth-degree sex offense. He had fondled a female student at school, put his hand down her pants, given her gifts, and sent her explicit emails.

Police learned of the relationship from school administrators, who learned of it from the girl’s friend. The victim denied the abuse at first, but later told her grandma about it.

Newman, who is married with two kids, used the name Tyler Durden (a character in the movie Fight Club) to share his sex fantasies with his 16-year-old victim via email. He told her, “I think I crossed the line, but I like it.” He also gave her gift cards to Starbucks and Blockbuster. Is this grooming behavior or what?

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The Ann Arundel County, Maryland school board has put the smackdown on the principal of Shipley’s Choice Elementary after she forced students to undergo a strip search for ticks. The school board is investigating allegations of child abuse, and has transferred the principal to their central office.

School leaders say the third grade class took an overnight trip to an outdoor learning center. During the trip students were forced to strip while they were searched for ticks that may carry lyme disease.

Weird thing was that that the principal wasn’t present during the strip searches and wasn’t even on the field trip. She just ordered the teachers to stip the kids to check for tick bites.

Duh.

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In Maryland, the Howard County Board of Education fired Joseph Samuel Ellis, 26, a Glenelg High School teacher accused of sexually abusing two female students. The board is also in the process of terminating two other teachers charged with sexual offenses - River Hill High School science teacher Alan Beier and Marriotts Ridge High School special education teacher Kirsten Kinley.

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In Pasadena, Marlyand, teacher Christian Marcel Liverman, 30, was charged with sexually abusing a 16-year-old student at Chesapeake High School. What started as a friendship between Liverman and the girl escalated. First there was email messages then after school meetings. Finally, it turned into a sexual relationship.

The relationship ended in January but rumors about the affair reached school officials who called police. Police say that the girl told them about the relationship. Liverman no longer teaches at the high school.

Hmmmm, first email messages, then secret meetings, and then sex? Sounds like this predator was grooming his victim.

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teacher, Christian Marcel Liverman, sexual abuse, internet predator, child abuse