By New York Post (U.S.) | Created at 2024-11-18 18:11:27 | Updated at 2024-11-18 20:40:20
2 hours ago
Parents and students at an Oregon high school are in a furious uproar after two alleged pedophile teachers were arrested last week on charges they sexually abused on at least nine underage girls — and administrators reportedly knew about the sick allegations for years and did nothing.
St. Helens High School choir teacher Eric Stearns, 46, and recently retired teacher Mark Collins, 64, were arrested Tuesday and accused of a nearly ten-year sex crime spree against teen students, according to authorities.
School officials had received complaints of possible abuse as early as 2019, but they allegedly ignored the red flags and failed to contact law enforcement — and then allowed Stearns to stay in the classroom even when police launched their recent investigation against him, KGW 8 reported.
It took a viral TikTok to bring the sickening allegations to light — and get authorities to finally act. The probe began after a former student – 36-year-old Doug Weaver – posted a video in early September accusing the school of hosting predatory teachers when he attended, according to KGW 8.
Weaver received messages from current students claiming that teachers were still assaulting kids, prompting him to tip off St. Helens police, he told the New York Times.
“[The tip] alluded to a teacher at a high school, last name of Stearns, who was involved in some inappropriate behavior,” St. Helens Acting Police Chief Joseph Hogue told KGW 8.
“That initial post led to a bunch more interviews with people who were involved with the TikTok video or commenting on the TikTok video,” Hogue added.
Stearns faces charges of sexual abuse against six underage girls between 2015 and 2024, and Collins has been accused of abusing three students between 2017 and 2023.
If convicted, Stearns and Collins wouldn’t be the school’s first pedagogic pedophiles.
Another teacher, Kyle Wroblewski, pleaded guilty to five counts of sexual abuse in 2019, and the school district settled a lawsuit with the victim for $3.5 million, according to Oregon Public Broadcasting.
Since Tuesday’s arrests, the school has been in chaos.
Student protestors walked out of class and demanded the resignations of school officials whom they say were complicit in the years of unchecked assault, allowing Stearns to stay near potential victims even as cops closed the net around him.
As parents and concerned community members joined them on the picket lines, the school placed principal Katy Wagner on administrative leave. School board chairman Ryan Scholl is set to resign, the district said in a Facebook post.
