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Superintendent out amid abuse allegations against Tri-West High School football coach


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https://www.indystar.com/story/news/education/2019/10/08/tri-west-high-school-tyler-bruce-allegations-michael-springer-out/3913961002/

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The superintendent of the North West Hendricks School Corporation has left the school district amid allegations that the Tri-West High School head football coach abused a female student

The school board approved Michael Springer's departure from the school district Tuesday, Springer confirmed to IndyStar. He declined to comment further. 

The separation comes amid allegations that Tri-West football coach Tyler Bruce molested and abused a female student and threatened to retaliate if she told anyone. Allegations against Bruce are detailed in a tort claim notice dated Aug. 6. 

Bruce has been under investigation by the Hendricks County Sheriff's Office and the Indiana Department of Child Services since a school resource officer submitted a tip to the sheriff's office in May. Bruce has denied the allegations, and he has not been charged with a crime. He is on paid administrative leave. 

In July, the school board unanimously denied a recommendation to fire Bruce. In an August statement, the board said it didn't fire him because of "the preponderance of evidence delivered at the employee's requested conference with the school board."

The statement did not elaborate on what evidence was presented at the conference. Jim Diagostino, president of the school board, did not elaborate on the evidence when IndyStar reached him by email in August.

The Indiana Department of Education also seeks to revoke Bruce's teaching licenses. The department stated in a complaint filed Sept. 6 that Bruce "committed acts that involve immorality, misconduct in office, incompetency, and/or willful neglect of duty."

...

Interesting.  Looks like the good 'ole boys network completely runs the North West Hendricks School Corporation.  How dare a superintendent try to fire a local legend..................

 

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This is a complete mess.  Hopefully, the school board knows something that no one else knows.  Otherwise its a bad look for them.  Plus, now the volleyball coach got fired over some BS snapchat to a player at another school.  Thru all of this, Interim coach Jason Ward has done a great job keeping the football program focused and excited every week. 

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  • 3 months later...

Former Tri-West football coach charged with child seduction, obstruction: https://www.indystar.com/story/news/crime/2020/01/29/former-tri-west-football-coach-charged-seduction-obstruction/4607128002/

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Police arrested former Tri-West High School football coach Tyler Bruce on allegations of an "inappropriate relationship" with a student.

Hendicks County Sheriff's deputies arrested Bruce, 31, at his Pittsboro home about 9 p.m. Tuesday on charges of child seduction and obstruction of justice, Capt. Amanda Goings said.

He was booked into the Hendricks County Jail and released on $500 bond, she said.

Bruce's arrest stemmed "from the 2019 investigation into allegations of an inappropriate relationship with a student," according to Goings.

She said the sheriff's office received an anonymous tip in May and has since been working with the Department of Child Services and the Northwest Hendricks School Corporation to investigate.

In August, the family of Bruce's alleged victim filed a tort claim notice against the school corporation claiming he coerced the teenage student into sending him photos and threatened the teenage student if she told anyone.

Bruce denied the allegations.

An official with the Northwest Hendricks School Corporation said they will be releasing a statement Wednesday.

 

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The more I read the more this makes me sick. I can not stress this enough school is suppose to be a safe place for students. Also I feel as if the accused was given the benefit of the doubt because he used to be their star quarterback. I hope they throw the book at him if these allegations are true. 

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Per the article regarding the firing of the Principal, Surveillance footage viewed in May shows Bruce and the female, alone, entering his darkened office on multiple occasions. And at that point he was just told to not be alone with the girl!! WTF. This reads as if the Principal and School Board hero worshiped Bruce as opposed to protect a 17 year old girl. Disgusting.

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5 hours ago, Boilernation said:

Per the article regarding the firing of the Principal, Surveillance footage viewed in May shows Bruce and the female, alone, entering his darkened office on multiple occasions. And at that point he was just told to not be alone with the girl!! WTF. This reads as if the Principal and School Board hero worshiped Bruce as opposed to protect a 17 year old girl. Disgusting.

Wish I could somehow disagree...

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39 minutes ago, 1st_and_10 said:

Words can not describe how angry this makes me as a teacher and a coach. I know that in our court system you are innocent until proven guilty, but man this looks really bad to try and wipe your phone completely. On top of that I can't believe the school board would still allow a relative of his to vote for his termination. Just reading all the stories about this makes me want to take a shower.

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On 1/30/2020 at 9:26 AM, 1st_and_10 said:

This entire situation has made education even harder for educators and coaches who are the opposite sex as their students.  I know many teachers feel as if they must always have a witness with them after school hours.  This isn't a sad situation.  It is a depressing one.

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45 minutes ago, Coach_K said:

This entire situation has made education even harder for educators and coaches who are the opposite sex as their students.  I know many teachers feel as if they must always have a witness with them after school hours.  This isn't a sad situation.  It is a depressing one.

It's been that way for a while now ... and not even only with the opposite sex.  I never fully close my door when I'm with a student in my office unless there are other members of the institution present and, even then, only if absolutely necessary to protect a student's confidentiality.

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‘Two-deep leadership’ and ‘no one-on-one contact’ are primary tenets of the Boys Scouts of America's Youth Protection training,  which every adult volunteer and paid professional has to take upon joining the organization, and renew about every two years: https://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2018/01/19/whats-the-difference-between-two-deep-leadership-and-no-one-on-one-contact/

 

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I feel the title of this thread sheds unwarranted guilt on the superintendent. He was doing the right thing, but the board overruled him.  Therefore he resigned.

From The ICON, Hendricks County weekly publication:

Superintendent Mike Springer resigned in October after the school board voted to go against his recommendation to fire the coach.

https://myhcicon.com/suspended-tri-west-football-coach-and-teacher-arrested-on-charges-of-child-seduction/

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On 1/30/2020 at 10:08 AM, Obi-Wan said:

Words can not describe how angry this makes me as a teacher and a coach. I know that in our court system you are innocent until proven guilty, but man this looks really bad to try and wipe your phone completely. On top of that I can't believe the school board would still allow a relative of his to vote for his termination. Just reading all the stories about this makes me want to take a shower.

The old Urban Meyer trick huh?

”Wait, there’s a way to delete text message that are over 30 days old?”

And it worked...

4 hours ago, Coach_K said:

This entire situation has made education even harder for educators and coaches who are the opposite sex as their students.  I know many teachers feel as if they must always have a witness with them after school hours.  This isn't a sad situation.  It is a depressing one.

Yep.

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6 hours ago, foxbat said:

It's been that way for a while now ... and not even only with the opposite sex.  I never fully close my door when I'm with a student in my office unless there are other members of the institution present and, even then, only if absolutely necessary to protect a student's confidentiality.

I’ve taught at schools that have cameras in every classroom. 

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  • 4 weeks later...

The fallout at Tri-West continues:  https://www.indystar.com/story/news/crime/2020/02/28/tri-west-high-school-officials-suspended-amid-sex-abuse-investigation/4904855002/

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The Indiana Department of Education has moved to suspend the teaching licenses of two officials at Tri-West High School as two other former district employees face criminal charges stemming from a sexual abuse investigation. 

Dean of Students Stacey Begle and Athletic Director Nathan Begle have been placed on paid administrative leave, according to a district spokeswoman. The district was made aware of the state's action on Thursday.

The move to suspend the Begles' licenses is related to the investigations, the district confirmed.

The notice comes just weeks after the school's former principal and football coach, Tyler Bruce, were charged in connection with allegations that Bruce acted inappropriately toward a girl who had been assigned as his aide. 

Last year, an attorney for the student filed a tort claim notice against the school district, claiming school officials failed to protect the girl from the abuse. Bruce, who faces charges of child seduction and obstruction of justice, has denied the allegations

According to court documents filed in Bruce's case, he talked to the 17-year-old girl via Snapchat and asked her to send him pictures of herself. He also allegedly touched her over her clothes several times at school and on one occasion, reached under her shirt and touched her stomach. 

Former principal Adam Benner was charged with a misdemeanor last month after police said he was aware of allegations of the abuse and did not report them to the proper authorities. 

Benner's case will be heard at a bench trial on March 23, according to online court records, and Bruce's jury trial is scheduled to begin April 22.

I assume Mr. And Ms. Begle are married?

 

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