Police: Stamford HS Principal, Assistant Principal Failed To Report Teacher-Student Sexual Relationship
STAMFORD, Conn. (CBSNewYork/AP) - A Connecticut high school principal and assistant principal have been charged with failing to report a sexual relationship between a teacher and a student.
Stamford police Thursday arrested Stamford High School principal Donna Valentine and assistant principal Roth Nordin.
State law requires school officials to report any suspected relationship between and adult and a student.
Police Chief Jon Fontneau told WCBS 880's Connecticut Bureau Chief Fran Schneidau that by law, both were obligated to report it immediately.
Police: Stamford HS Principal, Assistant Principal Failed To Report Teacher-Student Sexual Relationship
"Teachers and police officers are mandatory reporters to DCF and in a very timely manner within several hours," Fontneau said.
Valentine's attorney, Mark Sherman, says the charges are only accusations and don't reflect the principal's long commitment to the safety of her students.
The teacher, Danielle Watkins of Norwalk, turned herself in to police in July to face sexual assault and other charges.
Police say Watkins not only had a sexual relationship with an 18-year-old student, but supplied him and a friend with marijuana. The second victim, 15 and another one of Watkins' students, admitted to police that he had also smoked marijuana with Watkins.
Stamford Police Captain Richard Conklin told Schneidau that when police arrested Watkins at her home in Norwalk in July, they discovered evidence of the sexual relationship on her cell phone.
"On her phone and on the victim's phone, we found text messages and photos that were sent of her naked, that she sent to the victim," Conklin told Schneidau.
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