Dec 1, 2006 11:41 pm US/Mountain
School Board President Quits Following Sex Scandal
by Karlyn Tilley
BRIGHTON, Colo. (CBS4) ―
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Carrie McCandless, 29, a teacher at Denver-area high school Brighton Charter High, turned herself in to authorities Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2006 on a charge of having a sexual encounter with a 17-year-old student.
CBS
A pair of school sex scandals resulted in an abrupt end to a school board president's career at a charter school in Brighton.
David Mundy Sr. resigned from
Brighton Charter High School's board of directors after being charged with failing to report child abuse in a case involving his son.
The case in question was against his son,
David Mundy Jr., a former substitute teacher at the charter school.
Mundy Jr. pleaded guilty to unlawful sexual contact with a teenage girl but Mundy Sr. didn't inform parents. Because of the charges and scandal, Mundy decided to resign.
"He did that of his own accord; we didn't beat him up or force him to resign," said Ken Mitchell, the new school board president.
Mundy Sr.'s resignation letter only focused on his accomplishments and didn't address the charges.
"I did all of the above, and more through volunteer work, never expecting or accepting compensation," Mundy Sr. wrote.
"And he has done a lot of good," said Michele Lussier, a parent at the school. "I will certainly give him that but one bad thing when it comes to our kids being protected and things like that kind of blows it all out of the water."
The board presented Mundy's wife with a plaque of appreciation and flowers for her, along with a sincere goodbye.
Board members believe Mundy Sr.'s resignation was best for publicity purposes but wouldn't talk about the charges against him.
"We're going to start forgetting about the past and stop beating these dead horses and start concentrating on the future of this school," Mitchell said.
However, past mistakes are still very much a part of the school's future.
Another teacher,
Carrie McCandless, is charged with sexual assault on a child by a person in a position of trust and she's the principal's wife.
"It's difficult to be a husband in this situation and it's difficult to be a principal and he's got to be both," Mitchell said.
Principal Chris McCandless referred to his school as a family and is counting on its strength to get them through.
"They're all very close, very close but I think that's where our problems started," Lussier said. "Was the line of friendship crossed between adult and student?"
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