High School Principal Faces Disciplinary Charges Over Sexual Abuse Allegations
Aug 14, 2019
New York, NY(Law Firm Newswire) August 14, 2019 – The Riverhead Central School District in New York brought multiple disciplinary charges against a high school principal following sexual misconduct allegations from an 18-year-old student.
Riverhead High School Principal Charles Regan was suspended with pay and reassigned to his residence after the high school senior accused him of forcibly kissing her in his office. She also said Regan sent her sexually explicit text messages for around a month. The student sued the principal and the school district for $10 million.
Section 3020a of the state education law outlines the process and timeline for disciplinary hearings. The school district said the evidentiary part of the hearing process would occur within three months. All testimony and evidence must be presented no later than 120 days from the date charges are filed. If the proceedings occur in a timely manner, a resolution is likely to be delivered by the second week of October.
“Facing a disciplinary inquiry can be daunting as it can lead to a loss of your professional license and affect your future employment,” commented Peter Brill, a New York criminal defense attorney with Brill Legal Group, who is not involved with the case. “What many employees do not realize is that they are entitled to legal representation at their disciplinary hearings. A skilled attorney can help protect your career and advocate on your behalf.”
The Riverhead Board of Education president said in a statement that the exact nature of the charges would not be made public because of “confidentiality requirements.” The school district hired an outside law firm to investigate the circumstances surrounding the accusations. The firm will act independently and will not be connected to the disciplinary proceedings. It will also review the hiring process that was used when Regan was first employed by the district in 2006.
The Riverhead Police Department conducted a separate investigation into the allegations. No criminal charges were filed.
The school board was also asked to look into a separate claim that was filed against Eastport-South Manor Central School District. A 35-year-old woman is pursuing legal action against Regan for allegedly raping and sexually assaulting her from 1999 to 2002 at Eastport High School in Manorville, New York.
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