CA: Special Education Teacher Arrested for Sexual Abuse of Student

MercuryNews.com is reporting on a story about how the Santa Clara school district is investigating whether a "high school teacher's arrest was the first sign of trouble."

Edward Slate, a 41 year old special education teacher at Wilcox High School in Santa Clara, CA, was arrested on allegations of a sexual relationship with a 17 year old female student. The girl's parents discovered over 9000 text messages between the teacher and their daughter. The relationship allegedly lasted 9 months.

Slate, who was arrested in August following a 5 month investigation, has been formally charged with seven felonies. MercuryNews.com reports that he is scheduled to enter a plea Oct. 22 on six felony charges, including oral copulation with a minor, sexual penetration and sodomy on a person younger than 18.

The article indicates that:

"At least two people have told police that they had warned staff members about special education teacher Edward Slate's conduct with a student, sources told the Mercury News. And Slate told Sunnyvale police that Wilcox principal Tab Taber approached him about "rumors that he was getting too close with (the girl) and that they should not be so open with it," according to a police report."

Principal Taber has denied that anything "sexually inappropriate" was reported to him.

For more information, see the full article: http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_13518036?source=most_emailed&nclick_check=1