SD DOE revokes West River teachers' certificates for child porn, sex with student
Several former West River teachers had their teaching certificates revoked two months ago for various offenses, according to documents released by the South Dakota Department of Education within the last week.
Teachers from Newell, Todd County and Rapid City all lost out on the ability to teach after having an inappropriate sexual relationship with a student or possessing child pornography, the documents state.
Here’s what we know.
Newell teacher, coach had inappropriate sexual relationship with a student
A former fifth grade teacher and coach from the Newell School District, Paul McLaughlin, had his teaching certificate permanently revoked Oct. 18 for having an inappropriate sexual relationship with a student, according to a document released last week.
McLaughlin had also worked as the high school assistant volleyball coach and the high school head boys’ basketball coach. His revocation arose from a complaint from Newell Superintendent Andrew Fergen in May, according to the document revoking McLaughlin’s certificate.
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In January, a student showed the high school principal a Snapchat message from another student, which referred to a relationship between McLaughlin and another high school student, according to the revocation document.
After that, the district’s administration discovered a letter written from the student to McLaughlin, who was the student’s coach, in which the student referred to him as her husband and expressed their love for him, indicating they had a relationship, according to the document.
The district referred the issue to the Butte County Sheriff’s Office, which investigated the matter along with the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation. The agency then sent reports to the Butte County State’s Attorney for review, which informed Fergen a sexual relationship existed between McLaughlin and the student from late 2022 into 2023, according to the document.
There wasn’t sufficient evidence to establish the sexual relationship occurred before the student turned 18, the Butte County State’s Attorney determined, according to the document.
Todd County teacher possessed child pornography
A former Todd County School District teacher, Charles Reambonanza, had his teaching certificate permanently revoked Oct. 18 after being sentenced to more than two years in prison for possessing child pornography, according to a document released last week.
Reambonanza had a criminal complaint and affidavit filed against him April 13 in a South Dakota court and was indicted for possession of child pornography April 20. He was identified as sending money via PayPal to obtain child pornography as a result of an FBI investigation. A subpoena issued to PayPal identified him at an address in St. Francis.
After being interviewed by the FBI on April 12, Reambonanza detailed the means in which he was able to purchase child pornography, admitted he obtained it and admitted he’d watched child pornography two times a week since 2018, according to the document revoking Reambonanza’s teaching certificate.
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Rapid City Christian teacher had child pornography
A former Rapid City Christian School teacher, Nathan Frisch, had his teaching certificate permanently revoked Oct. 18 after being indicted for receiving and possessing child pornography, according to a document released last week.
Frisch was indicted by a South Dakota court March 23 for receipt of child pornography and possession of child pornography, according to the document revoking his teaching certificate.
Rapid City Christian School subsequently “released Frisch as an employee,” and the South Dakota Department of Education received a voicemail from Frisch in August indicating he wished to forfeit his teaching certificate, according to the document.
On or about between Sept. 4 and Dec. 30, 2022, Frisch knowingly received child pornography and it was present on his Google Drive account, and on or about Dec. 30, 2022, he knowingly possessed images of child pornography on his cell phone, according to the document.
This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: DOE revokes Newell, Todd County and Rapid City teachers' certificates
