A state board has taken action against the licenses of two teachers and a coach. The Board of Educational Examiners suspended the license of former Cedar Rapids Washington High School social studies teacher Eric Thompson for an alleged inappropriate relationship with a student.
Board documents say Thompson hugged and kissed the student and allowed the student to visit him at his home three times. They also allegedly exchanged e-mails that were inappropriate for a teacher and student. Thompson agreed to a five-year license suspension in exchange for no public hearing. Thompson must agree to a mental health exam before his license can be reinstated. See more on the board action here: Thompson ruling PDF
Former Moulton-Udell high school basketball coach Klint Sinclair agreed to give up his coaching license with no chance to have it reinstated in exchange for the board dropping procedures against him for breaking the board rules. Sinclair’s voluntary revocation of his license means the details of the complaint against him will not be heard.
See the board ruling here: Sinclair ruling PDF
The third case involved Richard Bell, a former second-grade teacher at Prince of Peace Academy in Clinton. Bell received a letter of reprimand and a deferred license suspension for an incident in 2010 in which Bell allegedly grabbed a book from a student, threw it across the room and told the student he would never read. The board information says Bell got in the student’s face “in an intimidating manner” on several occassions.
Bell, who resigned in March 2010, has two years to finish an anger-management program and a college-level class on teaching methods for elementary-age students before his license can be reinstated. If he doesn’t complete the work he faces a two-year suspension of his teaching license.
Read more here: Bell ruling PDF