TA teacher charged with gun threat

I am a parent in the Tunkhannock district and I hope the school board does not allow this teacher back. How could you trust him with our children??? I have heard from  parents that have children in the high school that he isn't very nice to his students and uses foul language in class. Wake up school board and do the right thing!

Please do the right thing here TASD!!!  Don't put Wyoming County in the league with all the other school districts with major problems!  

Do the right thing school board!  Every parent and voter is watching!  Hopefully the new school board president will show other districts in the area that we have good ethics, morals and leaders and we follow them!!  We not only talk the talk but walk the walk!

He should be gone!!!!  I know there are board meetings over the summer.  This better be on the next agenda - I don't want him in school with my children!!!!

I hope someone e-mails this article to all of the school board members before their next meeting!!!  I looked at the meeting agenda from last month and this was not mentioned!!!!!

What in the world was this teacher thinking? He is suppose to be a role model for kids not a bully. How will you know he won't do this kind of thing to your students while teaching? I hope the school thinks hard and long about this situation before letting him return. I also hope this teacher gets some kind of anger managment and substance abuse help, especially if he has kids of his own.

This is totally unacceptable behavior for a high school teacher...if the school board does not dismiss him, I can guarantee the backlash will be immense. Please don't let TASD become the laughing stock of NEPA!

Why hasn't the school board had any comments about this situation yet?  He better get his walking papers!  I don't want him in the building with my children!!!!

Alot of parents will be outraged if the board does not act appropriately and swiftly on this one!!!

Get rid of this teacher! There are plenty of GOOD people out there looking for work. Give this job to someone who will not be a threat to our kids. This guy had his chance and blew it. Do the RIGHT thing TASD!!!!

What a loser! Not suprised though.

I saw that there was a board meeting last week and no mention of this incident!!!  This is an outrage.  He should at least be officially suspended - union or no union!  

They better not just let him go to rehab and sweep this under the carpet!  

Can someone send this and all the comments to the TASD?  Mr. Rudolf, have you received a comment from anyone at the district on this matter?  I expect this to be resolved in the best interest of our children before the new school year begins.  The message better be clear that this person is not welcome back in our school!  

Mr. Rudolph,

Have you gotten a follow-up for this story with a comment from the school board?

I know ALOT of people are talking about this and the silence from the board is deafening!!!  We make decisions and answers NOW!

Why is this one of the most commented on stories but no comment from anyone at the district?  We expect answers. . .we deserve them!  

Everyone knows it is not a good idea to have this individual in our schools - why the delay?  Get rid of him now so we can get someone good and qualified in there to replace him starting this school year!

I don't want any of my tax dollars going to pay this person's salary!!!   He shouldn't be around anyone's children!

I hope someone does a follow-up story after his hearing on the 30th so we can rest peacefully that he is out of our school and off the streets!

I am not surprised either.  

He not only should be out of our schools but he should be off the streets!!!!  It was a LOADED gun!!!

We can't say what they do in the court systems in another county - I just hope and pray they don't plead him out.  His attorney probably sent him to rehab already if he was worth any of the money he is paying them.

We can say something about what happens in our school district and I hope that is GOOD-BYE!!!!!

Everyone in this community is talking about this except for the district - why?  There is only one resolution to this and we want it NOW!  Good riddens!

I have been hearing about this all summer long.  So has it been resolved yet. . . and by that I mean that he is no longer our problem at TASD!

I would be curious to see a follow-up to see the consequences he receives from the courts.

Nah..nah.nah.nah.nah. . .hey. . .GOOD-BYE!!!!

This better get resolved soon and by that I mean we better find out that he was given his walking papers!  Hire someone that lives in Wyoming County!

Has anyone else tried to call the Superintendent's office regarding this incident?  Why don't you try and see what response you get.

Someone from the district/board better speak out soon!

I don't want him around any kids! - mine, yours, and I pray he doesn't have any!

Where is the follow up to this story?  It has been over a month and still nothing official is said about this incident or the consequences?  Someone better talk soon - the school year is fast approaching.

Not surprised when I heard about this one.  Sad, pathetic - no excuses for this behavior.  Make him take responsibility for his actions - time to pay the piper.

Amen Joe!

So is he gone or what?  I remember seeing this on the tv and then nothing.  Hope he doesn't get a slap on the wrist  - i.e. send him to rehab and let him act remorseful!  That shouldn't cut it here - especially the fact that the gun was loaded, he offered alcohol to minors - come on school board and take a stand!

Why does it seem like there is no follow up to this story?  This, at a minimum, better be on the next school board agenda.

Once again everything is hush-hush from the school board. Do they think people are just going to forget about this matter once school starts? That is OUR kids he is teaching. We pay good tax money for these teachers. I think the community should have some type of say as to whom you let around our children when problems like this arise. He had his chance and now it's someone elses turn who we can trust. This teacher gives TAHS a bad name!!!

When is someone going to address this officially.  I want it on the record what the board is doing or has done about this situation.  I have heard lots of things and I want the facts out in the open.  This better be addressed in the personnel time of the next board meeting.

Hire someone who resides in Wyoming Count this time to replace him!  And do a better check on people!

Sounds like this should have been a done deal from day one - hope he has packed his bags!  Stay in Luzerne County!

There is no way they can keep him around with charges like that.  I guess what they say is true. . .if you give someone enough rope. . .

Can someone send this article and all our comments to the school board members?  I am not that tech savvy.  I hope they are listening.

I don't want to send my children into the school with him - there is no excuse for behavior like this.  I agree with the person that said - they better not send him to rehab and say it is all better now.

I'd like to know what happened to his criminal charges.

I can't imagine that they can or will allow him back in our school.  Talk about liability - who would want to take that on?!

do we have a resolution to this yet?  this has been the story of the summer and i don't know how it ended.

I wouldn't be suprised he just slips right back in once school starts. That's the way Tunkhannock seems to handle things. It's all on who you know. That has been VERY obvious with other positions that were filled in this district. The ecuse will be," He went to rehab and is a changed person." Hello people a leopard does NOT change it's spots! This man has anger issues and it will happen again if he is allowed back in school.  

I said it once and I'll say it again...

What a loser....I'm not suprised.

I agree with Kelly, the grad.  This guy gives the high school and the district a bad name.  The board better do the right thing and restore our good name!

We thought there would be a follow-up story to this by now.  What happened at the hearing and what is going to happen at the HS?  We don't want to send our child to school if he is allowed in the building!!!

Someone forwarded this to me and I couldn't help but respond!  Not surprised by this AT ALL!!!!

So how did it end?

It was only a matter of time.  If they keep digging they would find lots of other things. . .

I found some past history on this teacher . Seems this isn't the first  time he has been arrested. There have been other complaints filed by other women that he is abusive. What will it take before he learns his lesson?  Don't teachers in the district need a backround check to be hired?  Why was this idiot even hired in the first place? Do your homework TASD!!!!

I am wondering why this guys hearing is now countined until September 9th? Will he be allowed back in the school before his hearing?  Why doesn't the school board let the residents of Tunkhannock know what's going on? We are the ones who pay his salary. Don't we have a right to know?

How did you find out about the continuance until 9/9?  Is that public information listed somewhere?  I called and just got a run around answer.  Hopefully, the board will act this week at their meeting!

I saw that this has been continued 4 or 5 times already. . .what is the point.  Take the consequences for your actions!  One of those better be losing your position as an educator!

There has to be code of conduct that the professionals have to adhere to - and this guy does not exhibit of any of the ideals of a good teacher!  

He has like 3 felony charges, not to mention the misdemeanors. . .this should be a no brainer!

I haven't been able to read the local paper for the past couple of months but I have been getting caught up and I must say that I am appalled at this one!  After I say this one I started to look in later editions and there was never a follow-up story.  I hope to God that he was given his walking papers.  

To answer your question Parent: Yes, it is public information what his charges are and when the hearings are. Also, his past problems are listed there too. Just do a little searching. You will find it!

I just did alittle searching myself and found the agenda posted for the school board meeting tomorrow night - and this matter is not listed yet again!!!  Maybe we all need to call or show up and demand answers!  I don't want him near my children!!!!

I just googled this teacher's name - this story went all around the world!!!  It is listed in other languages, Spanish, German and others I didn't know what they were.   What a mockery!  The board better make sure he is not there when my child goes to school this fall!

We better see that he was at least given administrative leave at the board meeting tonight!  I understand if they can't fire him until he pleads to something but none of us want him in the school!

We are appalled that it has been two months since this happened and the board and superintendent have remained quiet!  A statement better be issued to all parents via postal mail or posted on the website ensuring us that this person will not be permitted on school grounds!

What a disgrace!

Why has there been no follow-up with your publication in regard to this matter?

Saw this one coming - just a matter of time!

Let me clarify my last point - I think the voters will have alot to say if he is in school this week.  I meant to say he better not be in school this week if the board members want to keep their positions.  I think all taxpayers will have something to say about it.

Well, I heard he's not allowed back on school property. He is not teaching and I think the article in the paper this week about the special board meeting was refering to this teacher about being suspened without pay. Finally something is being done!

I had a great time reading around your post as I read it extensively. I am looking forward to hearing more from you.

not to make light of this situation, but this does not sound like the gerry i know and roomed with in college. i dont know what has happened to him, but for this to be true, something must have happened in his life for him to behave this way. please have some compassion for him.  im not excussing him for what he has done, but this so out of character for him thats its hard to believe.