OLD TOWN, Maine — A middle school student told police he felt uncomfortable when a substitute teacher touched him, but he didn’t take action until earlier this month when he saw the same teacher touching a fellow student, Old Town police Officer Debbie Holmes said Friday.
“They weren’t sexual in nature, but they were inappropriate touching and they made the students uncomfortable,” Holmes said.
Police started an investigation Dec. 7 into the actions of substitute teacher Gene Staffiere, 68, of Veazie, who had been working at Leonard Middle School. He was issued summonses Friday charging him with three counts of misdemeanor assault against the students, Holmes said.
“It was inappropriate for a teacher to be touching a student that way,” she said of the nonsexual touching, which included back rubs.
Two 12-year-old boys, an 11-year-old boy and a fourth boy went to the school’s principal earlier this month after one of the victims “saw it happen to another kid,” the officer said.
After going to the principal, the fourth boy declined to speak with police, she said.
“I told them, ‘You did the right thing,’” Holmes said. “They were all made to feel uncomfortable and teachers don’t do that.”
Staffiere has a Jan. 24 court date at the Penobscot Judicial Center to face the charges against him.
“The [school’s] staff really were upset about it,” Holmes said of the investigation. “He’s not going to be subbing there anymore.”
Messages left for Superintendent David Walker at the school and his home for comment were not immediately returned.
Those with information about the case may call Officer Debbie Holmes at the Old Town Police Department, 827-3984.
I hope he won’t be teaching anywhere any longer if he is found guilty.
given a bad grade brings out the best, doesn’t it kevin? Your issues doesn’t justify changing the world.
I hope you won’t be commenting anywhere any longer….Seems to me you are convicting this man without one shred of evidence…..From what I can make of this the only thing he is guilty of is bad judgement….
I did edit my post as I thought it read different. My mistake and I’ll admit that. I do not condone convicting anyone without allowing them their day in court first.
As for him using bad judgement I will disagree with you. It was downright horrible judgement if what the boys stated are true.
Honestly Kevin, i would say there is a big “If” there.
The BDN removed my reply. Seems they now do this without even leaving the bookmark “This post has been removed.” Reprehensible since the post followed their “guidelines” perfectly.
I don’t often agree with your posts…., but this time, I think you are absolutely right. These comments are why little kids never want to say a word about anything like this. It is pretty sad. If in fact this guy is just one from “the older generation” that is one thing, but these people really need to check out the sex offenders registry to see how many sick people we have in the community. It is scary.
It is hard Kevin to make commets when it’s personal, hate and anger distorts reality, doesn’t it
Looks like the guy use to teach at Husson. Isn’t that the same school that Mr. Carlton was a fake chaplain at?
Husson must make it a habit to hire people like that. There is a guy that used to work at a high school that ‘resigned’ mid way through the school year. He was very inappropriate with the high school kids and one of them spoke up. Husson hired him to teach though right after he got done. He’s still there. Go figure.
Inappropriate nonsexual touching? Have we turned our kids paranoid to human contact? My tiny school had a long time teacher who would put a hand on our shoulder or rub across our shoulders on occasion. No big deal and it certainly didn’t constitute a ‘back rub’. Doesn’t sound like the panic button is warranted – from what this story has told us yet……
I’d like to know what inappropriate nonsexual touching is. I am around lots of children on a regular basis. Sometimes I have touched a shoulder as I move past them to let them know I’m squeezing by them or I might even pat them on the back for a job well done. heck some kids even hug me at times. What is this world coming to? Guess I’ll be looking it up and be more aware that is just what any of us need!
Inappropriate, non-sexual touching is anything that makes 4 kids decide they need to talk to the Principal because they’re creeped-out. At best, this guy should have used better judgement.
I often agree with many of your comments. However, this is one time, that i am going to have to steadfastly disagree with you. Today these kids are learning to ruin people they dont like by reporting just this type of stuff that is completely wrong. This old fella is from the generation where you call someone hun, sweetie, and they were allowed to give a hug when they felt one was needed. Ah, the old days when human touch didnt mean a lawsuit. Unfortunately we live in a society now where people such as yourself figure its ok to destroy a person for showing affection. We are bombarded daily by papers such as this and news on television that breeds fear of human touch as to believe that it is all somehow evil in nature, when in reality, those situations are actually few and very far between. I am sad for you that you feel this way, sad for children that will not feel the sense of love that i recieved from my elders and teachers that showed they cared with a hug or a pat on the back, and sad for society in general that we have turned into a robotic nation with no HEART.
So you’re theory is that there are four 11 & 12 year old kids who are trying to ‘destroy’ this guy? And their motivation is what?
Parents (who were not there) can, and sometimes do,imagine actions which did not occur. I agree that no one should be touching children in a way that makes them uncomfortable, BUT how is one to know?
I worked in a school, happened to be in Old Town, where a child in about the third grade came to school in rags everyday. This dirty little girl’s first action upon getting to school was to run to and hug the crossing guard (who was a man.)
From a distance, this action could have been easily misinterpreted..
Sad thing is Bangorian, is that at age 11 and 12, they dont really need any motivation. Being mean and cruel is motivation enough, which also exemplifies all of the bullying that continues to go on daily.
Jeff seems to defend those who have been put in positions to teach our children who make really bad judgments. I will say this however if what the article reads is true then I think this teacher may have been wronged. Heck we had a high school teacher that would give good game smacks on our asses
Obviously it’s been a long time since you’ve been in a school setting with a bunch of 10 year olds.
Nice headline. This is ridiculous. It already labels him as a sex offender by using the phrase “inappropriate touching” when deeper in the story it mentions “they weren’t sexual in nature”. Nice character assassination and way to ruin someone’s life. Personally, I’d sue for slander.
So true… What about telling him… “dude your creeping out the kids. Stop” or is that to much to ask? Just write a summons for everything is the cowards, or lazy way out. Nothing gets done and a fine outstanding individual gets marked. (Yes He is a fine outstanding individual)
For real, he’s just and old duff from an entirely different generation. Believe it or not, there once was a time when it was okay for people to literally touch each other and meant nothing besides being chummy or maybe put the other person at ease.
Regardless what happens now, his rep is cooked and he’ll never be looked at the same. Hope this is all there is to it and he takes somebody’s head off in court.
He’s old enough to know better than to make any type of physical contact with a student in this day and age….The times have changed and not necessarily for the better….I was shopping one day and saw a little girl about my granddaughters age…I smiled at her and and told her she was awfully cute…I’m glad her mom didnt have a concealed weapons permit and that there are no stand your ground laws here or I might not be making this comment….the few bad apples have spoiled the whole bunch….
this day and age you shouldn’t have told her anything.
“He’s old enough to know better than to make any type of physical contact with a student in this day and age….”
… because the NRA armed shool guard might shoot him.
the nra has nothing to do with this issue.
you need help – He is a 68 year old teacher – come on!
You are very correct.
I thought that sort of thing had to be said first, after that it’s a problem.
I think we need to realize who is writing this article. I can’t imagine them being able to charge this guy without something more than what they wrote.
It is dangerous to be a teacher today. ANY kind of “unwanted touch” could be considered “assault” even a teacher pulling one child away from another during a fight.
you are so right – its a true shame when a caring teacher is charge with soething like this in Maine!
Fail to see where there was bias-ism on the part of the writer. She appears to be reporting the facts and just the facts. Am I sensing bias towards the writer or maybe racism?
Wow, working in conditions where this can happen to you for what appears to be nothing is quite frankly horrifying (did he pat a head and touch a shoulder as well, oh my!). My guess is this has more to do with age discrimination by creepy students than inappropriate touching by a creepy old man. Time and “real” investigation and reporting will tell. In the meantime there’s an open substitute position in that school, any takers?
That’s what the BDN is all about, throwing in that exaggeration and any drama to the story to make us all click, to find out it is really not what it is made out to be.
The whole back rub thing is a bit creepy though
my autistic grandson was a very sensitive child when he was 3-4 yrs old, and would easily get upset, especially on the bus..they had a moniter on that bus that would sit and talk and rub his shoulders, to calm him down and it worked..They (school & bus co) decided it was inappropriate and removed her without even speaking with me..i do not believe she was inappropriate with him..she just cared…go figure..
I see all kinds of inappropriate touching on football and basketball games; nobody seems to mind it. Somebody would be laid out cold if they tried touching me like that. I guess there is a time and place for everything.
Wow, what big Internet muscles you have. Pfft.
What’s wrong with people today. No wonder society is so screwed up. A little discipline will go along ways in schools. I know this person and he a good person who has done nothing wrong. Some states want to arm teachers with guns, but fire them if they TOUCH a child. Again the progressives have screwed up society.
I agree with you, except it has nothing to do with progressives. I can only describe it as a case of mass social paranoia.
The progressives? Lol! What nonsense.
Since it was “non sexual”, why is it not reported? I wonder if he jostled the boy’s hair, in a friendly manner. This is just so twisted.
No that’s bot what he did he went down thekindds shirts none of u know the whole story so mind Ur own business
First things first people i want to just ask u is a teacher allowed to put hiss hands down a shirt???? before sitting here saying that these kids are lying know the story… u all have no clue what’s going on… what this story doesn’t is he did it ibm bangor as well so u might want to get the facts before saying this is a falassumption because its a true story and sad that this nasty guy goes for young children. pathetic if u ask me
Did you even bother to read what you wrote before submitting that abomination of a post? Methinks you should spend more time learning from your teachers rather than bashing them.
One Child who was getting attention from the teacher see’s the teacher giving attention to other students then files a complaint.
Seems that there were four,well more than that just in old town, i know for a fact this isn’t a jealousy thing. this so called teacher is a pervert. but let me guess Ur all for old men touching young boys maybe if the principle didn’t walk in then it would have led to something else u people amaze me your a waste of my breath and time just like that teacher
Should of saved your breath. Don’t make it personal, or if it is already then your view is too slanted to form an honest opinion.
At the early grade levels, my son, who had speech and communication delays, which he had largely overcome, still had ADHD issues. His IEP called for gentle “non-verbal” cues to bring back to his classwork. This involved a pat on the head or back or shoulders. His teacher was a young, attractive female which maybe why no one made any objection to this plan. He had a fourth grade teacher who was an older man. This man epitomized the “art” of teaching as well as the science it seems to have become. He frequently used non verbal cues to keep his kids on track and no one ever complained because all of his kids loved him. Most still do and many returned to visit from middle and high school until the man retired.
I do not know the teacher involved in this story but I can imagine a group of young kids talking among themselves and deciding to go after him. I don’t want to judge these kids either. Maybe one of them does have an issue with being touched by a virtual stranger and maybe he incited the other kids, even unknowingly.
I guess the days of nuns whacking boys on the hands with a ruler are long gone.
Hands? At my school they got whacked in the head with yardsticks and slapped repeatedly around the head and face. God forbid any of us complain or report it to our parents. I was told if a nun did it, they must have deserved it. this was the 1970’s even.
Gosh, where was that? I endured a couple of years of parochial school in Washington Heights (New York) in the early 50’s.
We had teachers slam kids up against walls or taken by the scruff of the neck to the principles office, even the principle ‘manhandled’ kids. Can’t count the amount of chalkboard erasers that collided with heads. We had one teacher who sunk her finger nails into you, but she was the most beloved teacher in school. You knew if you got the claws you deserved it and that was in the 70s too. We didn’t call the cops, most didn’t tell their parents, we carved into trees on school grounds and in the attic of the school (when you had to help take stuff down or put stuff away) what buttholes they were.
well yes, but back then if we screwed up we would admit it eventually. personal responsibility for our own actions.
I would have rather been tossed into jail than have my parents called or a letter sent home. Not now though. it’s never the students fault, never.
we don’t live in the dinosaur ages anymore !
Humans never lived in the dinosaur age.
Sounds like Mrs Twitchell might know something we don’t….if so, Im sorry people are being so inconsiderate..
Thank u. people are so inconsiderate now a days
Pure sensationalism. “Inappropriate non-sexual touching”. What the fuff is that? I’m trying very hard to imagine inappropriate non-sexual touching and it’s not taking form. If it was inappropriate but non-sexual, why does this article not explain what it was? At least that way the rest of us would know what not to do. The lunatics have taken over the asylum.
if you only knew !
WOW – Four students who need to GET A LIFE and leave a 68 year old teacher alone! SHAME on the school board and police for WASTING tax payers money!
these are kids ! why would they want to make something up like this? It’s not like they were trying to get this guy fired. If they felt uncomfortable with something that has happened speak up, and so they did.
yeah let the touchy feely guy keep creeping on the kids. that’s just wrong, glad the kids had the courage to speak out.
Least they were brave enough to speak up hat would have happened if they didn’t how far would this pervert go 68 ornot he has no reason to do what he did that’s for sure
i agree.
This is completely ridiculous! You know what? When I was in school…I had a few good teachers who used touch as a way to ease student frustration or a pat to show you’ve done well. As a CNA, we are also taught the benefits of touch…
There is a HUGE difference between that sort of touch vs. Inappropriate touch. Has society done gone 100% stupid??!! If he rubbed their backsides or near any private areas? THEN they would have grounds for ruining this mans name.
I hope all good people will get together in defense of this mans reputation. For a generation who are being brought up to be diverse and fair…they sure are overly ready to cry over everything…which is partly to blame on how they are taught.This story holds NO factual findings to slander this teachers name. I hope when he is cleared ofthis ridiculous accusation.. he sues the hell out of BDN for this story!!
sure as hell wouldn’t want a teacher giving my kid a back rub… pretty sure it’s not is the job criteria.
They waythese kids were touched was not part of his job no way shape or form…..
Probably a witch hunt on this poor guy by a few c o c k smoking students. After he’s found innocent these little pieces of s h i t need to be held accountable for their lies.
You wouldn’t believe what kids will do to get “revenge” on substitute teachers who try to implement some sort of discipline on them. I once knew of a 6th grade class that tried to accuse the substitute, a 70-year-old preacher’s wife, of dropping the “F” bomb. The kids today are smarter than we give them credit for. If only they could use it for good and not evil.
I really hope the BDN is going to do a follow up on this story when the truth comes out. If he is a perv then report it. If not, then a public apology for Nok-Noi portraying someone as a pedophile who is not. Yes, that is exactly what this headline did and that was the intention.