Principal Charged For Having Long-Term Relationship With Student
A Pennsylvania principal is charged for allegedly having a long term relationship with a student who looked up to him like a brother.
With the alarming rate at which stories of school educators and leaders are discovered to be having sexual relationships – often lasting years – with students, it is no wonder more families are losing trust in education in America and turning to homeschool. Over a month ago, it was reported that at least 135 teachers across the US had been charged for sex crimes in 2022 alone. With that number likely being much higher today, another one to be added to the list is a Pennsylvania principal, who was just charged for allegedly having a several-year secret relationship with a student.
34-year-old Roger Freed was the head of Williamsport High School. Last week, the Pennsylvania principal was arrested and accused of having a long-lasting sexual relationship with a male student. The student, who says the relationship began in middle school, is now in college. He says he ended the relationship this past April and claims he finally came forward with the truth because of “overwhelming guilt.”
What’s more disturbing about these allegations is it seems to be another instance of an educator grooming a young student. Police reports attained by The New York Post show that the victim looked up to the Pennsylvania principal like a brother. When the two first formed a bond, it was because of the middle schooler’s tragic death of his real brother who passed from brain cancer.
Within the allegations, the reports show that the pair engaged in a sexual relationship between late 2015 and April 2022. At the start, the Pennsylvania principal spent plenty of one on one time with the victim, growing close to him. Oftentimes, this was spent outside of school. Once the relationship turned sexual, Freed allegedly made the student promise not to tell anybody.
School administrators finally acknowledged the allegations earlier this week, according to reports from North Central PA. As per the norm with these types of cases, the school announced that they have placed the Pennsylvania principal on leave, with him continuing to collect a paycheck from the district. Additionally, they stated that they will cooperate with authorities in their investigation.
Freed is being charged with 30 felony sex charges, including sexual contact with a student, corruption of a minor, furnishing liquor to a minor, sexual assault and aggravated indecent assault without consent. His bail was set at $175,000, and the Pennsylvania principal is now out of jail after posting bond. He is ordered to have no contact with any minors and must wear an electric monitor. Local police let out a powerful statement, reminding the public that adults who abuse children end up eventually being caught, saying victims’ voices don’t “fall on deaf ears” but unfortunately, this is just one case of possibly thousands, that may never be heard.
There is no denying that children are being abused at a disturbing rate, and many of these cases are being perpetuated by authoritative figures in education. Today, 1 in 10 students report being assaulted by teachers or other school staff. Politicians and education experts are working to fix the problems in public education that are said to protect these types of abusers, but will it be enough to stop people like this Pennsylvania principal from forming these abusive, secretive relationships?
