(04/21/08 – Initial BBT Report)
John A. Bender, 61, a computer teacher at Gateway Elementary School in St. Louis, Missouri has been charged with first degree statutory sodomy and first degree child molestation.
It is alleged that Bender improperly touched a 12-year-old female student in a closet next to his classroom during the month of September of last year.
Bender, who is in his 37th year of teaching, has been suspended, reportedly with pay, since November when the allegations surfaced.
When arrested Bender will reportedly have to post a $100,000 cash-only bond to secure his release.
Gateway Elementary School Principal Richard Sirna has been charged with failing to report the incident to the Children’s Division of the Missouri Department of Social services. It is alleged that Sirna had “reasonable cause to suspect” that the student “had been or may have been subject to abuse or neglect.” Sirna has a May 15 court date on the misdemeanor charge.
04/22/08 – Additional Information
KSDK television is reporting that the alleged victim rather than being a 12-year-old female is instead a 10-year-old female.
References:
Gateway School Teacher Charged with Sex Crime (04/22/08)
Elementary School Teacher Faces Molestation Charge (04/21/08)
Teacher, bus driver face sex charges (04/21/08)
Entries (RSS)
forgot to add this- ASK ANY ONE OF HIS STUDENTS………. they will ALL tell you John would never do this- just read the post. This child is a LIAR- I dont care HOW old the child is….. this is never right.
I pray every night for you John. I know god is on your side. Hang in there!
I have know John ever since I was a little child and have NEVER ONCE, EVER felt threatened, or scared, or anything by him. He is a WONDERFUL teacher, who would never do anything bad- I dont even think he has a bad bone in his body.
For someone to accuse someone of this is utterly sick and distributing. I think we need to focus on this sick individual and point the finger at them and not some poor innocent soul. I hope the mother f***** who told the child to lie and the child as well.. get what they deserve.
This poor man’s life is ruined because of this child and it makes me sick.
Hang in there John. We are all behind you 500% and know you are not they person you are being made out to be. Wish you the best of luck.
You are in my thoughts and prayers. Wish I was on the stand for your sake.
WOW I USE TO GO TO ATEWAY BACK IN THE 90′S HE DIDN’T SEEM LIKE HE WAS INTO LITTLE KIDS LIKE THAT
In keeping with site policies as outlined in the “Comments” page the last name of the person purported to have left this comment has been altered to an initial only by the site moderator.
The John A. Bender that I know is a very kind and giving man. I was in his first classroom when he was assigned to Gundlach Elementary in the 70’s. He has been a mentor and friend for almost 40 years. This is a teacher who gave a major part of his spare time on the weekends to take students on field trips that they otherwise would have never gone on. He made me part of his family. This is a man that I admire for his dedication as a teacher. I have visited him at the schools that he has taught at on many occasions to see him work his magic as a teacher. He a person that has had a major part in molding my life as a human being. I will be in John’s corner as he goes through this difficult time in his life. He will be my friend and mentor as long as I have life on this planet. Shame on those who have prejudged him.
He actually was my computer teacher when I went to Gateway Elementary.
The superintendent of the school in Annawan, IL was told of an incident that happened at their school. He not only did nothing about it, he gave a letter of recommendation to the teacher that did it. That teacher moved on to another school and did worse there. Only he got caught there. Now he’s facing charges in both cases because the parents pursued it. It happens. Administration doesn’t want to deal with it so they pass the buck. It’s a sad, sad world we live in. If you want to read more about the case, do a search for “Mike Wetzell”. There are plenty of comments there to read.
WE HAVE KNOWN jOHN SINCE ABOUT 1970 AND MY SONS AND HIS PLAYED TOGETHER. WE HAVE BEEN TO THEIR HOME AND HE TO OURS. BOB TAUGHT FOR MANY YEARS AND ONE OF THE SCHOOLS jOHN TAUGHT AT. WE HAVE NOT SEEN HIM FOR A WHILE BUT KNOW IN OUR HEARTS AND SOUL THAT HE IS NOT CAPABLE OF WHAT HE IS ACCUSED OF. HE IS A COMMITTED AND BRILLIANT TEACHER. GE GAS GIVIN SO MUCH TO THE STUDENTS OF THE CITY. I DO NOT KNOW HOW (WITHOUT A REASONABLLE DOUBT) HE CAN BE ACCUSED OF SUCH BEHAVIOR. hIS CAREER IS DISTROYED AND HE WILL ALWAYS BE LOOKED AT BY THOSE WHO DON’T KNOW THE REAL JOHN AS A SEXUAL PREDITOR.hE IS NOT!!!!! JOHN, OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS GO WITH YOU AS YOU GO THROUGH THIS TERRIBLE SITUATION. WE WILL ALWAYS BE AVAILABLE FOR YOU.
JUDY & BOB
It makes you wonder why a principal would risk his job by not reporting the incident. Perhaps, as a daily observer of both individuals, he felt there was no credence to the allegation. What if this wasn’t the first occasion in which the student had accused a teacher of inappropriate behavior? Would that make her story less believable? What if the student has a mental illness? I don’t think ‘we’ as a society should jump to conclusions upon seeing a miserable old man’s face in a mug shot. We’d all look guilty in such a situation. It would horrible to show any doubt to someone who’d been abused, but it is also a horrible act to condemn without ‘beyond a reasonable doubt’ proof.
Jason
.
The last name of the person purported to have made this comment has been altered by site admin to an initial only in accordance with site policies as outlined in the “About Comments” page.