08/28/08 – Initial BBT Report)
Thomas Price, 42, a teacher at Lincoln High School in Shinnston, West Virginia has been arrested and charged with displaying obscene material to a minor.
It is alleged that between January and August of this year that Price sent a boy text messages describing sex acts he wanted to participate in with the boy. It is further alleged that Price sent the boy links to pornographic websites.
Price is charged with two felony counts of displaying and distributing obscene matter to a minor and was being held in jail in lieu of $100,000 bond.
Authorities have not indicated if the alleged victim is one of Price’s students, nor have they released the boys age.
Reportedly Price was taken into custody at the school on Thursday afternoon.
References:
Lincoln High School Teacher Arrested (08/28/08)
High School Teacher Arrest (08/28/08)
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What ever happened? I never heard more on this. Some people said he plead guilty, but I’ve never seen it published. If he DID plea guilty, maybe it was under pressure along the lines Lizz brought up.
Ashley, even though you probably don’t look at this anymore:
Tom would call kids back to his office to talk to them about their grades or behaviour, whether excellent or horrible, in private so not to embarrass them in front of the rest of the class. Sometimes he’d ask them to go to the office and get something for him. Get your mind out of the gutter.
I still think one of his students got hold of his cell phone and did this as a bad joke…
so does anyone know what ever happened?
ok.
this is goin to be my last post on here bc im tired of readint the bashin over and over again.
but to those of you that say that he is guilty bc he confessed.
im sorry but tht doesnt mean anything.
the court system is so screwd up now that normally when u pleed guilty. . .
the most u can get on a plea is i think 20 yrs.
and the least is a registered sex offender and of course kept away from kids.
but i seriously doubt tht he did this.
and i will believe it until i get to honestly see him and tlk to him myself.
tom was a very big inspiration in my life wit music.
he was always at choir practice and always happy and jsut jokin around wit us.
i hope this all gets cleared up soon.
I believe that one is innocent until proven guilty, but I also believe that officers of the State Police would not arrest someone without any valid evidence. I personally believe the phone records and computer records will tell the truth. I find it odd that a teacher would want to spend time on myspace talking to students. It is scary that someone that spent so much time with children teaching piano lessons, numerous church activities and as a teacher in the school system could be found guilty of very serious charges.
Statisics do show that predators often have beautiful families, are often very popular in their community and are often trusted. They are often experts at gaining trust. The phone and computer records will be very important. If he is found guilty, I do not think that he should ever be allowed to be around children.
For one everyone taking up for him umm… hello he confessed and waived his chance for a hearing. He is guilty and I for one think it is sick.. When I had him for class he was always calling someone back in his office and why would a teacher call you back to his office and shut the door. sounds wierd to me… Idk this world is sick I hate to send my kids to school. There is no need to take up for the guy when he admitted to it.
Is there ANY chance that his phone got into the hands of a student and they sent the text messages as a joke? If this is the case then I feel bad for the guy. I think this defense could easily fall apart if the times the messages were sent makes this scenario unlikely or impossible.
I have been a teacher for 24 years. There is NO REASON to be texting students. NONE. Especially with anything sexual in nature.
From all the messages from former students he sounds like a fantastic guy and I hope this is all a misunderstanding. But the fact of the matter is, some very good people make some very poor judgments. In this case it looks like the harm he caused was relatively light but the punishment he has already faced is severe.
I still think it was a joke or something taken the wrong way. Also, Tom would let kids see his cell phone and the like. I had Tom for chorus in elementary school and worked with him in high school. I do not think he has something dark like this in him…
Well, I am so torn in between 2 thoughts. We all know how Tom joked around with kids, but we also know how he took “other” kids into his office. I also thought that strange. But I would have never thought he would do something like that. He was a great teacher and honorable man. I joked with him alot, and he was always smiling and happy. He was my fave teacher in high school, and I would have never thought of him like this. I am praying for him. We all make mistakes, and everyone deserves a second chance.