Another Child Comes Forward in Teacher Molestation Scandal

Outside Jackie Robinson School in Queens

The Queens elementary school teacher accused of sexually abusing five of his female students in the classroom over the course of the last three years was investigated three times when he taught at Public School 115 in Canarsie. School officials tell the Daily News that Simon Watts used corporal punishment against a student in 2005, but since it was his first infraction no action was taken beyond "a note in his file." Two other allegations of corporal punishment were investigated and not substantiated. Meanwhile, Gothamist commenter "Britthney NoCense Cox" describes her experience as a former student of Watts:

omg he taught at my elementary school. My dad and I heard his name last night and were like whoa wtf don't tell me its the same mr. watts....he was mad kewl but then i had heard he got transfered cuz some girl accused him of botherin her (didn't get the whole story cuz i had graduated by then but that makes sense) smh dude you are so screwed. and i thought he was nice. do you know how many kids loved him he took advantage of tht.

As source familiar with Watts's tenure in Canarsie describes him as an "oily snake... He was asked to leave. It was strongly suggested he leave the school." And so he moved on to Queens, where he allegedly unzipped his pants in front of one girl and "forced three others to grab his genitals as other students sat at their desks nearby," the Queens DA alleges. Watts was arrested Wednesday on charges of molesting five girls ranging in age from eight to ten over the course of the last three years.

At an emergency meeting last night, the PTA president said another child has come forward. "As it was being spoken about, a student that was in the audience grabbed her mother and started crying and said that 'this has happened to me as well,'" PTA President Tandrea Lane tells NY1. "We as the parents just feel we should have been informed sooner." And parent Sandra Lowman says, "The way I used to see him with his class, I said, ‘oh, I want you to be my son's teacher.’ That's what I used to say."

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By John Del Signore in News on April 23, 2010 9:55 AM

Comments [rss]

Jessica

wow...I am very shocked.. I went to 115 and graduated. mr watts was there time to time but towards the end in my graduation he left and nooone actually knew what happened and today when i saw the news that my brother pointed out we were very shocked...We went there when he was there and HE MOLESTED THESE GIRLS when i attended there..this is very shocking and makes me think what could have happened...i didnt think it was mr watts until the picture because mr watts was a very cool man..but i guess personality and looks can also be decieving

fosiacat

and an allegation is as bad as a conviction.

Ishtar

I really hope these are not false allegations because this man is done, his family is destroyed, and no one ever hears/sees the retraction.

Whatever the truth is I hope justice is served. I had to deal with an inappropriate teacher like this in high school After complaints he was simply transferred to a poor high school within the district. He couldn't be fired because of the teachers union.

gmgilligan

The union is not at fault for the teacher not being fired. A teacher can be fired if found guilty of the infraction they are accused of. The union asks for due process and nothing more. Please don't blame the union for the bad and inexcusable choices of a teacher.

BDS=(Boycott.Divest.Sanction)

omg, whoa wtf ....he was mad kewl...he got transfered cuz some girl accused him of botherin her....

jesus...what are these kids learning in school? not english, thats for sure.