School Board Accepts Resignation of Matthew Lewis
The elementary school technology specialist pleaded guilty in June to indecent assault of children.
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At its first meeting of the 2012-13 school year, the Great Valley School Board of Directors approved a list of personnel changes that included the resignation of Matthew Lewis.
The 28-year-old Great Valley alumnus was employed as a technology specialist working in the district's elementary schools last year when state police charged him with indecent assaults of two young boys at a Scouts camp in 2006 and 2007.
Lewis was suspended without pay in the wake of the charges. He pleaded guilty on June 15 and submitted his resignation on Aug. 13. The board approved the resignation among other personnel items, without mentioning Lewis's name, at its Aug. 20 meeting.
When the charges were filed on Dec. 15, 2011, Lewis was was working in three of Great Valley's four elementary schools—Sugartown, General Wayne and K.D. Markley. Many parents expressed anger at the school district administration's lack of action in the months before the charges were filed, during which the administration was aware of the allegations and investigation.
At a special meeting held Dec. 22, 2011, Superintendent Alan Lonoconus told parents that state law prohibited any action against an employee based on mere suspicions, and that at one point the allegations were deemed unfounded.
The nature of the offenses to which Lewis pleaded guilty require him to undergo an evaluation to determine if he is a sexually violent predator under Megan's Law.
According to court records, Lewis faces sentencing on Sept. 24.
Previous coverage:
GVSD Employee Pleads Guilty to Scout-Camp Assaults
Lewis Waives Preliminary Hearing
School Board: New Bathroom Guidelines, Other Matthew Lewis Updates
GVSD Officials Meet With Parents, Provide Some Answers (includes comprehensive timeline)
UPDATED: More Details on Charges Against GVSD Tech Specialist
In This article
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Sugartown Elementary School
611 Sugartown Rd, Malvern, PA -
General Wayne Elementary School
20 Devon Rd, Malvern, PA -
Kathryn D. Markley Elementary School
354 Swedesford Rd, Malvern, PA -
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Tim Caban
3:41 pm on Monday, August 27, 2012
Thank you Pete for reporting on this and deciphering the opaque at best communications from the school board on this issue. After promising last december to give an update on this issue every meeting, Mr Barratt has fallen far short. Also, after firing counsel, renegotiating a contract with teachers, and appointing and then losing their point person on this issue, Mr Chambers, it doesn't appear to me that anything has changed since the meeting with parents since last december. I'm waiting on the edge of my seat for their next move on this issue....................................
Earnest
5:42 pm on Monday, August 27, 2012
Tim, I think you need to be more realistic about the ability to legally comment on anything that has to do with the case involving Mr. Lewis. If the board just got the guys resignation it is part of the districts public information.
Tim Caban
7:15 pm on Monday, August 27, 2012
Earnest,
If someone pleads guilty to touching a young boys genitals and you can't fire him but instead are accepting his resignation one month after he pleads guilty, there is a serious problem with everyone's priorities including yours. Even the lowest lawyers in education law ought to be able to do better than that.
Earnest
7:34 am on Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Tim, Your last sentence points to the reality of which I spoke. What "ought to be able to do" vs what legally can be done.... And please don't bother getting all up in my grill about my priorities as I have spent a lifetime working with victims of abuse, which is exactly why I understand the realities of how these cases are handled, even if I don't agree.
You are insinuating in you comments that the GVSD board members are negligent, which is ridiculous given that some of the board members have children in the very schools in which Mr. Lewis worked.
As for your Mr. Chambers... He nominated Mr. Barratt to serve as president of the board and then he turned around and quit the school board when he no longer could control how board members voted. He asked for the community to vote for him and then he didn't follow through with the commitment he made to the voters.
Jim Knowles
11:16 pm on Monday, August 27, 2012
GVSD = Loss of institutional control
Concerned
9:38 am on Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Tim,
Concerned
9:43 am on Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Tim,
Thanks for your staying on top of this issue. The fact that he wasn't fired sooner is troubling, but in no means surprising considering how the board handled this situation from the start.
Also - did anyone realize that Lewis's dad is the Business Administrator (ala our Lindermann) at Oxford School District. Found this interesting.
Tim Caban
10:54 am on Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Concerned,
Thanks for sharing that info about Lewis's dad. While I can't make any concrete connection at this time, you never know when other information might come out that would allow us to connect the dots. More information is better so thanks for sharing that piece of information. Certainly is an interesting fact I agree.
Geoeray
9:01 am on Thursday, August 30, 2012
Are you gentelman trying to connect Matthew Lewis's criminal behavior somehow to his father and his fathers job? Explain yourselves better. Ludicrous.