Drama Teacher Accused of Molesting Student

A middle school drama teacher has been arrested on charges that he sexually molested a student at the school over a two-year period, according to police.

The Morning Call reports, Shawn William Salevsky, 39, of Lower Macungie Township, is charged with 22 offenses that include involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and indecent assault of a victim under age 16, sexual assault, corruption of a minor and reckless endangerment.

Among the allegations, police said that during a school production Salevsky followed the boy into the bathroom during a wardrobe change and touched the boy's penis before the boy ran and shut himself in a stall.

On a bus trip to see a play in New York, Salevsky "did open his pants and attempt to lay on top of the victim," the paper reports.

Salevsky was sent Friday to Northampton County Prison under $75,000 bail.

Nazareth Area School District Superintendent Dennis Riker said in a statement that Salevsky was removed from the school March 18 and was later fired from his teaching position. Riker said Salevsky was recommended for termination Sunday "based on allegations of inappropriate behavior," and the school board unanimously approved his firing.

Nazareth school board member, Chris Miller, complained two years ago when Salevsky had students sing songs with sexual innuendoes .

"I'm about as disgusted as any human can be," Miller told the Morning Call. "Now I'm kicking myself, saying I should have persevered and forced the situation to get him out of here."

Salevsky worked at Nazareth Area Middle School about three years.

According to the criminal complaint against Salevsky:

On one occasion in the middle school drama room, Salevsky pulled the boy's head down so it touched his genitals. On other occasions, Salevsky pulled the boy's head toward his groin. In the drama room, Salevsky at least once "dropped his pants to thigh level and then attempted to remove the victim's pants and then lay on top of the victim."

Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact Upper Nazareth Police at 610-759-7448 or the Nazareth School District superintendent's office at 610-759-1170, ext. 1111.

 

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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