The State - News from April 27, 1987

Sacramento teacher Timothy Stites, 38, who was acquitted on seven counts of sexually molesting his students, wants his job back, but trustees of the San Juan Unified School District voted to dismiss him despite the acquittal. Stites has been on suspension since his arrest last June on two charges of engaging in sexual misconduct with a child under age 18 and five counts of molesting a child under age 14. Despite the acquittal, the trustees pointed out that this was Stites’ second arrest on such charges. In 1984, he was arrested on two counts of molesting a 12-year-old student, but was freed after a jury was unable to reach a unanimous decision. Stites’ lawyer, Michael Rothschild, said his client will take legal action if necessary to keep his job. “He has been acquitted by a jury, “ Rothschild said. “If the district wants to terminate him, he is entitled to due process.”