Local News in Brief : Mission Viejo : Milne on Suspension With Pay During Appeal

Saddleback Valley Unified School District officials said Wednesday that teacher Keith Milne, accused of child molestation but found innocent by a jury, will remain on suspended status with pay while he appeals a school board decision to fire him.

The school board, following a closed-door meeting, announced Tuesday night that it had decided to fire Milne. Saying that such personnel actions require confidentiality, board members declined to elaborate.

Milne, 38, a laboratory and reading teacher at Olivewood Elementary School in El Toro, was suspended in October after being charged with child molestation. Some female students in his class accused him of touching them near their breasts.

An Orange County Superior Court jury on April 21 found Milne innocent of seven of the nine charges. The prosecution last Friday dropped the remaining two charges.

Seeking reinstatement to his teaching position, Milne appeared before the closed school board meeting on Tuesday night. After the board announced its decision to fire him, Milne accused trustees of “putting themselves above the law.” Milne said he would appeal his firing through an administrative hearing.