Teacher, Aide Accused of Sexual Abuse of Students

In more sexual allegations involving school personnel and students, a substitute teacher pleaded not guilty Friday to charges she allegedly molested two 17-year-old boys at a drug treatment center, and a teacher’s aide at Granada Hills High School was charged with molesting and sexually battering a 15-year-old special education student.

Teri Roberts Franck, 35, of Northridge pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor charges that she fondled the boys on separate occasions between January and April at a county-sanctioned residential drug and alcohol treatment center, said Mike Qualls, spokesman for the Los Angeles city attorney’s office.

Franck was released on her own recognizance at San Fernando Municipal Court after her arraignment on two counts of child molestation and one count of indecent exposure. A preliminary hearing is scheduled June 21.

Franck, who could not be reached for comment, was arrested at her home Wednesday night, said Los Angeles Police Det. Corinne Malinka of the Foothill division.

Malinka said Franck taught in other county programs and investigators are looking at other possible victims.

Franck worked as a substitute teacher at Phoenix House, a residential high school for 150 teenagers in Lake View Terrace. Phoenix House treats delinquent and neglected youths, a majority of whom are on probation for drug-related offenses, said Margo Minecki, a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County Office of Education.

Phoenix House refused to comment but said in a statement “the purported events concern us and require thorough examination.”

Minecki said Franck will be restricted from entering any county program classrooms.

“She won’t be returning to any of our school programs until the matter is resolved,” Minecki said.

In the incident at Granada Hills High School, teacher’s aide Michael Hawkins, 21, was charged with one count of misdemeanor sexual battery and two counts of misdemeanor child molestation at San Fernando Municipal Court, Qualls said.

Hawkins, of Hyde Park, is scheduled to be arraigned June 7.

He allegedly molested the 15-year-old boy during class hours between April 20 and May 3, Qualls said.

The special education student told Los Angeles police investigators that Hawkins told him he wanted to have sex. On one occasion, Hawkins allegedly reached under the boy’s desk and grabbed his genitals, Qualls said.

Two other students told investigators they witnessed the incident.

Hawkins had not been arrested and there were no plans to do so, Qualls said. “He was charged this morning,” he said. “A letter was sent out informing him of the date and time of the arraignment.”

Los Angeles Unified School District spokesman Shel Erlich said that after receiving a complaint about Hawkins, the school removed him from the classroom and prevented him from having contact with the student who was allegedly molested.

As of Friday morning, Hawkins was not allowed to have contact with any students, Erlich said.

It was the second case this year of alleged molestation of a special education student at Granada Hills High, but Principal Mary Kathleen Rattay said the two incidents did not appear to be connected.

Last week, Florine Maria Strimel, 35, pleaded guilty to having sex with an underage student and was sentenced to six months in jail.