Teacher, Aide Charged With Sexual Abuse

In new allegations of sex crimes against students, a substitute teacher pleaded not guilty Friday to charges that she molested two 17-year-old boys at a Lake View Terrace drug treatment center, and a Granada Hills High School teacher’s aide was charged with molesting a 15-year-old special education student.

Teri Roberts Franck, 35, of Northridge pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor charges of child molestation and indecent exposure involving two teenage residents of Phoenix House, a county-sanctioned residential high school and treatment facility.

Franck was released on her own recognizance after her arraignment in San Fernando Municipal Court, said city attorney spokesman Mike Qualls. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for June 21.

Franck, who was arrested at her home Wednesday, is suspected of fondling the two students in class on different occasions during school hours between January and April, said Police Det. Corinne Malinka.

Franck, who could not be reached for comment, worked as a substitute at Phoenix House and other county-run programs, according to authorities.

Phoenix House is responsible for 150 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 officials refused to comment but released a statement saying, “The purported events concern us and require thorough examination.”

Franck will be restricted from entering any county program classroom until the case is resolved, Minecki said

Meanwhile, in the second case of alleged sexual misconduct at Granada Hills High, teacher’s aide Michael Hawkins, 21, was charged Friday with misdemeanor counts of sexual battery and child molestation, Qualls said.

Hawkins allegedly molested a boy during afternoon classes between April 20 and May 3, Qualls said. Hawkins is scheduled to be arraigned June 7.

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

Two other students told investigators they witnessed the incident, Qualls said.

Police did not arrest Hawkins, who could not be reached for comment.

“He was charged this morning,” Qualls 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 when the school received a complaint about Hawkins, he was removed from the classroom and prevented from having contact with the student who was allegedly molested.

Last week, former Granada Hills teacher Florine Maria Strimel, 35, pleaded guilty to having sex with an underage boy and was sentenced to six months in jail.

Granada Hills Principal Mary Kathleen Rattay said the two incidents at her school are unrelated.