Teacher Nicole Howell Acquitted - Updated

(Covington, Kentucky) Earlier today, former teacher Nicole Howell was found not guilty of engaging in sex with a student after a jury deliberated for about 90 minutes.

Afterward, Howell talked to the local media.

"I am so relieved that it is over. I told somebody earlier I feel like the Great Wall of China's been lifted off of my shoulders. It's just been a struggle from day one trying to deal with why I am in this position and what happened and what I could have done to prevent it."

Later, she said, "I'm realizing now I should have been a little more guarded." Howell also says she can't imagine going back to teaching, even with a not-guilty verdict, because she believes she'd spend most of her time defending herself instead of teaching.

Being on guard is good advice for all teachers.

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Kentucky Teacher Denies Charges, Goes Public - Updated
[Previous 8/4/09 post]
(Covington, Kentucky) Since being indicted by a Kenton County grand jury, 26-year-old former teacher Nicole Howell has taken her case to the public via radio and television, claiming her innocence and issuing a veiled threat of a civil suit against the school system.

Howell denies many of the claims made in a criminal affidavit and by a Covington police detective during a preliminary hearing.

She denied the detective's claims that she telephoned the then 16-year-old high school student and invited him to her MainStrasse apartment for alcoholic drinks. She has even submitted phone records to the court that she claims show she didn't speak with the boy during the time of the alleged crime.

Also at the preliminary hearing, the detective claimed that the boy accurately described the inside of Howell's home and a tattoo on her back.

"He doesn't describe the inside of my apartment," said Howell, who has been privy to the prosecutor's evidence so she can prepare for trial. "In terms of describing my physical attributes, tattoos included, he does not describe those in its entirety."

As an aside: "...describe those in its...." should embarrass an English teacher.

The strategy of arguing the merits of the case during a preliminary hearing is questionable. Based upon available information, it currently appears that the case is a he-said-she-said contest.

In any event, Commonwealth Attorney Rob Sanders accused Howell of attempting to taint the jury pool by her public pronouncements while expressing confidence in the prosecution's case.

"We don't have time to chase frivolous allegations. If we didn't think these allegations, and charges, can be proven beyond a reasonable doubt, we would have not taken the case to a grand jury."

Nicole Howell is scheduled for trial on October 13 in Kenton Circuit Court.

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Kentucky Teacher Accused of Sex with Boy - Updated
[Previous 1/14/09 post]
(Covington, Kentucky) Yesterday, 25-year-old English teacher at Dayton High School, Nicole Howell, surrendered to police to face one count of sexual abuse of a male student.

In an interview with Covington police, the 16-year-old said Howell called him on his cell phone and invited him over to her house. The teen says the two had sex, and that she told him not to tell anyone.

The teenager says he and Howell had sex on four or five other occasions. The alleged incidents happened between September and November of last year at Howell's Covington residence.

So, the boy was told not to tell anyone and he ignored the instructions.

Howell was released on $5,000 bond.

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Kentucky Teacher Suspended on Sex Allegations
[Previous 12/18/08 post]
(Dayton, Kentucky) First-year English teacher at Dayton High School, Nicole Howell, has been suspended without pay for allegedly engaging in sex with a 16-year-old male student.

Rumors in the school prompted the superintendent to alert the authorities. The Covington Police Department is investigating.

Howell has denied the allegations and has hired an attorney.