Stacy Schuler, a former health and physical education teacher at Mason High School, wipes a tear as she listens to the mother of one of her victims speak after she was convicted of 16 felony counts of sexual battery, for having sex with five students at the school, and 3 misdemeanor counts of providing alcohol to minors on Oct. 27, 2011. She is flanked by her attorneys, Charlie Rittgers, left, and Charlie M. Rittgers, right. The Enquirer/ Gary Landers
Michael D. Clark reports:
For the second consecutive school year, Mason school officials may be dealing with allegations of sexual misconduct involving high school employees.
It’s been just more than a year since accusations surfaced that then Mason High School teacher and now imprisoned sex offender Stacy Schuler had sex with five students.
Late last week school officials in this affluent Warren County community sent a notice to parents that two staffers at Mason High School – a male teacher and a female campus supervisor who helps monitor the 3,200- student school – had suddenly resigned.
School officials said they had received a report accusing business teacher Jason Austerman and Kimberly Rowland of engaging in what may have been intimate activity in the high school while classes were in session.
According to public records obtained Monday by The Enquirer, school officials reported that “at 11 a.m. Monday, April 23 a Mason High School administrator entered a private office area and discovered two Mason High School staff members …engaged in inappropriate behavior.”
The description was part of a report just submitted to the Ohio Department of Education’s Office of Professional Conduct as required by state law.
“Because of the uncertainty of the actual behavior, both employees were afforded the opportunity to meet with high school administration to respond to the incident and then were placed immediately on paid administrative leave,” officials reported.
No students were involved, reported school officials, who also notified local police. Mason Police, however, decided no criminal activity was involved and declined to investigate further.
The next day Rowland resigned.
Austerman was offered a pre-disciplinary hearing but officials reported “he waived his rights to the hearing and on April 26 submitted his resignation” effective May 2.
At Mason High
In April 2008 Mason High School music teacher Adam Brown resigned shortly after accusations that he had “an inappropriate relationship” with a female student.
A few months later, Michael Crotty – a Mason assistant boys basketball coach – was accused and photographed participating in a “beer pong” party at his home that involved under-aged graduates of the high school.
Brown lost his Ohio teaching license and Crotty, who was a contracted coach and not a full-time employee, cut a plea deal with Warren County prosecutors dismissing misdemeanor charges in exchange for his entering a diversion program.
Schuler’s case last year drew national attention.
She was convicted in October on 16 felony counts of sexual battery involving five male students and three misdemeanor counts of providing alcohol to minors.
And a Mason High School assistant principal – George Coates – resigned shortly after allegations against Schuler surfaced in Feb. 2011. Coates was placed on administrative leave, which school officials later explained was due to allegations that he sent “inappropriate text messages” to Schuler.
“We definitely have a pattern,” said Sharon Poe, a former Mason school board candidate and long-time critic of the schools.
“Mason schools are supposed to be an elite school system and a top district in Ohio and we have more sex scandals,” said Poe.
But Tracey Carson defended the 11,000-student district, which is rated by the state as among the top 10 academic performers in Ohio, pointing out that all those accused are no longer employed.
“Our community expects more from its educational professionals and that’s why individuals who make these types of poor decisions are no longer in Mason,” she said.
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