A New Hampshire teacher has been charged with sexually assaulting a high school student.
David Russell, 63, a math teacher at Timberlane Regional High School in Plaistow, faces one count of sexual assault and two counts of misdemeanor simple assault in relation to an incident where he had "unprivileged contact with a student," School Superintendent Brian Cochrane said in a statement Thursday.
Plaistow police said Russell turned himself in on Wednesday after warrants were issued for his arrest. He was released on personal recognizance bail and is scheduled to be arraigned on Jan. 31.
School officials said they received a complaint about Russell on Nov. 18 and immediately communicated that complaint to the state Department of Education. They also informed the student's parents and asked them to contact police about the allegation.
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Russell was placed on administrative leave the next day and will remain on leave pending the district's ongoing investigation.
Russell didn't answer a reporter's questions at his home Thursday. He will be in Salem District Court at the end of January to face the charges. Each misdemeanor charge he's been accused of carries a penalty of up to a year in prison.
Some Timberlane parents were upset with school administrators on Thursday, saying they didn't hear about the school's investigation until a month after it started.
"You need your information if your kid's coming to school every day. That's not fair," parent Maureen Gerry said.
The school district said it has been cooperating with the state Department of Education and police during the investigation.
