CLINTON TWP., WYOMING COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — State police say the principal at Lackawanna Trail High School is being charged after failing to report an alleged teacher-student relationship.
According to Pennsylvania State Police, 42-year-old Mark Patrick Murphy, the principal of Lackawanna Trail High School, is under investigation after failing to report a relationship between a teacher and a high school student to "Childline," a state-run agency to report child abuse.
Police say on January 30, troopers were informed by a concerned parent from Lackawanna Trail High School that allegations were made about a teacher and student having a sexual relationship.
Through further investigation, state police said they learned several teachers reported these allegations to Murphy. Murphy told teachers not to inform "Childline" and that he would investigate the information himself, as stated in the affidavit.
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According to court documents, Murphy yelled at one teacher for saying she was going to report it to "Childline" telling her that she would "ruin the teacher's life."
Through a search warrant for school records, investigators said they learned Murphy interviewed teachers, students, and parents and documented the encounters. He then stored them in his office closet, troopers say.
Detectives said they checked with the Wyoming County District Attorney's Office to see if Murphy made reports regarding the incident but there was no record. Then they called "Childline" on August 20, and say no report was made by Murphy.
As a high school principal, Murphy is considered a mandated reporter and required by law to report suspected child abuse.
Lackawanna Trail School District Superintendent Matthew Rakauskas stated to 28/22 News the following regarding the investigation;
Dr. Murphy was on administrative leave on August 27 in response to the Pennsylvania State Police serving a search warrant for school records related to the allegation of a sexual relationship between a Lackawanna Trail teacher and student.
The District has fully cooperated with the state police and the District Attorney's Office throughout this investigation. Since August 27, Dr. Murphy has not acted in the capacity of high school principal.
The PSP investigated the alleged teacher-student sexual relationship, but did not file charges.
I placed that teacher on administrative leave from February through late August and has since been reinstated as a teacher."
Matthew Rakauskas, Lackawanna Trail School District Superintendent
On Tuesday, Murphy was charged with failure to report or refer. He was released on an unsecured bail of $10,000.
