Teacher charged for 'inappropriate' text messages

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By Nancy Bowman, Staff Writer Updated 8:35 PM Tuesday, June 2, 2009

TROY — A Milton-Union schools teacher and girls soccer coach has been charged with contributing to the delinquency or unruliness of a minor for what police call inappropriate text messaging to a 17-year-old.

Manuel A. Perez, 42, of Fletcher will be arraigned June 17 in Miami County Juvenile Court.

The girl’s parents contacted the sheriff’s office last week about the text messages between the girl and who the parents believed was Perez, Capt. Dave Duchak said Tuesday, June 2.

Authorities reviewed cell phone records and messages, dating back to February, before the charges were filed, he said.

Duchak could not comment on the nature of the messages, saying only that they “were inappropriate for a student-teacher relationship.”

The charge is being handled in juvenile court because the court, under state law, has jurisdiction in contributing to the delinquency of minor cases.

Milton Union schools Superintendent Ginny Rammel did not respond to inquiries about whether Perez is still working.

In an interview this spring for an article on how school districts handle texting between staff and students, Rammel said the district did not want to discourage communication between students and staff, but does not promote texting. She said cell phone use is prohibited during school hours, and too many issues remain unresolved with texting.

Perez worked previously for the Miami East schools as boys soccer coach, but was not a teacher in that Miami County district. During that time, the district “never received any negative comments from our parents,” Miami East Superintendent Todd Rappold said.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2292 or nbowman@DaytonDailyNews.com.

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