Schuler, 32, of Springboro, was indicted Friday by a Warren County grand jury of 16 counts of sexual battery, a third-degree felony, and three counts of misdemeanor offenses involving underage persons.
The alleged sex acts happened on five occasions between August and December off school property with five Mason students, who are mostly football players, prosecutors said. She also is accused of buying alcohol for the students, according to the prosecutor’s office.
Schuler, a Mason High School physical education/health teacher, turned herself in Friday afternoon after an arrest warrant was issued. She remains in jail on $50,000 bond. Her attorney requested another bond hearing on Monday afternoon and it has been set for Tuesday before Warren County Common Pleas Judge Robert Peeler. He could decide to reduce the bond amount on Schuler.
Her lawyer, Charles H. Rittgers of Lebanon, said he and his son, lawyer Charles M. Rittgers, are just getting involved with the case. When asked how Schuler has responded to the allegations, he said, “obviously she’s not pleased.”
If Schuler is released on bond, she will be required to wear an electronic monitoring device and has been ordered not to have any contact any students, including those involved in the alleged allegations, according to the prosecutor’s office.
Schuler was also an employee of Miami Valley Hospital and worked at Alter High School as a trainer via an ongoing partnership with Premier Health Partners, according to Dan Andriacco, spokesman for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati.
Alter officials learned of the allegations against Schuler on Jan. 19 and contacted Premier Health Partners, which removed her from her duties at the school the following day, Andriacco said.
Those duties included training the school’s hockey team and its girls and boys soccer teams, he said.
Principal Nicole Brainard sent a message to Alter parents on Saturday, the day after Schuler’s arrest.
“We have no information that any Alter students were harmed by her, but if anyone has any additional information, they are urged to contact the Mason police department,” Brainard said in the letter.
Any further questions or concerns should be addressed to Jim Manning, Alter’s president or Cincinnati archdiocesan chancellor Father Joseph Binzer, according to the letter.
“In all communication regarding anything about child abuse, we always ask people if they know of abuse by the person in question or by anybody to contact legal authorities and also the chancellor of the archdiocese,” Andriacco said.
Situations such as this one are an occasion to remind people they can make such a report if they know or suspect of any inappropriate behavior, he said.
“The protection of children under our care is very important to us and we acted very quickly to ensure that,” Andriacco said.
On Tuesday, the Mason school board will act on a recommendation that she be suspended without pay as the process to fire her begins. Her duties included serving as an athletic trainer for the girls and boys sports teams. She earned $53,194 in 2008, according to her personnel file.
Mason High School Principal Mindy McCarty-Stewart met with the school’s guidance and mental health support personnel Monday to be prepared for assisting students, according to Tracey Carson, the district’s spokeswoman.
McCarty-Stewart is working with specific individuals and their families that she is aware of who may have difficulty with the news, Carson said. She is continuing to consult with the victim’s counselor through the Mason Police Department.
The district took measures to help combat any improper behavior on the part of teachers or staff.
“Last week, all of our principals reminded staff of their responsibility to report suspicions of child abuse or neglect to local law enforcement or child protective services,” Carson said. “We also have reminded all of our staff about our anonymous Safe Schools Lifeline.”
Schuler graduated from Centerville High School in 1996 and Wright State University in 2000. She student taught at Fairmont High School in Kettering from 1999-2000.
If convicted, Schuler could be sentenced up to 81 years in jail.
Contact this reporter at (513) 695-4504 or erichter@coxohio.com.
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