Graphic Details in Court on Grand Forks Teacher Charged with Sex Crimes
The Grand Forks teacher accused of having a sexual relationship with a student appears in court.
James Whalen,41, a science teacher at Central High School is facing two felony charges of corruption or solicitation of a minor.
The court documents have shocking details about the alleged sexual relationship.
Some parents are shaken up by the school sex scandal.
“The idea of something like this happening, to what I like to say a good teacher, it’s like what happened? On top of being disappointed,” says Rosemary Robertson of Grand Forks.
Disappointed was the word parents at Central High School used to describe the situation.
Mr. Whalen is said to be a very likable teacher, if not one of the students’ favorites.
But a complaint brought to the police department sparked the sex scandal.
“The complaint is that we were just made aware of it. And started looking into it and working with the school on the investigation,” says Lt. Brett Johnson of Grand Forks Police.
Court documents show that Whalen admitted to having a sexual relationship with a student.
It also went on to say that the student and Whalen had sexual intercourse twice, one being in Minnesota during the beginning of the year, and the other at his home on Valentine’s Day.
The court papers say that Whalen engaged in sexual acts with the student on numerous occasions on the high school’s property.
This is the first of many court appearances.
For some parents they say waiting for all the facts before judging is the right thing to do.
“We want to wait and get all the facts before we start thinking he’s totally guilty,” says Robertson.
Robertson’s daughter goes to Central High believes that it takes two to tango.
“Cause like my daughter said she’s thinking like there’s too sides to every story. Yeah, he was wrong for doing what he did but there are still two sides to every story,” says Robertson.
Whalen was released on a $5,000 bail.
His next court hearing is set for April 6th.
