The school district has placed a Gilroy High School teacher on
paid administrative leave while police investigate her involvement
in three alleged instances of abuse in the classroom, school
officials said.
The school district has placed a Gilroy High School teacher on paid administrative leave while police investigate her involvement in three alleged instances of abuse in the classroom, school officials said.
A substitute teacher took over Jan Dietzgen’s English classes after police determined that the teacher either pushed or slapped three students. On Oct. 13, the mother of a female GHS student reported the teacher to the Gilroy Police Department. During the week-long investigation that followed, School Resource Officer Cherie Somavia interviewed the three victims and many witnesses, according to police. She learned that one of the three students – a 14-year-old female, a 15-year-old male and a 16-year-old female – was slapped across the face and the other two were pushed, all during school hours, Sgt. Jim Gillio said. He refused to say whether or not physical evidence was available. The incidents occurred Oct. 9, Oct. 13 and Oct. 16, according to police.
Dietzgen teaches six courses at GHS, two English II Honors classes, two English II classes, an accelerated literacy class and an English language development class, according to the high school’s Web site. The accelerated literacy course caters to English-speaking students who are performing below grade level as determined by standardized tests. The English language development course prepares non-English speakers for the high school exit exam. Gillio would not say during which class the incidents occurred.
Dietzgen currently holds multiple state credentials certifying her in school administration, teaching English and teaching limited-English-proficient pupils, according to the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing. District officials would not say how long Dietzgen has been with the district but one of her teaching credentials dates back to 1970. She earns $99,690.70 annually including salary and benefits, according to district documents.
The school district originally learned of the complaint when a mother came to the district to voice her concerns about school safety, Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services Basha Millhollen said. When a parent has a complaint, he or she is directed to the school principal, she said. Principal James Maxwell met with the mother but she was informed that she would not be able to learn of the outcome because of privacy issues, Millhollen said. Millhollen did not know why the mother went to the police to report the teacher.
Because the alleged crime is a misdemeanor that was not committed in the presence of police, the teacher has not been arrested and the case will be sent to the Santa Clara County District Attorney for review, Gillio said. The district attorney can drop the case or issue an arrest warrant, he said.
Board members didn’t learn of the investigation until late last week, Trustee Denise Apuzzo said. The mother of a 10th grade honors student in Dietzgen’s class, Apuzzo said she “knows pretty much as much as everybody else in town.”
Apuzzo described a teacher who is excited about English and loves literature, “a good fit for an honors class.” The incidents didn’t happen in her daughter’s honors class, she said. She heard that one of the incidents may have occurred when Dietzgen led a female student from the classroom by the arm.
“She had pretty high standards in that classroom,” Apuzzo said. “I’m just worried about the 150 kids that don’t have a teacher right now. I’m concerned that students are going to school and are safe, that the teacher gets her due process and that the students don’t lose a whole year.”
“I’m sure the entire class would agree that for the past week we have missed her and have really been sort of unproductive,” wrote her daughter, Kim Apuzzo in a comment on the Dispatch Web site. “My classmates and I miss her and want her back in class very soon.”
While many of her honors students have said that the incidents were either blown out of proportion or the result of a downright lie, others described times when Dietzgen “snapped” during class. The Dispatch has received 90 comments on its Web site in response to the two previous stories about the accused teacher.
