High School Student Arrested For Attempted Rape of Teacher

Police arrested a Nathan Hale high school student Tuesday. They say the 15-year-old boy tried to rape a 62-year-old teacher before school Tuesday morning. Police say the boy followed the teacher into

Tuesday, September 7th 1999, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

Police arrested a Nathan Hale high school student Tuesday. They say the 15-year-old boy tried to rape a 62-year-old teacher before school Tuesday morning. Police say the boy followed the teacher into a third floor workroom around 7:30 am and threw a shirt over her head, knocking her down. They say she screamed and fought back while others came to her rescue and held the teenager until police arrived. "This is an isolated incident," said Principal Fred Wright. "If you look at Tulsa Public Schools over all, you'll see it's an isolated incident."

Wright met with his faculty and staff after school about security and had rape counselors on hand for them. Parents and students were shocked to learn the news.
"It makes me thing about things," said one Nathan Hale parent. "If a teacher can barely get away, what would happen to my children? It makes me think." A grandparent of one the Nathan Hale students said "That's why I come pick her up, too many weirdoes and drugs out there. There's not enough police, not enough education and the parents are to blame for a lot of it."

Police say they couldn't question the suspect because his parents refused to cooperate. Detectives booked him into jail on a complaint of first degree-attempted rape.
The school plans to have counselors available on Wednesday for students and faculty.
The teacher had a slight knee injury, but told police she plans be back at work Wednesday. Police also told the News on Six that the student charged in the attack has been suspended once before for assaulting a teacher.