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MILLVILLE — A high school teacher of the year was arrested for allegedly engaging in inappropriate correspondence with a high school student, authorities revealed Wednesday.

Larry Young, a chemistry teacher at Millville Senior High School, was arrested and charged with endangering the welfare of a child Monday night after an unidentified female teenage victim told police she received text messages of a sexual nature from him on her cell phone.

The Millville teacher of nine years was arrested at the police station later that night and was released from Cumberland County Jail after posting $75,000 bail. Teacher of the year for the 2008-09 school year, Young, 34, was categorized as a good teacher who was involved in numerous activities both in and out of school.

On Tuesday, he was suspended with pay in line with state regulations, district Superintendent Shelly Schneider said. On Wednesday, police said more charges could be forthcoming.

Millville police Capt. Tom Romanishin provided few specifics about the case, saying that it was still under investigation. Young was arrested because of evidence the police discovered Monday, although that does not mean the investigation will end there, he said.

By virtue of the charge — endangering the welfare of a child — the case does not involve any allegations of a physical nature. That could change, although Romanishin stressed that expecting them could be premature.

Young’s house on Heights Place in Vineland was dark and seemingly empty Wednesday afternoon. A neighbor confirmed that Young shares the home with his wife and two children. He declined to comment on the allegations, saying simply: “(Young) would never hurt any children,” before leaving.

Romanishin declined to provide details about the text messages, or whether the correspondence was limited to texting.

Information about the victim is being withheld. Schneider confirmed that the victim is a teenage high school student, but said she did not know her age, what class she is in or whether she was a student of Young. Romanishin also declined to provide specifics about the victim.

Schneider said she was informed of the investigation late Monday afternoon. She found out about the arrest the following morning through a voicemail at her office made by the police.

This is the second instance of a Millville High School teacher being arrested on charges of endangering the welfare of a child. Michael Drebes, 37, was charged June 4 with endangering the welfare of a child, aggravated sexual assault and official misconduct after the alleged sexual assault of a 14-year-old female student over the span of four months.

Cumberland County Prosecutor Ron Casella said Drebes, a Millville resident, had sex with the girl in three different counties. He also is accused of sexually assaulting another female student, one he taught previously.

Thus far, however, allegations against Young do not include anything of a physical nature.

Young was selected as one of the “best of the best” in the county through a program held by the Cumberland County Office of Education and the county Superintendent’s roundtable.

Schneider said she was reserving judgment on Young pending the results of the investigation and a trial. Considering this allegation and the allegations made against Drebes, Schneider said the district will continue to emphasize to teachers that there should be no personal correspondence between teachers and students.

Contact Edward Van Embden:

856-649-2072

eVanEmbden@pressofac.com

5 comments:

• vwsteve (99) posts 6:05 pm

  Thrush...your babbling indicates you may be off your medication. I can't make heads or tails out of that nonsense.

• millvillestudent12 (1) posts 3:31 pm

  I find this hard to believe that young would do something like this.

• joisey (238) posts 8:31 am

  girls these days think nothing of being tramps. Shame they can't get into just as much trouble for seducing these men. they dress like whores and then act all innocent when someone finds out

• Advocate (89) posts 7:50 am

  How safe are children in the school? How many predators are out there within school districts? Boundaries in relationships between students and teachers must be reviewed, to keep professional boundaries in place.

• Thrush (334) posts 4:42 am

  It reminds me of when M.A.D. and M.C.A., two offshore foxes, were banging their English teacher, B.J., and his roommate, B.A., for most of their senior year, in the pervert pedagogues' cozy 2-BR pied-a-terre, with 2-car garage, by ACCC in Northfield. Bob&Carol&Ted&Alice. The things a girl won't do! Teacher(s) of the Year, in a sense. Marking on their curves. One of the gents keeps his English skills sharp by writing letters to the Press now and then, the old lech.

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