Wednesday, May 21, 2008
IMPERIAL, Pa. (AP) — An Allegheny County judge has dismissed indecent assault and other charges against a 55-year-old vocational schoolteacher who allegedly hugged and kissed two of his male students.
Richard Eidam, of New Castle, remains suspended without pay from his job as and automotive mechanics at the Parkway-West Area Vocational-Technical Institute. The school board is continuing an internal investigation.
But defense attorney James Ecker says the criminal charges have been dismissed. Ecker says all Eidam did “was in a friendly way put his arm around a kid and kissed him.”
The boys had told police that Eidam kissed them on the lips, neck and forehead.
Ecker says Eidam has taught at the school for 17 years and has a clean record.