kaorder1999
08-27-2008, 11:02 AM
Ex-Mesquite football coach accused of pawning school property gets 3-year teaching ban
10:45 AM CT
10:47 AM CDT on Wednesday, August 27, 2008
By MATTHEW HAAG / The Dallas Morning News
The Texas Education Agency has suspended former Mesquite High School football coach Steve Halpin from teaching in Texas public schools for three years following its investigation into whether the coach pawned Mesquite ISD property.
The State Board of Educator Certification, a division of the TEA that handles teacher certification, found that Mr. Halpin had "engaged in conduct by misusing district property," a TEA report states.
"Due to this conduct, the Board finds that the Respondent is a person presently unworthy to instruct or supervise the youth of this state," the report continues.
Mr. Halpin's football team won a state championship in 2001. The earliest he could reapply for reinstatement of his teaching certificate is July 2011.
"I don't really have a comment," Mr. Halpin said Wednesday morning when contacted by The Dallas Morning News.
The TEA's decision comes several months after a Mesquite Police Department investigation found that Mr. Halpin had repeatedly pawned school-district property. Officers checked their pawn shop databases and found that Mr. Halpin had pawned 270 items at local shops between January 2007 and April 2008, and had pawned two of the school district's cameras three times each.
The thefts amounted to more than $2,000.
"All electronics listed in this report were bought and maintained by Mesquite Independent School District and are not the personal property of any employee," the police report from early May says.
When police notified MISD about the investigation into Mr. Halpin, the district conducted its own investigation and subsequently declined to press charges against Mr. Halpin. District spokeswoman Laura Jobe said in May that the district didn't press charges because "all of the items are accounted for."
A week after police detectives notified MISD of their case, the school district allowed Mr. Halpin to retire "due to health problems."
After The News reported in early June that Mr. Halpin was under investigation, he quit his position as president of the Texas High School Coaches Association and told friends that he was battling a gambling problem.
Pat Collins, the Longview ISD athletic director, said Mr. Halpin told him he was in rehab. They had been considering the possibility that Mr. Halpin might go to Longview to coach junior varsity football. Mr. Collins said Mr. Halpin never told him about the pawn shop investigation.
Mr. Halpin said Wednesday morning that he has applied for several college-level jobs but is till out of a job.
"I have talked to several coaches so far, but I don't have any offers yet," he said.
He said he was looking forward to watching his son, Luke, play quarterback for the Mesquite Skeeters this year.
10:45 AM CT
10:47 AM CDT on Wednesday, August 27, 2008
By MATTHEW HAAG / The Dallas Morning News
The Texas Education Agency has suspended former Mesquite High School football coach Steve Halpin from teaching in Texas public schools for three years following its investigation into whether the coach pawned Mesquite ISD property.
The State Board of Educator Certification, a division of the TEA that handles teacher certification, found that Mr. Halpin had "engaged in conduct by misusing district property," a TEA report states.
"Due to this conduct, the Board finds that the Respondent is a person presently unworthy to instruct or supervise the youth of this state," the report continues.
Mr. Halpin's football team won a state championship in 2001. The earliest he could reapply for reinstatement of his teaching certificate is July 2011.
"I don't really have a comment," Mr. Halpin said Wednesday morning when contacted by The Dallas Morning News.
The TEA's decision comes several months after a Mesquite Police Department investigation found that Mr. Halpin had repeatedly pawned school-district property. Officers checked their pawn shop databases and found that Mr. Halpin had pawned 270 items at local shops between January 2007 and April 2008, and had pawned two of the school district's cameras three times each.
The thefts amounted to more than $2,000.
"All electronics listed in this report were bought and maintained by Mesquite Independent School District and are not the personal property of any employee," the police report from early May says.
When police notified MISD about the investigation into Mr. Halpin, the district conducted its own investigation and subsequently declined to press charges against Mr. Halpin. District spokeswoman Laura Jobe said in May that the district didn't press charges because "all of the items are accounted for."
A week after police detectives notified MISD of their case, the school district allowed Mr. Halpin to retire "due to health problems."
After The News reported in early June that Mr. Halpin was under investigation, he quit his position as president of the Texas High School Coaches Association and told friends that he was battling a gambling problem.
Pat Collins, the Longview ISD athletic director, said Mr. Halpin told him he was in rehab. They had been considering the possibility that Mr. Halpin might go to Longview to coach junior varsity football. Mr. Collins said Mr. Halpin never told him about the pawn shop investigation.
Mr. Halpin said Wednesday morning that he has applied for several college-level jobs but is till out of a job.
"I have talked to several coaches so far, but I don't have any offers yet," he said.
He said he was looking forward to watching his son, Luke, play quarterback for the Mesquite Skeeters this year.