http://www.timesonline.com/articles/2008/02/06/news/top_stories/doc47a91d18c69f4430974930.txt
NORTH FAYETTE TWP. — A Parkway West Area Vocational-Technical Institute teacher was arrested and charged with indecent assault and other offenses Tuesday after he was accused of hugging and kissing two of his male students.
Richard Eidam, 55, of 864 Cleland Mill Road, New Castle, is charged with indecent assault, endangering the welfare of children and corruption of minors, police said.
According to a criminal complaint filed by Allegheny County police, Eidam, an automotive mechanics teacher at the North Fayette Township school, hugged and kissed a 15-year-old boy in October after the boy decided to quit the automotive class.
The boy told police Eidam had arranged to talk with him alone several times in the hallway or auto shop, but always when they were alone, often while the rest of the shop students were changing clothes. The boy told police Eidam would hug him and give him kisses on the head and once kissed him on the neck.
The boy told police he was uncomfortable with the contact and was embarrassed to come forward.
County police started the investigation Jan. 7 after North Fayette Township police contacted them about the boy’s accusations.
According to police, Eidam also hugged and kissed a then-16-year-old male student during the 2005-06 and 2006-07 school years.
That boy, who is now 18, was interviewed by police Jan. 31, and said Eidam first hugged him after he explained to the teacher some assignments might be late because his father was in a nursing home, police said.
The boy told police he would talk to Eidam about his father almost daily, and — when he sent other students to change clothes — he would tell the boy to stay behind in the classroom, where he would hug and kiss the boy on the lips.
According to the complaint, the boy said he felt very uncomfortable by the contact and, although his schoolwork did not improve, his grades did after he said the contact began.
The boy told police Eidam came to his house to talk with him and his mother about the boy’s future, after which Eidam took the boy to a restaurant in North Fayette for dinner. While in the car, after dinner, Eidam told the boy, “I think I like you a little more than I should,” according to court documents.
Jack Highfield, director of the vo-tech school, would not say whether the older student was still enrolled there.
Both teens are not being identified because of the nature of the charges.
Eidam’s attorney, Jim Ecker of Pittsburgh, said Eidam has taught for 17 years and has a clean criminal record.
He said the married father of two was shocked by the charges. “He is extremely upset,” Ecker said.
Ecker played down the allegations, saying all of the facts in the case have yet to come forward.
“Things happen and until we get to a preliminary hearing, we never know what the story is,” he said.
Highfield said Eidam has been on paid suspension since the allegations against him were brought to police on Jan. 7. Eidam is also barred from the Steubenville Pike campus and is not permitted to have any contact with students.
Highfield declined to comment further on the allegations.
Eidam, who surrendered to police at North Fayette District Judge Anthony Saveikis’ office Tuesday morning, was arraigned and released on a promise to return for future court hearings.
Adam Fabian can be reached online at afabian@timesonline.com.
