Columbus Junction, Claremont Teachers Face Stalking Charges

Coletrane Alan Sipes, a 23-year-old substitute teacher in Columbus Junction, Iowa, has been arrested for allegedly using a hidden cell phone to record images and videos of a 17-year-old student, leading to felony stalking charges. The investigation began after a custodian discovered a concealed box with a phone underneath the bleachers in the school gym. Authorities found numerous recordings of the student, some taken during basketball practices, and Sipes was charged with stalking a minor and using a technological device in the commission of a felony. Meanwhile, Erin Mullen, a middle school teacher in Claremont, New Hampshire, was fired and arrested for violating a protective order by contacting a former student, raising serious concerns about teacher conduct and student safety in schools. Both cases highlight the critical issue of safeguarding students from inappropriate behavior by school staff. School officials in both situations have emphasized their commitment to student safety and ongoing investigations.