Pequannock drama teacher remains jailed, community rocked by sex charges

🚨 Morris County teacher accused of  sex abuse of teen stays in jail
🚔 Police say encounters happened at school and in teacher’s car
🎭 Theater director being terminated, per school board actions

A high school teacher in Morris County has traded a theater stage for a holding cell as he faces accusations of sexually abusing a teen student for over a year and a half.

William Arnold, of Wayne, was back in court on Tuesday, a week after being charged with aggravated sexual assault and other offenses.

A Morris County Superior Court Judge has ordered him to remain in jail pending trial.

Read More: Pequannock teacher accused of sexually assaulting 15-year-old

School board moves to terminate, remove Arnold's various posts

The 53-year-old Arnold has been the director of theatre and vocal music at Pequannock Township High School, where he was now suspended by the district.

On Monday, the Pequannock Board of Education voted to approve termination of staff member “0514,” effective Dec. 8.

Arnold was named multiple times on the agenda, as the board also voted to remove his various “stipend” positions, including chorus, drama advisor, musical director/producer, musical technical director, a cappella director, and assistant volleyball coach.

Sexual encounters began when victim was 15, police say

Arnold has been accused of starting a sexual relationship with the victim while she was just 15 and was one of his students in January 2024.

In speaking with her guidance counselor and police, the teen said that sexual activity happened in an empty classroom at the high school at least once.

Read More: Teacher from Ocean County faces mounting sex assault charges

Evidence includes recording, text messages

Once the victim turned 16, she and her teacher often met at a park by her house and had sex in Arnold’s vehicle, police said.

The encounters continued for a year and eight months ending in August.

Text messages between the teen and Arnold and a recorded conversation between them have been shared with police.

School officials, parents shaken by case

Dozens of residents spoke during Monday’s board meeting, with an overall theme of concern for students and the high school music program, as well as urging an internal review of policies, so that such a disturbing situation never repeats itself.

Several parents and the school superintendent said that a weekend band competition drew an overwhelming amount of support as the community came together.

“Our commitment has to be that nothing of this sort ever happens again,to any of our kids or really anybody else’s kids,” Pequannock Schools Superintendent Michael Portas said at Monday’s board meeting.

Portas addressed the crowd, getting choked with emotion at times, stressing his commitment to supporting students and ensuring a holiday choir program would still go on, even if he has to direct it himself.

Requests for comment from Arnold's defense attorney were not answered as of Tuesday evening.

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