Just found out our local Miles City judge has finally gotten a DUI.. Coudn't have happened to a more deserving human being! I have not met or seen him personally, but, many of my family and friends have had the misfortune to be in/around the vicinity of his disgusting vulgar mouth when he is out and about in town drinking...It amazes me that we have a judge in our town that goes out into the public and demeans women constantly, and yet, no one has come forward to stand up for themselves! My mom unfortunately suffered his obscenities while she was at work, with many other people around to here what he had said! It caused her much embarrassment! I think our mayor should also know just what kind of person is sitting in an office of power passing judgement on others while he himself breaks the law and is a disgusting pig... Think about the worst name you can call a woman and you will know what he called my mother! If anyone else has any info/problems with our city judge please post on here!! I think Mr. Ralph Duckart should learn a lesson, such as being a better human being and if he wants respect he realy should stop demeaning women and breaking the law. Thank you...

[This message has been edited by hoozi (9/15/2009)]

The City Judge is an elected position and the mayor's office probably has no authority to oversee the office. I'm sure the current mayor would be happy to offer the usual "executive branch" versus "judicial branch" civics lesson to anyone in need.

thanks for the info David... If the mayor has nothing to do with the judges in our town then that is fine...It seems even worse to know that Miles Citians vote in such persons... He does not deserve to be a representitive of Miles City and the law such as it is... Again, thank you for any and all input!

wow

I would think if you are going to get on here and make such a statement, you would not hide behide your username.
But that's just me.
Craig Miller

The guy always seemed pretty decent to me. Then again, when I was around Ralph, he wasn't hanging with hoozi's family and friends.

I'm with hoozie... seen both sides of his honor.

Hoozi

Those who live in glass houses...

You say you have not personally witnessed his behavior. if this is true then you have no business commenting on it. Ever hear of the game "telephone"? Also did you every hear the expression that there are three sides to any arguement, that is his story, her story, and the truth?

No one stands up for themselves. Then that is THEIR fault.

He called your mom a bad name, but you then call him a disgusting pig. Pot calling kettle...

I'm really getting tired of people in this town looking down their nose at someone, as if they are saintly. EVERYONE does bad things in their life, including you. You have no idea what his life experiences have been. Judge not, lest yee be judged.

"being a better human being" Try it yourself.

[This message has been edited by Kelly (9/15/2009)]

He might have meant to say "hoozi" but "floozy" slipped out.

Happens all the time to me

I am loving all this feedback keep it coming!! Sticks and stones etc... Also, to Kelly, if you are of the female gender: I am glad you have not had the opportunity to partake in the wonderful Mr. Dukarts comments about women!! I am sure they would make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside! LOL!!! Sorry, that I feel this way about the individual, but, family is family. What he did was wrong and their were many individuals who witnessed it. But, I guess thats appropriate for someone to treat someone else like crap no matter whom they are and their job position!! Again thanks for the feedback!

Hoozi - if you have the stones to use your real name and you can sling all the insults you want. If you don't, well, you're a coward who hides behind anonymity.

It's not "sticks or stones." It's accountibility. If you don't take yourself seriously enough to use your own name, why should anyone else?

Once again a thread turned into a cat fight.

I have personally witnessed Mr. Dukart stagger out of a bar, get in his car and drive off. This is just a matter karma coming back to get him. No matter what position you are in you won't get away with it. Makes me wonder who his judge will be.

Koozi

I didn't say his actions were appropriate. Reread my post carefully as I can tell from your post you completely missed the point.

"Makes me wonder who his judge will be."

mc.com is always ready to answer this particular call.

its all good kelly!! thanks for posting your comments! everyone has their own opinion! I do feel bad for Mr. Dukart that he got a DUI but I don't like the way he treats women. But, to each his own. I guess you are right, if these women can't stand up for themselves then they deserve what they get! Anyway, I am done wasting my time and energy on this thread!

Judge Dukart can always hope that District Judge Cybulski will preside over his trial.

In my experience, I had to go before him for a traffic violation. He was wonderful and a much improvement to Judge Hom.

However, that is all I knew about him. No matter how good or bad he is . . . hopefully he will be held to the standard everybody else is and have to take his lumps.

I'm so sorry for the way he disrespected this mother. There is NO excuse for that and we don't need any officials that are women bashers.

I am a true believer of "Your Sins will find you out" and I believe he will be dealt with.

Maybe Hoozi does not use her real name on this site because, just maybe, her mother works where the judge does and doesn't want to get her fired. Not everyone has a tough hide like some of you do and I don't blame her a bit. I don't know the judge or anything about him so cannot comment further.

Judge Dukart is a great person. Sure it may have not been the best choice to make getting behind the wheel after drinking....as no one should, but it doesn't mean he is a poor judge. I believe he is a fair individual behind the bench.

He will face the charges just as anyone else would in the same situation.

I have known Ralph for years, he is a great guy that has been charged with DUI, see the word charged.

Who are you hoozi making allegations from your anonymous hideout. You attacked him and his position but we have no idea who you are. This blog is dangerous for those reasons. Who is her mother and who are the witnesses.
These are the ranting and allegations that should be erased from this forum. That hurt the innocent.

Post your name, you are either lying or just plain yellow. I have no use or time for losers such as yourself. You like to stir the pot but never hang around or let people see you for who you are.
Probably one of the nutcases in town that nobody listens to anyway

You're yellow, dumbass.

Back to Ralph - best dial-a-down man on Earth.

I too have known the judge for many years through my family. I always thought he was a cool guy. When someone close to me made the same mistake he did about a year ago, Judge Dukart was completely horrible to him in court. It was their 1st DUI just like him. He expected this person to $800 the day of court or go to jail, no option for time pay like many people in town that get that option & never even pay. This was also right before christmas showed no sympathy for the fact they have children. People make mistakes, I understand that. But with this man who sits @ Parkers or the Eagles everday after work until who knows what time, I laughed so freakin hard & told everybody I knew that he finally got his. I also hope the system sticks it to him as if he's an ordianry citizen & forgets that he's a judge.

*sigh...so if it's Christmas and someone has children then they should show sympathy to the individual that broke the law??? So people can break the law around Christmas time and count on the fact that the court will be sympathetic? What...ever....

Sharon are you suggesting that because it's Sept. and he is a city judge he should be treated differently? I'm just asking. Yes everybody makes mistakes, and are held accountable, as should he be. When you hold a public office there are standards you should live up to. We can't really use the judge not lest you be judged here now can we? Not sure if you are related or what, but what Perka said shows both that he/she thought highly of his honor but not his performance in his position. I agree totally. While I am aware that there are policies and procedures that he had to follow I am aware of many times that the punishment was different for the same crime. Depending on who, and what sex you are. I sincerely hope he has an unbiased judge to hear his case.

You should all feel lucky to have a juge like Judge Dukart, he's a stand up judge.

I had a case sometime back when someone attempted to extort me and use him (the court) to get it done. Judge Dukart followed the letter of the law, and did what needed to be done.

Do they have a BAC??? Going to be hard to prove this one without it. Hey judge, I hope you follow the golden rule "Just say NO, don't BLOW!"

The stop was pretextual to begin with, so any evidence after the fact is inadmissible, unless he shoot's himself in the foot and hires a Miles City shyster.

Let him burn!!

I think the Christian principle of "judge not that ye be not judged" and "man shall not smite, neither shall he judge; for judgment is mine, saith the Lord" applies here - even in the case of judges.

Judges are trained to apply the law in criminal and civil matters. Should this matter go to court, a real judge will determine what are the PERTINENT facts - facts that nobody on this thread is privy to at this time. Then that judge (or jury) will examine those facts and render a decision of Innocent or Guilty. If guilty, the judge will weigh the facts of the case against any mitigating factors and impose a penalty that, in his or her judgment, serves justice.

What's going on in this thread goes far beyond that. The viciousness of some of these comments makes me cringe. Some of you have appointed yourselves judge, jury and executioner - all while hiding under a black mask. I would remind you all that in America, only the executioner is allowed to remain anonymous.

To those of you who feel compelled to state your OPINIONS regarding any facet of this matter, you should either have the courage to step out from under your cloak of cowardice, or the decency to hold your peace.

[This message has been edited by Steve Craddock (9/17/2009)]

To those of you who feel compelled to state your OPINIONS regarding any facet of this matter, you should either have the courage to step out from under your cloak of cowardice, or the decency to hold your peace.

Buh buh buh but Steve! If people stepped out from their under their Snuggies Cloaks O' Cowardice, they wouldn't feel like the big strong people they just know they are (deep down under the caked layers of chickens**t and what-not). And we can't have that, can we?

You ask so much, Steve.

My question for those who might know. It was said that another judge has to come in to be his judge. Are we paying for that judge? I'm sure we are. That means his mistake will cost the county..

Amber said:

I have personally witnessed Mr. Dukart stagger out of a bar, get in his car and drive off. This is just a matter karma coming back to get him.

So did you call the police?

He is human. We All make mistakes. He gave me a chance to make up for mine four years ago and I took it. I haven't drank since. I hope he gets the same chance he gave me, and I hope it turns out the same way.
To me he is fair guy that got caught doing something that a lot of people get away with time and again every night.
It would not be fair if we hold him to a higher standard just because of his job, sure he should know better, but we all should know better.
I do think it is funny that people get so rilled up about D.U.I.'s in a town with more bars AND casinos per capita than any big city,and expect every single person to be resposible enough to take the ONE cab home at night.

Personally I don't drink I just like the social interaction of a mellow bar scene.

To Wendy: If I were to sit at the bar and call the police on every single individual that I knew was going to drive home in their drunken state then I would be on the phone all night. It is not my job to catch these people in the act, that would be the job of Miles City's finest.
And how many of you out there witness anybody at a bar get in their car and drive away intoxicated and don't call the police? Don't try to turn this on me, as I'm not the only one guilty of not running to the police.

Hmm.... do I sense a "crapduck" for city judge campaign on the horizon?

Great post, ABE! If everyone in that town who got behind the wheel while "under the influence" were arrested and tossed in jail, Miles City would blow away with the tumbleweeds.

That is a sad, and I think, inaccurate statement about Miles City citizens, Bob.

It is inaccurate. On the other hand, there are a lot of people driving home drunk on a nightly basis from the bars in MC. I was a the Alta at closing a few times and thought that if they set up a DUI checkpoint at the parking lot exit they could probably arrest 9 out of 10 cars leaving.

The Star says his judge will be Judge Neese. BTW Judge Dukart was pulled over for driving on the wrong side of the road.

The Star article I read indicated that Judge Neese intended to recuse himself from the case.

Neese will not be his judge due to conflict so they are bringing in a judge from out of town.

I called the cops couldn't have been but a week or two ago about him driving drunk. He was driveing in the middle of the road in the parking lane and going from one extremely slow to fast. I followed him from Main Street down Strevell, East down Peral and back to Parkers. I was talking to the dispatch when I turned onto Main and headed home and met a cop at the underpass, but he didn't get his DUI that night. Tj Hoff

Why doesn't he just go to Neese and cop to reckless driving?

We all make mistakes, even city judges. Ralph is a good guy.

"I was talking to the dispatch when I turned onto Main and headed home and met....."


Huh.....I thought talking on a cellphone while driving was illegal?

"I was talking to the dispatch when I turned onto Main and headed home and met....."


Huh.....I thought talking on a cellphone while driving was illegal?


That is just plain....















hoff-ful

There are currently no laws in Montana that ban the use of cell phones while operating a motor vehicle.

"He was driveing in the middle of the road in the parking lane..."

I don't get this. I've never seen a parking lane in the middle of the road. Can someone please explain?

...There must not be any law banning use of cell phone while driving, every MC police officer you pass is talking on their cell phone while driving...

I stand by my statement, sad as it is.

Ahhh...I think I got it. If one inserts "and" before "in the parking lane," then it makes perfect sense.

A mistake is one thing. This looks like a larger problem than just a mistake.

...There must not be any law banning use of cell phone while driving, every MC police officer you pass is talking on their cell phone while driving...

Can you not think of a reason why a police officer would need to speak on a cell phone while driving, spacekace?

I'll spot you one - not all information that police officers require to do their jobs can be communicated over a police radio due to the trolls out there with scanners.

There are myriad others.

You can tell someone that they may have made a mistake, but you can not tell someone that they have a problem. They must realize that themselves.

He is human. We All make mistakes. He gave me a chance to make up for mine four years ago and I took it. I haven't drank since. I hope he gets the same chance he gave me, and I hope it turns out the same way.
To me he is fair guy that got caught doing something that a lot of people get away with time and again every night.

This really gets to me. So you say it's alright for a man who puts people in jail for driving drunk to drive drunk himself? That's not right. By that logic if he puts a murderer in jail it's then alright for him to go kill. I don't think so. The guy broke the law that he has sworn to uphold and he should now be held accountable. What if he would have killed someone while driving drunk? What if it was one of your relatives? Would you be so lenient with him?

Brian,

I realize that the police officers can not transfer all information over their radios...thus, they use cell phones, or park and chat at Blue Rock. I was just stating that it must not be illegal if I see the police doing it. If it was illegal, they would have to follow the same rules citizens do--right?!

Actually, spacekace, here in Washington state the hands-free cell phone law exempts emergency responders (i.e. the police). It also exempts citizens using a handheld cell phone to call 911 to report an emergency.

- Dave

I'm still a little bit in awe of the phrase "Ralph Dukart, City Judge", but after "Butch Grenz, City Mayor", nothing really shocks me anymore.

If he screwed up then he screwed up, and I'm sure he'll be sentenced accordingly. Inevitably, this will be viewed as either too lenient, and a thread will be started (probably by someone with the rather unfortunate name of "magicpony75", for which they were undoubtedly teased mercilessly in junior high), or it will be seen as a witchhunt, and again, "seminole_fluid" will start a thread to rally the troops.

So, either way you look at it, mc.com is ruined forever. Damn you Ralph Dukart and your allegedly drunken ass!

But thank you, Ralph, for always lettings us know:

First down, Cowboys!!!

Yes, Ralph is a Judge, yes he should be more responsible for his actions because he is an elected official and people tend to notice you more. What he does on his own time when he is out of office "IS" his own business. If he has been charged with a DUI it is not our right to judge him because what goes around comes around.He does not have the right to bad mouth women and he shouldn't but when you drink a lot of things happen and you also take responsibility for that also. Now, seriously. My name is Veronica

When I lived in Helena, my main job was prosecuting vehicle offenses including DUIs. I read a lot of studies about DUI offenders. For most offenders their first DUI is not the first time they've ever driven drunk despite their protestations to the contrary. They've usually driven drunk dozens if not hundreds of times. It's just the first time they've been caught. Isn't that a scary thought?

Should a judge get a harder punishment because he is a judge? No.
Should a judge get the same rights he defends? Yes.

First Offense Montana DUI

1 day to 6 months jail time

$300 to $1,000 in fines

Drivers license suspension for 6 months

[This message has been edited by ABE (9/18/2009)]

ABE : You are precisely RIGHT ON !!!! As yet, none of us know ****all**** the pertinent details and circumstances of Judge Dukart's recent faux pas. It is no big deal anyway. Drinking and driving NEVER was a BIG DEAL until the Insurance Industry started sleeping with all the state legislatures and crafted all the laws that make a DUI a $10,000 deal now. Period. Those of you who read this TRUTH and know it as I have always known it to be know I am right. The rest of you who do not ever enjoy an original thought can whine until the cows come home........too bad. Those of us who know cannot waste our time teaching those of you who only can bitch and complain and never actually K N O W what is going on.
If people oppose Ralph Dukart, they do it from a mindless basis of stupidity. He is FAR and AWAY way way way way better a City Judge than either of his predecessors. Plus, he is over 24 or 26 years a VETERAN of the Uniformed Services of his country. Bitchers and whiners cry that he drinks a little. So? History already records that one of the BIGGEST and BEST actors of World War II.........was smashed a great deal of the time !!!!!!!! Winston Churchill was a Scotch Hound like I am.........except that he dealt with Hitler and Mussolini and chugged scotch CONSTANTLY !!!!!!
The most powerful and thereby most EFFECTIVE Union general of the U.S. Civil War was drunk on his ass inappropriately alot......alot........Ulysses Simpson Grant.......and he was elected to be the President of the United States after he sauntered through the Civil War drunk way too often.

117......yes......one hundred seventeen of the 535 THUGS who are the United States Congress have had at least one DUI !!!!!!!!!!

I never received a DUI even though was stopped seven (7) times when I had been drinking and drinking alot.

The highminded lunatic who just crashed Denny Rehberg's boat was drunk........so?

Perhaps judge Dukart should have exercised better judgment at the time. Who are we to judge? Which of us actually succeeds living in our glass houses?

I perhaps know more about drinking and driving than 99.9% of any people who ever write on this website.

May 19, 1967...Friday night before the Bucking Horse Sale........returning from a beer bust in the Pinehills...was blinded by the oncoming truck's headlights.....crossed over the centerline and collided head-on with the semi.
How does a 4,130 pound 1955 Chevy two-door sedan strike a semi truck and do $9,600 worth of damage? Rip off a fuel tank. Powder the clutch. Split the transmission case length-wise. Spring the cab to being utterly useless. By traveling at 55 mph? I do not think so.

How does a best friend become pulverized, almost having every bone in his body broken and crushed like an accordian? At 55 mph? Do not think so.

Why did I have to do 97 days in the Holy Rosary Hospital, 68 of which in traction for a double compound fractured leg? Why did I receive 92 stitches in my face? Why were each of my ribs on my right side broken? Why did two doctors have to sew all my front teeth back into my gums? Why was I unconscious for 14 days? Why did I have two concussions and three skull fractures? Why did Doctor Thompson have to wipe the diesel fuel and glass chips and dirt from the dura presenting (front lobe of the brain ) before he so meticulously sewed my scalp closed over a 3/4 inch triangle carved out of my forehead?

Because I was stupid at that particular time in my life. I acted stupidly and caused the crushing death of my very best friend who had been..... drinking...... dragging Main all afternoon with my very same 1955 Chevy.
Either one of us could have been driving that night. Both of us drank all the time, and I do mean all the time.

The point? "Living kills and everything changes."

Ralph Dukart is a very very good man. His drinking has now this ONCE become a small town issue.

So? He deserves the JUSTICE of every facet and part of the LAW.......that his over twenty years in uniform he fought for.

His attorney of record I believe is T. Hanson. Hanson has been one of my closest friends for 45 years. Hanson is also one of the very finest reputed attorneys in all of southeastern Montana.

This deal will be alright in a very few months.

The R E A L drinking and driving issue that affects all of us a great deal more than anything else..........is ALWAYS THE DRUNKENESS of the Executive and Legislative Branches of government !!!

My bet is that when Barry Whatshizname aka Obama-banana and company declare martial law in America........they will all be drunk.

Do you think that perhaps Pelosi's drinking causes her to resemble a great deal the sunken face of the just departed queer.......Michael Jackson?

Just a musing.

Thank you. "Ship"

Brian,

I realize that the police officers can not transfer all information over their radios...thus, they use cell phones, or park and chat at Blue Rock. I was just stating that it must not be illegal if I see the police doing it. If it was illegal, they would have to follow the same rules citizens do--right?!

I know what you were saying. But officers are authorized under the law to do a great many things in the line of duty that civilians can't.

I am afraid I must disagree with you Mr. Shipley. About 25 years ago someone with your opinion that drinking and drive is no big deal ran into and killed my mother. This was after he had hit and paralyzed another person and hit and hospitalized a third on separate occasions. The dangers of drinking and driving are what making laws are all about, protecting innocent lives.

I knew a Ralph Dukart years back - around 17 yrs. or so ago.

We were both "non traditional" students at MCC (not 19 fresh out of high school). He was a friendly, big guy, probably +/- 40 years old, sat together in Jim Joyce's Business Law class. I'm wondering if I'm picturing the same person - just to get a bead on this conversation?

I'm wondering how people here feel about the lack of oversight or accountablity for courts of limited jurisdiction such as most city judges and county district courts. Courts of Limited Jurisdiction, those courts which are not required to keep transcripts ect. also do not have academic requirements for those positions. Additionally, there is no real oversight from the state supreme court with the exception that an elected judge must pass a knowledge test within six months of being seated. No local jurisdictions in eastern Montana have in their ordinances requirements for criminal history or how a judge should handle their office if they themselves find charges against them as in this case.

Defense attorneys and city/county attorneys in other towns said that similar situations would weigh heavily upon how they proceeded in their cases.

Should local ordinances spell out what should happen in similar circumstances? Should a judge be required to step down or put themselves on administrative leave if they are charged until it is resolved? Should a judge be required to step down if they are convicted during the time they are serving? If so, which crimes would warrant the action and which wouldn't....DUI? A Parking ticket?

Yeah, that's Ralph - I sat next to him in my freshman psychology class at MCC.

Should local ordinances spell out what should happen in similar circumstances? Should a judge be required to step down or put themselves on administrative leave if they are charged until it is resolved?

Under the Constitution of the United States, a person is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Did you sleep through Government classes or don't they teach that any more??

Hey Ship. Who paid for your hospital stay? Just asking.

Sunuvabitch, I'm totally with you, Brady.


Wendy, that would have been his parents.

[This message has been edited by Buck Showalter (9/19/2009)]

Steve - be careful when you disagree with Mr. Shipley. He tends to go ape-s**t.

Jim (not Jimbo) - well said. Kudos.

Buck - I agree with your first statement (and am equally stunned, yet pleased).

Wendy, that would have been his parents.



The 'L' stands for leech.

Wendy Wilson: The insurance company that was paid by Beacon Carter Service and W & S Propane Company. The ENTIRE bill was :

1. For LP Anderson's truck to remove the disabled semi.
2. The ambulance.
3. All 97 days of a PRIVATE ROOM ($40 per day)
4. Both doctors.....J.R.Thompson and Warren H. Randall
5. All surgeries.....May 19th and 20th.and.August 6th
6. Extra fees for traction equipments
7. All of the many times repeated Xrays
8. Jack's Body Shop wrecker to remove what was left of my '55 Chevy from the borrow pit
9. All of this.$5,099.45. Yes, 55 cents under fifty-one hundred dollars


+ + + + +Amplification of the GIGANTIC RIPOFF of healthcare now.
Loyd Ketchum's getting his back broken by a bull in Ellensburg,Washington two weeks ago..........will be well over $300,000!!

The medivac trip in a hospital-helicopter......32 minutes......$36,000 ! ! ! ! ! !

Reed: Why don't you and all your high-minded lunacy run for the sham-post of Miles City Mayor? You and that loser share a great deal in common. Neither of you know anything. Neither of you have ever been anywhere. Neither of you have ever really done anyting.and..ofcourse, neither of you have ever owned anything.except your big mouths. Well? What say you now, Clown?

[This message has been edited by Brian A. Reed (9/20/2009)]

Rob:

-Thanks for putting the healthcare costs in perspective.

- I didn't hear about Lloyd's wreck. Hopefully, he is doing okay.

Yeah, you broke that news to me. I pray that he's alright.
Always got a kick out of you two going back and forth down at the Olive.

I estimate Rob's hospital bills at about $34000 in todays dollars. I found an online conversion chart and did a little shotgun math. I agree that is a bargain for the care he received.

I feel bad about present day healthcare and I think the costs are driven by the insurance industry and lawyers. When a doctor must carry malpractice insurance that costs upwards of $500,000 per year, that cost will be passed on to the consumer. I bet in 1967 there wasn't nearly the same liability required, all driven by lawsuits.

The cost of the helicopter for Mr. Ketchum's ride to the hospital is driven by those same factors plus others. Air ambulance crashes are unfortunately common, and I can't begin to imagine what types of premiums they pay for insurance. Also, the cost of the equipment, maintainence, crew training and standby time are all very expensive. BUT IF YOU NEED THEM, it is worth every penny.

Now that we have drifted, I will say this, I think Mr. Dukhart deserves fair treatment. To fail, unfortunately, is human.

Jim,
I did not sleep through government classes. I am simply posing questions that have been asked of me and have been in heard in conversations related to the incident.

In a court of record, according to what I was told by state staff this indeed would be an issue as to judicial fitness.

Anyone else want to chime in?

School board Jim: An elementary teacher is accused of sexually molesting a child. Charges are filed and the teacher's case is pending trial. Does the school board place the teacher on administrative leave or let the teacher remain in the classroom pending the outcome of the trial?

There is a big difference between a mistake and a choice. Dropping an egg on the floor is a mistake. Drunk driving is a choice. I lost a dear friend in Miles City years ago to a drunk driver who had been arrested several times before for drunk driving. He also got away with this murder with only a fine.

If there was an educational or experience requirement on public official positions in Miles City more then half of them would go unfilled.

Back in the "good old days" you could get killed driving drunk and then have some football award named for you.

School board Jim: An elementary teacher is accused of sexually molesting a child. Charges are filed and the teacher's case is pending trial. Does the school board place the teacher on administrative leave or let the teacher remain in the classroom pending the outcome of the trial?

School Boards have lawyers and in cases like this, they use them. I'm not trying to dodge the question so I'll take a stab at an answer based on my experience managing contract employees.

First of all, yes, the Board will act within it's authority to remove a potential predator from the environment, for the safety of all involved and of course, to defend against liability for damages.

What you can do depends on Federal and State employment law, District policy and (possibly) the union contract and/or the individual contract. In the District I served in, we could put the individual on paid administrative leave, but we couldn't fire them unless they were actually convicted of something.

Essentially our Master Contract gave the District limited rights to reassign the employee, which is basically all you are doing at that point. It's not a disciplinary action because you have no legal authority to discipline on an accusation, no matter what it is.

I have known Ralph for 5 years as a neighbor, I haven't seen any behavior from him that I haven't seen from most of Miles City's citizens. Being a former law enforcement officer, I feel the old saying:" if you can't do the time, don't do the crime," applies in all situations. The real blessing is that he didn't lose control of his vehicle and kill a child, something that happens with DUI's. I hope he thinks about this deed he has been charged with. We live in a country that a person is innocent until proven guilty, except in the military.
Why can't we wait to see if he is convicted, then see if we need to recall him from office based on the conviction. That's only fair,to him and us.

Judge Dukart,

One questions...how would you feel if you had killed someone?

If you choose to drink, please call a cab next time.

Many Miles Citians know you and love you so knock it off and get the help you need. You know better....

Isn't it nice to know that a person can kill his best friend and not even have to pay for his own hospital bills?

speaking of Karma, I hope it is applicable in this case, Wendy...

Maybe I will start selling custom wood based pedestals (with cup holders)