The Homer-Center School District’s board of trustees unanimously approved the resignation of a high school business teacher Tuesday after he was arrested Dec. 11 on child pornography charges.
Homer-Center High School business teacher and yearbook adviser Charles Kirkland, 31, was charged with four third-degree felony charges on Sunday, Dec. 11: two counts of child pornography and distribution of photographs/videos of child sexual acts and criminal use. of a communication facility. Kelly Hammers was released on $10,000 bond pending a preliminary hearing today in Derry Township.
Kirkland’s next preliminary hearing before Judge Hammers is set for January 18, 2023.
Board members Misty Hunt and Vicki Smith were absent from Tuesday’s special vote meeting. Board member James McLoughlin made a motion to accept Kirkland’s resignation, and board member Alan Shank seconded the motion, which passed 7-0.
Kirkland is on administrative leave since his arrest, Homer-Center Superintendent Ralph Cecere Jr. said after the Dec. 15 regular board meeting. Cecere said none of the charges against Kirkland are in any way related to the school district and the district will continue to work with law enforcement.
Cecere said Tuesday’s special voting meeting was a way to bring closure after the arrest of Kirkland, who had taught in the district since August 2016.
“Tonight’s actions will put an end to an unfortunate circumstance,” Cece said, “and we will do our best to move forward and continue to serve our students the best we can.”
Also Tuesday, the board unanimously approved Michael Reilly as Kirkland’s substitute for classes beginning Jan. 3, 2023. Reilly, a retired Penns Manor Area School District business, computer information and technology (BCIT) teacher, will continue at the high school. business replacement until the district finds a permanent replacement for Kirkland. Cece said the district will start advertising the position today.
“He’s a retired educator, a BCIT educator, and he’s been kind enough to help us until we find someone to fill that position,” Cece said. “It hasn’t officially started yet. We’ve been filling (that position) with a substitute teacher, and Mr. Reilly will come to us after the holidays.”
As for Kirkland’s yearbook adviser position, Cecere said the staff will continue to fill it until the board formally approves someone to take over.
Kirkland resigned voluntarily, according to Cecere, but Cecere said the district would not release a copy of his resignation letter because it is a “personal matter.”
As with any state or local government entity, the Homer-Center school board requires 24 hours’ notice of all public meetings.
The Indiana Gazette posted an ad for the Homer-Center special voting meeting on its website Monday. Cece said the online notice was sufficient to comply with Pennsylvania’s Sunshine Act, which requires a 24-hour notice to be published in a newspaper of general circulation.
“We gave 24 hours notice,” Cece said. “It appeared in the Indiana Gazette online version … at noon (Monday). It has to be in a circulation newspaper. And because the Indiana Gazette is a circulation newspaper, they have an online version, we were able to publish that (on time).”
