Dandan principal clears school in teacher aide case

Dandan Elementary School principal Jonas Barcinas clarified yesterday that the teacher aide who is currently on trial on drug trafficking charges has not been working for the school since the start of school year 2004-2005.

He said Rosalynne P. Aldan has not been connected with them since the school opened this school year.

Barcinas said the teacher aide is currently employed at Hopwood Junior High School under its Special Education Program.

Earlier reports said that the Attorney General’s Office had filed two charges of possession and trafficking of “ice” against the 28-year-old teacher aide. Court records had identified the suspect as a teacher aide at Dandan Elementary School. The Public School System could not immediately confirm if she was still with Dandan at the time of her arrest.

Barcinas also denied that Aldan is a former employee of San Vicente Elementary School but the news reports did not indicate this, besides saying that Aldan was arrested at the San Vicente school.

Aldan has denied the charges and pleaded “not guilty” during her arraignment in court Monday last week.

Barcinas said the information provided by the report prompted numerous concerns by parents and members of the community. He said a flood of calls by parents about their children’s safety and quality of the school’s staff “greatly mortified our school’s outlook within the island community.”

Barcinas said his statement would hopefully clear his school’s name in connection with this matter.

Public School System associate commissioner David M. Borja had said that, based on PSS rules and regulations, the teacher aide’s case could be considered criminal conduct. PSS rules state that, “The commission of a crime of moral turpitude will result in dismissal. Crimes of moral turpitude include but are not limited to illegal drug use, sexual misconduct, bribery and theft.”

He said the use of drugs among teachers brings negative impact not only to themselves but also to their loved ones and families and if they are involved in education, then they even bring negative impact to students.

Borja said the Education office is very strict against illegal drugs, ensuring that school premises must be a “drug free workplace” and violation of this rule will result in the dismissal of an employee.