Xtreme Coverage: Teacher accused of sex with student

I gave an exclusive post last weekend on my homepage for local news to the story that broke in the media last Thursday regarding a teacher accused of sex with one of her students. I had a lot of questions and I was concerned most about a coverup, but unlike another local school district, the Central York School District says it reported this to authorities. But I'm sure of one thing, the school district didn't tell the public, even though students were going home and telling their parents about this case weeks ago. They spoke of Robin Winkis being taken out of her classroom during school and about her having sex with students. Maybe this talk made it to the press, but I suspect that reporter Carol Clarke of the Daily Record saw the records from District Justice Barbara Nixon's office where Winkis was arraigned last Monday. Then she started asking the police and school district questions. Arraignments happen weeks after arrests, so I'm certain she was arrested last month. I wonder if she was arrested the day she was taken out of her class during school. In recent years I've seen a lot of anger in the media directed at the Roman Catholic Church for covering up sex scandals to avoid prosecution, but public schools maybe doing the same thing. Parents ended up going to police when a York City School District gym teacher was accused by students of rubbing up against them with tight shorts on and the school district did nothing after an internal investigation. Police arrrested the teacher and cited the school district. I've heard a story about a teacher-coach in another school district who resigned from his job after having sex with a student. The manended up working for the Pennsylvania State Education Association. In this case, the school district says the teacher is suspended, but thanks to union protection (PSEA again) she's probably still getting paid and will be until she is terminated by the school district which will have to await a trial. Its quite possible her defense lawyer is a union lawyer (PSEA offers legal help to members accused of sexual wrongdoing) and she won't even have any legal bills. A PSEA lawyer will try to get her the best deal maybe a plea bargain to avoid the negative publicity for public education that would come from a trial. Another aspect of how public education covers up sex scandal in this case is how the school district reacted to the publicity. When the story broke last Thursday, students and staff were told "not to talk" about it. Students were threatened with three days suspension and questioning by police if they talked about it. And a staff member says that TV sets in the schoool showed snow instead of the usual cable TV signals on Thursday. Don't know if it was a coincidence or deliberate. Solicitor Mike King spoke for the school district, not Superintendent Dr. Linda Estep, who was unavailable for comment according to one news report. One parent I spoke to thought the school district should have been more open with the public about the incident. I have been told that parents of students in Miss Winkis' classes were told about it, but I cannot confirm this or exactly what information the school district gave those parents, but students based on the talk on the street spread the story far and wide even to some parents without any official comment from the school district for weeks after the teacher was suspended and arrested. One other thing, the students are also saying that the 17-year old boy in this case (who goes to school somewhere else now) is bragging about what happened. Are parents in touch with their children? That's a question I and other parents here in York should be asking and doing something about on a daily basis in light of what we are seeing here. People who threaten our children are out there in all professions. As a boy I met a teacher and a broadcaster who invited me to their homes. Fortunately I didn't go in either case.

I gave an exclusive post last weekend on my homepage for local news to the story that broke in the media last Thursday regarding a teacher accused of sex with one of her students. I had a lot of questions and I was concerned most about a coverup, but unlike another local school district, the Central York School District says it reported this to authorities.

But I'm sure of one thing, the school district didn't tell the public, even though students were going home and telling their parents about this case weeks ago. They spoke of Robin Winkis being taken out of her classroom during school and about her having sex with students.

Maybe this talk made it to the press, but I suspect that reporter Carol Clarke of the Daily Record saw the records from District Justice Barbara Nixon's office where Winkis was arraigned last Monday. Then she started asking the police and school district questions.

Arraignments happen weeks after arrests, so I'm certain she was arrested last month. I wonder if she was arrested the day she was taken out of her class during school. In recent years I've seen a lot of anger in the media directed at the Roman Catholic Church for covering up sex scandals to avoid prosecution, but public schools maybe doing the same thing.

Parents ended up going to police when a York City School District gym teacher was accused by students of rubbing up against them with tight shorts on and the school district did nothing after an internal investigation. Police arrrested the teacher and cited the school district.

I've heard a story about a teacher-coach in another school district who resigned from his job after having sex with a student. The manended up working for the Pennsylvania State Education Association.

In this case, the school district says the teacher is suspended, but thanks to union protection (PSEA again) she's probably still getting paid and will be until she is terminated by the school district which will have to await a trial. Its quite possible her defense lawyer is a union lawyer (PSEA offers legal help to members accused of sexual wrongdoing) and she won't even have any legal bills.

A PSEA lawyer will try to get her the best deal maybe a plea bargain to avoid the negative publicity for public education that would come from a trial. Another aspect of how public education covers up sex scandal in this case is how the school district reacted to the publicity.

When the story broke last Thursday, students and staff were told "not to talk" about it. Students were threatened with three days suspension and questioning by police if they talked about it. And a staff member says that TV sets in the schoool showed snow instead of the usual cable TV signals on Thursday. Don't know if it was a coincidence or deliberate.

Solicitor Mike King spoke for the school district, not Superintendent Dr. Linda Estep, who was unavailable for comment according to one news report. One parent I spoke to thought the school district should have been more open with the public about the incident.

I have been told that parents of students in Miss Winkis' classes were told about it, but I cannot confirm this or exactly what information the school district gave those parents, but students based on the talk on the street spread the story far and wide even to some parents without any official comment from the school district for weeks after the teacher was suspended and arrested.

One other thing, the students are also saying that the 17-year old boy in this case (who goes to school somewhere else now) is bragging about what happened. Are parents in touch with their children? That's a question I and other parents here in York should be asking and doing something about on a daily basis in light of what we are seeing here.

People who threaten our children are out there in all professions. As a boy I met a teacher and a broadcaster who invited me to their homes. Fortunately I didn't go in either case.

Maybe this would be easier to read!!

I gave an exclusive post last weekend on my homepage for local news to the story that broke in the media last Thursday regarding a teacher accused of sex with one of her students. I had a lot of questions and I was concerned most about a cover-up, but unlike another local school district, the Central York School District says it reported this to authorities.

But I'm sure of one thing, the school district didn't tell the public, even though students were going home and telling their parents about this case weeks ago. They spoke of Robin Winkis being taken out of her classroom during school and about her having sex with students. Maybe this talk made it to the press, but I suspect that reporter Carol Clarke of the Daily Record saw the records from District Justice Barbara Nixon's office where Winkis was arraigned last Monday.

Then she started asking the police and school district questions. Arraignments happen weeks after arrests, so I'm certain she was arrested last month. I wonder if she was arrested the day she was taken out of her class during school.

In recent years I've seen a lot of anger in the media directed at the Roman Catholic Church for covering up sex scandals to avoid prosecution, but public schools maybe doing the same thing. Parents ended up going to police when a York City School District gym teacher was accused by students of rubbing up against them with tight shorts on and the school district did nothing after an internal investigation. Police arrested the teacher and cited the school district.

I've heard a story about a teacher/coach in another school district who resigned from his job after having sex with a student. The man ended up working for the Pennsylvania State Education Association.
In this case, the school district says the teacher is suspended, but thanks to union protection (PSEA again) she's probably still getting paid and will be until she is terminated by the school district which will have to await a trial. Its quite possible her defense lawyer is a union lawyer (PSEA offers legal help to members accused of sexual wrongdoing) and she won't even have any legal bills. A PSEA lawyer will try to get her the best deal maybe a plea bargain to avoid the negative publicity for public education that would come from a trial.

Another aspect of how public education covers up sex scandal in this case is how the school district reacted to the publicity. When the story broke last Thursday, students and staff were told "not to talk" about it. Students were threatened with three days suspension and questioning by police if they talked about it. And a staff member says that TV sets in the school showed snow instead of the usual cable TV signals on Thursday. Don't know if it was a coincidence or deliberate.

Solicitor Mike King spoke for the school district, not Superintendent Dr. Linda Estep, who was unavailable for comment according to one news report. One parent I spoke to thought the school district should have been more open with the public about the incident.

I have been told that parents of students in Miss Winkis' classes were told about it, But I cannot confirm this or exactly what information the school district gave those parents. Students, based on the talk on the street, spread the story far and wide. Even to some parents without any official comment from the school district for weeks after the teacher was suspended and arrested.

One other thing, the students are also saying that the 17 year old boy in this case (who goes to school somewhere else now) is bragging about what happened. Are parents in touch with their children? That's a question I and other parents here in York should be asking and doing something about on a daily basis in light of what we are seeing here. People who threaten our children are out there in all professions. As a boy I met a teacher and a broadcaster who invited me to their homes. Fortunately I didn't go in either case.

I'm a student at CYHS.

I haven't heard anything about a 3 day suspension for students. I talk about it all the time in school.

When the first YDR article came out all the teachers were more open to talk about it. I think they were a little curious. One teacher said "I've heard rumors for days, and I just didn't want to believe them."

The teachers were more strict after the second YDR article was released on 12/16/05. This article said that Winkis had sex many times with a second student, and even smoked pot with him. We had a two hour delay for ice that morning, so we students had more time to read the paper. Myself (along with some other kids) brought the article into school. All four of my teachers scolded me for having it out before the bell rang. The first two teachers asked me nicely to put it away. The third one YELLED at me for having it out. Finally, the fourth one said "You know, it's non of my business and non of your business." The fact of the matter is my parents are paying hard earned tax dollars to give a teacher money to get high with a student....

Thanks for your input. I think this "none of your business" stuff comes from the top. Dr. Linda Estep and the school board want to keep up a good image with the taxpayers. Its gets passed on down the line to the teachers. Back when Bill Clinton was president they said pretty much the same thing when scandal broke about him and Monica Lewinsky even though it illustrated how he was a self-serving liar and an adulterous man with a lust for power and control. Government and politics revolves around image to keep ones job (like school board). The truth hurts that image. Also, I wouldn't underestimate the shame and hurt that some feel that one of their own would be involved in this. Some of them were closer to Robin Winkis than others or maybe they thought they were. They may be concerned about her and what appears to be her sexual addiction and that's not a bad thing.

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