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Stamford High Officials Plead Not Guilty To Charges In Teacher Affair Case

STAMFORD, Conn. -- Stamford High School Principal Donna Valentine and Assistant Principal Roth Nordin, charged last week with failing to report a sexual relationship between an English teacher and a student, let their lawyers do the talking for them during their first appearance in court on Wednesday.

Stamford High Assistant Principal Roth Nordin, left, walks out of the Stamford court house with her lawyer Norm Pattis by her side. She and principal Donna Valentine are charged with failing to report a teacher's sexual relationship with a student.

Stamford High Assistant Principal Roth Nordin, left, walks out of the Stamford court house with her lawyer Norm Pattis by her side. She and principal Donna Valentine are charged with failing to report a teacher's sexual relationship with a student.

Photo Credit: Frank MacEachern

And one of the lawyers, Norm Pattis, who represents Nordin, was blunt in his comments about the case outside the courtroom.

“Really? This is how the state of Connecticut chooses to use its tax resources?” he said as Nordin stood by him in the lobby of state Superior Court in Stamford. 

"This is an unprecedented and quite frankly ridiculous prosecution.”

Mark Sherman, Valentine’s lawyer, was more circumspect in his comments.

“We are going to take our time reviewing the police reports and the witness statements. Remember, these are only accusations and we hope to piece together this timeline in a way that will allow for the best resolution for Dr. Valentine,” Sherman said.

Valentine was aware and had experience with reporting allegations of improper conduct to the state Department of Children and Families, Sherman said.

“During her 20 years as an educator and administrator, she has complied with DCF reporting requirements. This was not a cover-up by any means.”

The educators’ lawyers entered not guilty pleas on their clients' behalf during the brief appearance in court. Their cases were transferred to Part A, where the more serious cases are heard. Their next court appearance is Oct. 21.

Valentine, 62, and Nordin, 59, were charged Oct. 2 by Stamford police with failing to notify DCF immediately that they suspected a sexual relationship between Danielle Watkins, a 32-year-old English teacher from Norwalk, and an 18-year-old student. 

Police said the two administrators knew as early as January about the allegations after being told by several different people but instead conducted their own investigation. Police became aware of the allegations in June and arrested Watkins in July.

Watkins also is alleged to have provided marijuana to the student and to a second student, police said.

Watkins makes her next court appearance on Oct. 17.

Valentine and Nordin are on paid leave from the Stamford Public Schools.

 

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