The Ghost of Smoky hill:

Teacher of Smoky Hill disappears and is charged with Sexual Assault

For the past few months, quite a few Smoky Hill teachers have “disappeared,” including Mrs. Terry Evans, a english teacher and the French teacher Maureen Curran but the real mystery, is the absence of 74-year-old English teacher Perry Weissman, all teachers disregarding Weissman have came back to Smoky with a logical reasoning behind their “disappearance.” As the news quickly spread around school in regards of Weissman, many rumors began to emerge through the walls of Smoky from the students about why he left and where he went, though many of them had no idea of the real reason.

Some Smoky students that were close to Weissman, Junior Emily Horton and Fatima Al-Maliki speak their opinion on the situation.

The two Junior students that were interviewed talk about what they heard about Mr.Weissman. First being a student named Emily Horton who was really close with Mr. Weissman. “I heard so many rumors, such as Weissman being fired to a more extreme of him being dead, but no one knows what really happened to him” said Horton.

Fatima Al-Maliki another Junior explains how she heard different things about what happened to him. “I did not believe any of the rumors, I heard students say. Like he was fired and that someone was being too personal in their essay so, they blamed him” Al-Maliki said, “But, I do think it had to do with us being personal about some events and things that has happened in our lives. The fact that we share it with the class.”

According to many, Weissman was a teacher that most respected and was loved by many students. The students loved him because, they would be able to go up to him for their problems. Knowing that they can talk to him about things and not get judged for it. He was the only teacher that students can tell their problems to and it affected a lot of students that had him as a teacher. “It affects me because, I don’t have a person to talk to. With anything and everything, and he was just amazing person. Like, he was my first go to if I needed anything. On his birthday I wrote him a letter saying- He was the grandpa I wish I had because, of just how amazing he is. It made me really happy, when I found out I brought him to tears knowing I know he feels the same way,” Horton said.

“He is the best teacher in the school, he was the only one to help every student here get into their dream college. Even if he doesn’t have the best of a student,” Horton said. Meaning he will help every student even though they are not the best.

Emily was very upset that Mr.Weissman left without any warning to anyone. She notice that she saw him one day. The next he was gone and she didn’t know why. Then slowly after time she notice he wasn’t coming back and was very upset about it. “I was devastated when I first heard he was gone and I still am. I mean I came in every single morning asking -Is he here? Is he here, and he is still not here,” said Horton.

Just a week after Principal Chuck Puga refused an interview with SmokyNow (Smoky Hill’s Newspaper program) a Fox News article was published at 8:52 PM on March 6, 2018 stating that Mr. Weissman was accused of sexually assaulting a former student of his, in the 1980’s. It was confirmed late Tuesday afternoon, that Mr.Weissman an english teacher is on paid administrative leave pending a personal matter.

Police report states on Dec. 11, they got an email from a former student of Weissman. The former student claimed, when she attended school in the 1980’s, Weissman “sexually assaulted” her by gaining her trust, which lead to many bad things between the two.

The former student also claimed in the report, that she emailed a letter to the district in 2005 about the “inappropriate relationship” in hopes of Weissman getting terminated. Smoky Hill not then continued to keep Weissman for the next 13 years. In 2005 the assault complaint never made it into Weissman personal file.

The former student most recent claim falls past the statute of limitations. Weissman cannot be criminally prosecuted even if police concluded they had enough evidence to move forward because, the law for potential sexual assault by a person in a position of trust has an end date of 20 years after the alleged incident.  

This is the incident that took place. Weissman worked at Arvada High School from 1969-1972 and created a group called SWS(School Within School). SWS was created to help students who had troubles learning with a traditional teaching style.

SWS went on three field trips together. They went to Santa Fe,Taos, and New Mexico to familiarize the students with some Indian and Spanish Culture. It was the second trip that then led to Weissman’s dismissal from Arvada High school.

There were Twenty Kids and Five adults on this trip going in several cars. During the car ride in between Denver and Santa Fe Weissman touched and tickled many of the girls all around their bodies and occasionally in between their legs. He later said that this was just “Good Natured Horseplay.” One of the other adult chaperones, Mrs. Beck was driving the van at the time that this had taken place.

All of the students who rode in the Van on this first day later apologize to Mrs. Beck saying that their actions with Weissman seemed “Pretty Gross.” But Weissman later on testified saying, “given a similar set of circumstances and similar situations, I would probably act in a similar way.” He also said that this “horseplay” was just a “positive educational experience.”

This then led to his dismissal from Arvada for Immortality, neglect of duty, and just for good cause.  

The information from this field trip came from:

https://law.justia.com/cases/colorado/supreme-court/1976/26779.html

With all the rumors going around and all the articles about what really happened to Mr. Weissman, we still don’t know if it’s true or not. Even if the articles about Mr. Weissman is true there’s nothing can be done. This happened so long ago and is now getting notice again, it’s too late, even if there’s a lot of evidence to prove Mr. Weissman actions toward the former student. They can do nothing about but, see if it’s true with him.

All we can tell is if Mr. Weissman did do those things, we may never look at him the same way again. As a teacher that was well respected and was loved by many students that had him as a teacher. That and also, the parents of those students that had him will think different of him.

Timeline of Mr. Weissman: