EBENSBURG, Pa. (WJAC) — A Cambria County teacher is facing a slew of charges after police said he inappropriately touched two 15-year-old female students on a class field trip to the state Capitol in March, according to a criminal complaint.
According to court documents, 68-year-old James Luksik, a teacher at Bishop Carroll Catholic High School, is facing three felonies, including sexual contact with a student, unlawful contact with a minor and corruption of minors.
The charges were filed Monday by Harrisburg State Capitol Police.
In March, police said Bishop Carroll Principal Lorie Ratchford told police she received a text alert from Pennsylvania’s Safe2Say program from an anonymous reporter regarding Luksik and inappropriate behavior and comments toward girls in his classroom.
According to the criminal complaint, the Safe2Say report said Luksik would make jokes about students’ appearances, calling one former student a “babe” and another “hot.”
The Safe2Say reporter also said that Luksik would touch girls in the classroom, such as petting their heads and hair, touching their butts and standing very closely behind students while on the field trip.
Court documents show Luksik was removed from the classroom when school administrators received the tip.
In an interview with police in April, one of the girls told police that while on the bus for their field trip to the capitol, Luksik walked through the aisle and rubbed his genital area on another girl who was sitting in an aisle row seat as he walked by.
The girl also told police that while at the capitol, Luksik had open-hand patted her on the butt as students walked through a doorway.
Police said surveillance video taken the day of the field trip shows the students walking through the doorway, and the girl sidestepping and looking back toward the doorway shortly before Luksik walked through the same doorway.
In another April interview, a second girl told police that Luksik touched her butt as students passed through a doorway.
A Facebook post on Bishop Carroll’s page shows students at the state Capitol the same day the alleged incidents are said to have occurred.
As of Tuesday afternoon, Luksik is listed on the school’s website as a Social Studies, 9th Grade World Geography, Civics (American Government) teacher.
Bishop Carroll Catholic High School Released the following statement:
A Bishop Carroll faculty member was immediately placed on leave in March 2019 after we were notified of an allegation through the Safe2Say app. Bishop Carroll learned of charges filed against the individual yesterday, August 12, when we were contacted by a media outlet seeking comment. Bishop Carroll has not been contacted by law enforcement and cannot provide further comment. As always, the safety of our students is our number one priority and it is our intent to cooperate fully if and when we are contacted by authorities.ncG1vNJzZmivmpawtcKNnKamZ56axLR7y6iamqRfpbyttcKeZJuho528sXnCmqmrp5xiwaatwqGcq2Wlo7miw8Wuo6WxXam8tq%2FHnptmal2ctrO40mamp2WYlr%2BztdKbrKufXZu2prjDramiqG%2Bqwa6r0qisq5uVcrOivspfrK2lj6KypbXUpnSwnZKotrWxha6rppeTpLu1sc2tdKWhnqBzio%2BofXSrnZaUs6K%2Byg%3D%3D