Bay City News Service
A 36-year-old former biology teacher at Westmont High School has been charged with several counts of child molestation involving three girls, said a San Jose Police Department spokesman.
Officer John Carrillo said police arrested John McCabe at his Felton home on May 2 following a police investigation. McCabe has not entered a plea to the charges.
The Campbell Union High School District contacted the San Jose Police Department's Sexual Assault Unit in March after learning that McCabe may have been involved in inappropriate sexual behavior with some of his students, Carrillo said. The school district learned about the alleged incidents from the victims, Carrillo said.
Carrillo declined to provide information about specific acts.
Police investigators determined that the alleged incidents occurred between 1989 and 1996. McCabe has also been charged with giving his victims marijuana and cocaine. The Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office issued a warrant for McCabe's arrest, and bail was set at $750,000. McCabe, who taught at Westmont High School for 10 years, has been booked into the Santa Clara County Jail, Carrillo said.
School Superintendent Bruce Hauger said the school district was not aware of anything unusual going on until a female student of McCabe's filed a civil claim against the district in January. Subsequently, two more of McCabe's students filed civil complaints, alleging sexual misconduct.
"We immediately removed him from the site, contacted the police department and hired an independent investigator," Hauger said.
After the second and third complaints came in, McCabe was put on admistrative leave without pay and dismissal proceedings were begun, Hauger said. The teacher's dismissal will be effective at the end of this month, he said. The district has also filed to remove McCabe's teaching credential.
"It's like running into a wall," the superintendent said. "There's a special bond of trust between the school district and parents, and in this case, one of our professionals stepped over the line. It's a case of lack of mural turpitude."
All of the incidents took place off the campus, Hauger said.
Investigators believe there may be additional molestation victims.
Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to contact Det. Enrique Garcia or Sgt. George Graham at 277-4102. Callers who wish to remain anonymous can contact the San Jose Police Crime Stoppers Unit at 947-STOP.
Westmont High School is located on Westmont Avenue, off Quito Road.
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This article appeared in the Saratoga News, May 14, 1997.
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