Substitute teacher banned from district following South Haven incident

SOUTH HAVEN, Michigan — A substitute teacher is banned from teaching in South Haven Public Schools following an incident Tuesday at Baseline Middle School.

The teacher is now under investigation by South Haven police, according to a memo sent by the district Wednesday.

The middle school was put on lockdown after police said a student reported that a substitute teacher was “discussing political topics” that made them uncomfortable in class, the district said.

Administrative staff met with the substitute teacher after interviewing other students in the class; the teacher then left the building after the conversation, the memo said.

After the substitute teacher left the school, Allegan County officers were called to a business where Deputy Sheriff Michael Larson told News Channel 3 he committed a crime. Officers arrested the man; however, the deputy sheriff did not specify what the crime was.

The district said a concerned family member of the substitute teacher also contacted local law enforcement about him.

The school was subsequently informed around noon of the teacher’s crime and was placed in quarantine.

The parents then received a text message informing them of the lockdown approximately 30 minutes later.

Amber Hodge, a mother, said the text did not provide enough context or information about the lockdown.

“It was not indicated that this person was a substitute teacher that day at my son’s school,” Hodge said.

The text states, in part, that the lockdown was due to a “tip from local law enforcement” after learning that a person in crisis was in a vehicle.

Even though the lockdown was lifted on Wednesday, Hodge kept his son at home.

“I don’t know what the truth is, the parents are saying it, the district is saying nothing and until I can get to the bottom of it I wanted to keep him home for the day,” Hodge said.

At no time was there any report that the man made threatening statements toward students or the school system, according to the district.

The man was released on bail pending arraignment, according to Undersheriff Larson.

The investigation remains open, according to the South Haven Police Department.