I had a message when I got home last night from my friend Bryan saying that I should watch the news because there was a story about a teacher who is accused of sexual misconduct with a student and that we graduated with that teacher. Well, Kare11 didn’t carry the story, and that’s the news I usually watch, so my search headed to the internet and OMG he was right!
Joe Tucker, a teacher at Como Park HS, graduated with us from high school. He is being charged with some serious things & it sounds like the ‘affair’ (if that’s what you would call it) has been going on for MONTHS. Ick. Ick. ICK! I cannot believe this. It’s almost like déjà vu…our Jr. high band instructor was charged with molesting young boys shortly after I graduated from High School. I always thought Mr. Haase was sort of creepy, but he became the marching band director my senior year so I gave him a second chance. When he was accused, and then plead guilty I believe, I decided that I should stick to my gut instincts.
Anyway, I never really thought of Joe as a bad guy. I didn’t know him outside of school, but Joe played flute so I knew him during band & marching band throughout high school. He married another of our classmates & fellow flutist, Erica, and I believe they have a few kids. They didn’t attend our class reunion last year, so I probably haven’t seen them in close to 10 yrs…wow. I still can’t believe this. THEN, Chris was listening to the KQ morning show today & in their report they said that his wife “supports” him. WHAT?!?!?! Supports him?!?! He was acting inappropriately with at least one under age person…support him? Are you kidding? No way. As I said before: ICK.
Here’s the Star Tribune article.