Perry principal, teacher face charges after aide’s arrest
PERRY — The principal at Perry Upper Elementary School failed to report the alleged molestation of four girls, resulting in 10 other children being victimized, police say.
A math teacher at the school is accused of failing to report a similar allegation, telling investigators he didn’t think it was credible, police say.
In police interviews, Principal Kenda Miller, 51, characterized Arnold Cowen — the former teacher’s assistant accused of molesting 10 girls — “to be of great moral character.” Teacher Jeffrey Sullins, 51, said Cowen was a “model instructor.”
Cowen, 85, is charged in Noble County District Court with 18 felony counts of lewd or indecent acts with a child, two felony counts of lewd or indecent proposals and one felony count of possession of child pornography.
He is accused of inappropriately touching girls ranging in age from 10 to 13, court records show.
Police said Cowen confessed to molesting children. He has been banned from the school.
Miller is charged with one misdemeanor count of failure to promptly report child abuse or neglect. Sullins is charged
with two misdemeanor counts of failing to report the alleged abuse.
Both said they didn’t report the allegations to law enforcement, the Department of Human Services or parents because they believed the girls were lying, police reported.
Miller told police it was not the first time time a complaint about Cowen inappropriately touching students had been brought to her attention.
“We have had these allegations on Cowen before, but we determined they were fabricated by the students,” police quoted Miller as saying.
Perry Public Schools Superintendent Scott Chenoweth, meanwhile, has been suspended by the school board, which was scheduled to meet behind closed doors Thursday night to determine his fate.
Forrest Smith, Perry’s assistant police chief, told The Oklahoman the investigation is continuing “with the possibility of further arrest warrant affidavits being submitted to the DA’s office.”
“There are more (victims),” he said.
Reached Thursday, Noble County District Attorney Brian Hermanson said, “I can’t tell you for sure what the final number will be.”
Cowen was arrested Jan. 27 and released three days later on $50,000 bail. His attorney did not immediately return calls seeking comment Thursday.
Cowen told the assistant police chief allegations he “fondled” and “molested” female students in math class and in the hallways of Perry Upper Elementary School were true, an affidavit states.
Cowen identified seven of his victims by name and described their bodies, adding “there had been more victims that he could not identify by names but was willing to point these victims out if pictures (headshots) were provided to him,” Smith reported.
Cowen also told the investigator he fondled the breasts of four sixthgrade girls over a period of time, saying he “grabbed, rubbed and held their breasts and inappropriately maneuvered his hands over their bodies.”
A statement issued Thursday by Perry Public Schools says the district “tries to do its best to provide an environment which is conducive to learning, is safe and which protects our students.”
“As the facts of this matter are uncovered by the investigation by the Perry Police Department, the criminal prosecutions by the District Attorney’s Office, and the District’s review of this situation, any additional actions which need to be taken to address this matter will be implemented by the District,” the statement reads.
Attorney Cameron Spradling is representing four of the girls. He characterized Perry, with about 5,000 residents, as a community “in pain.”
“Our clients, these brave and truthful little girls, will be referred to as ‘Jane Doe Nos. 1-4’ to protect their personal identities and in the unfortunate anticipation of all the many victims who will be given consecutive ‘Jane Doe’ numbers in the future,” Spradling said in a statement.
The mother of one of the girls told The Oklahoman the school district failed her child.
“As a mom you want to be able to fix things, and this isn’t one you can fix,” she said. “I can’t take away the hurt that man caused or the pain her math teacher, the principal and superintendent caused by not reporting it.
“When my child leaves the house, it’s their job to protect them and do what’s right. They failed to do the right thing.”