PAHOKEE, FL–
A Palm Beach County high school teacher has pleaded guilty to simple battery charges after he was accused of inappropriately touching and choking female students.
Stephen Goodman of Pahokee High School pleaded guilty to four misdemeanor counts of simple battery in court on Thursday.
Police started investigating Goodman after the parents of a female student contacted them following allegations that Goodman touched their child’s breasts.
According to the report, the student first complained about Goodman in November of 2021 but declined to press charges against him to allow the school to handle the situation:
“Mr. Goodman came up behind her as she was working on the class smartboard and placed his hands on her waist. She stated that she told him not to touch her and he immediately began to squeeze her waist, which she stated began to hurt. She stated that she had to pull his hands from her waist to stop him. She said he did it a second time on another occasion. She said that Goodman would constantly make inappropriate comments about her. On October 5, 2021, she was standing in front of a mirror in the classroom adjusting her shirt, when she said Goodman made a comment to her in front of the class, about her bra and breast size. She also stated that there have been other incidents in which Goodman would tickle her, touch her hair, or touch her waist while making inappropriate comments to her. She claimed that Goodman even told the class that she had lost her virginity to her boyfriend the night before. [The officer investigating this incident] obtained a sworn statement from a fellow student classmate that claimed that she told him that she was in pain after he witnessed Goodman pinch her waist. The report also documents that she reported Goodman’s action to [a school counselor]. [The officer investigating] ended the criminal investigation after [the victim]’s mother decided to decline prosecution and ask the school administration to take action to stop the teacher from touching and harassing her daughter.”
After the allegations were made public, two female students came forward and stated that the teacher choked them.
Their statements were collaborated by other students who witnessed the incidents.
Goodman has been sentenced to 48 months of probation.
According to his plea, Goodman must resign from his job with the school district and pay $2,095 in court costs.