Channel 11 is hearing from a former student of the Canon-McMillan High School teacher now charged with institutional sexual assault.
Justin White, 48, turned himself in on Tuesday. Only Channel 11 was in court when a Canon-McMillan High School teacher was brought out in handcuffs and put in the back of a police cruiser.
RELATED COVERAGE >>> Canon McMillan High School teacher accused of having sexual relationship with student in classroom
“I’m shocked, I’m really shocked and kind of disappointed, really,” said Kelsey Stevens, a 2012 graduate who had White for astronomy and geology class. “Really popular, nice guy was never one of those mean teachers or anything like that.”
North Strabane police say some of the accusations against White include calling off sick to meet with the student at a park and ride when she had the day off school. They say he brought flowers when he picked her up and left her car there, then went to have sex.
“Personally, I never experienced anything abnormal with him or anything, but I’m really kind of surprised,” Stevens said.
Police began investigating White back in July student’s father was concerned about what he was seeing on his daughter’s cell phone.
“Parents here did a good job and monitored the phone and that’s how we got here,” Washington County District Attorney Jason Walsh said.
Investigators say the alleged relationship between White and the victim started in October of 2023, but didn’t turn sexual until the girl, a then senior at Canon-Mac, turned 18. Police say White gave her a necklace and a second cell phone so the two could talk without getting caught.
The criminal complaint says White met up with her in secluded places to have sex, including parking lots, soccer fields and even inside of White’s classroom on Sundays, which police were able to confirm via the high school’s surveillance footage.
“It’s not like we’re in the stone ages, there are cameras everywhere, why would you - why would you do that?” Stevens asked.
White is being held at the Washington County Prison on $150,000 cash bail.
He was ordered to have no contact with the victim or the Canon-Mac school district. In a statement, the school district said it has been fully cooperating with police.
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