Superintendent placed on unpaid leave after charges

by Peter Jakey– Managing Editor

Emotional shockwaves reverberated through Rogers City Area Schools the last week-and-a-half with the arrest of superintendent Dan Byrne on a charge of possession of child sexually abusive material. Byne, 37, who has been the district’s chief administrator and elementary principal for 15 months, allegedly downloaded the material via the Internet and also is accused of accessing inappropriate Web sites. He was arraigned in 89th District Court Monday morning in front of Magistrate Keith Gordon on an amended charge, which includes an additional felony count of using a computer to commit a felony, which carries a maximum seven year prison sentence, plus fines of as much as $5,000.

Byrne has been placed on administrative leave without pay pending the outcome of the charges. Former chief financial officer, Don Schaedig, was officially hired as interim superintendent at Monday’s Board of Education meeting. November 3, the Rogers City Police Department (RCPD) started an investigation after an employee of the district reported the matter. School computers from the elementary principal’s office were confiscated.

SCHOOL BOARD president Mike Marx explained the range of emotions he, and the rest of the district employees have gone through. “The first one was disbelief,” he said, speaking at the end of Monday’s one hour board meeting. “The second one was stunned. The third was just questions. Then I realized what I had to do, and I focused on the kids. I will be honest, there was a bit of anger in there too. I don’t like being angry, so I moved on.” Marx, who found out about the investigation November 4, also felt a sense of pride in the district employees.

“This school district performed admirably,” said Marx. “Probably one of the bigger emotions I felt this week was pride, the pride of staff.” Much of the teaching staff was in attendance for the meeting. After Marx made a statement at the meeting, the board went into closed session to go over an attorney/client correspondence. The board approved a resolution following the closed session that states, ?I move that superintendent Dan Byrne is hereby placed on administrative leave without pay, as he is unable to perform the duties of his position by virtue of a court order, that he may not be on school district property or have contact with children under the age of 17.? A motion to accept the resolution was made by Marx and supported by Lee Gapczynski. That was followed by a unanimous vote.

BYRNE APPEARED in court Monday morning. He stood at the microphone in the district court room wearing a navy blue suit coat and tan pants. Byrne spoke only twice in the short proceeding, once answering “yes” that he is Daniel J. Byrne, and “Yes, judge,” when Gordon asked him if he understood that he had a right to remain silent. His attorney Roger Bauer of Alpena waived the reading of the charges. Gordon informed Byrne and his attorney of the additional charge that had been fil

ed earlier in the morning. Bauer said he wanted a preliminary examination for his client, which was scheduled for December 2.

“Bond will continued as posted, and the conditions will still be enforced,” said Gordon. Following the arraignment, Bauer was given an opportunity comment on the case and replied, ?no statement today.? Byrne remains out of jail on the original posting of 10-percent of a $10,000 bond. If convicted, he faces a maximum of four years in prison and/or a $10,000 fine, but if Byrne is convicted, the judge could sentence him to additional years in prison, but not more than 10 years.

The case remains under investigation, according to the RCPD. Marx said, “The district will fully cooperate with law enforcement officials on this matter as well as working with school district legal counsel.”

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