Illini Bluffs High teacher arrested
Instructor allegedly had sex with 17-year-old student
Thursday, March 15, 2007
GLASFORD - An Illini Bluffs High School teacher who resigned Tuesday was arrested Wednesday for allegedly having sex with a then-17-year-old student.Ian M. McDonald, 31, of 103 N. Walnut, Apt. 5, Glasford, was being held overnight at the Peoria County Jail.
McDonald, who was in his second year teaching social studies and coaching the boys varsity basketball team, is expected to appear in court today on the sexual assault charge.
His arrest Wednesday came just three days after he was jailed for disorderly conduct and trespassing after allegedly watching a group of teenage girls soak in a hot tub behind a home outside of Glasford.
Illini Bluffs Superintendent Randy Stueve said McDonald failed to come to school Monday and by the following day had submitted a letter of resignation.
"We got the resignation from him yesterday (Tuesday); he's no longer employed here," Stueve said Wednesday. "We're cooperating with the police in this any way we can."
It was unclear on Wednesday when the alleged sexual assault took place, but according to police, the victim, now 18, was 17 at the time.
McDonald posted $200 cash bail on Sunday for his original arrest about 3:30 a.m. outside 11615 W. Maple Ridge Road, located about a mile northeast of Glasford.
McDonald first told police he was trespassing, but later claimed he was driving home from the Illinois High School Association state basketball tournament at the Civic Center and decided to confront the homeowner's son about an earlier encounter, police reports said.
Police, who did not reveal the identity of the girls in the hot tub, said their ages ranged from 17 to 19 years old.
McDonald is the second teacher in Peoria County to be arrested this month for allegedly having sex with a student.
Jodi E. Church, 26, a Manual High School special education teacher, is accused of having sex with a 16-year-old male student on several occasions. She also faces federal charges for allegedly using the Internet to try to lure another 16-year-old to have sex with her.
In McLean County, former Unit 5 teacher Jon Andrew White, 26, faces two counts of predatory criminal sexual assault and two counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse. He is accused of sexually abusing two first-grade students in Normal. He also faces similar charges in Champaign County for allegedly molesting nine second-grade girls at Thomas Paine Elementary School in Urbana.
