Sex offender shows up at Philomath High School
PHILOMATH, Ore. -- A sex offender joined 30 Philomath High School students in art class -- and the school had no idea.
Steven Routley said he was a relative of one of the students, and he wanted to talk to the class about art.
Assistant Principal Jon Bartlow said Routley showed up without calling the teacher first. He stopped by the front office and signed in but with the wrong name. He signed in as "Mike Routley," a name he sometimes goes by. It's also a name KVAL News found on his Facebook page.
Routley started talking to the class, Barlow said. A few minutes into the speech Routley started offering the students free private lessons without the consent of their parents.
The teachers called the office, and then police.
Only later did school learn about Routley's past.
"I'm more concerned that he gained access without telling us who he was," said Bartlow.
School administrators talked to the students, called all of their parents and sent them a letter in the mail telling them what happened. As far as they know, Routley did not meet with any student away from the classroom.
Philomath Police Chief Ken Elwer said Routley did not commit a crime. The school also sent Routley a letter saying he would be charged with tresspass if he returned. According to police, Routley has since moved to Portland.
Bartlow said they can't change their visitor sign-in policy. That's up to the school board.
They are changing their sign-in practices. Oregon Revised Statute 162.057 is printed at the top of the new sign-in sheets notifying visitors to sign in with their legal name -- or risk prosecution.
"We are making it difficult for people to be dishonest with us, and we are giving us some recourse if they are," said Bartlow.
Bartlow said they do not do background checks for every guest that comes through the school's doors because guests do not have one-on-one contact with students.
They do, however, do background checks on volunteers.
