Teacher Sex Abuse Not Reported By School: Reports

WASHINGTON, DC — A public charter school in Northwest is under investigation for allegedly failing to report a suspected sex offense involving a teacher and student, according to reports.

Alan Wade Coleman, a former Capital City Public Charter Schools social studies teacher, recently admitted he engaged in sexual acts with a female student when she was 14 and 15 years old. The abuse occurred during the 2004-2005 school year.

According to NBC Washington, D.C. police and D.C.'s attorney general are investigating Capital City Public Charter Schools for neglecting to report the incident. Sources said the school fired Coleman days after learning about the incident in March 2015, but police were unaware of the abuse until April 2016.

A police officer told NBC Washington that the victim informed them of the abuse, not school officials. Under D.C. law, any adult who learns of suspect child abuse must report the incident to police.

Coleman, 47, of Gainesville, Fla. pleaded guilty to first-degree child sexual abuse in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on Oct. 30 as part of a larger plea agreement in which he already pleaded guilty in Montgomery County, prosecutors said.

Most of the sexual acts took place at his apartment in Takoma Park, but several occasions took place in D.C., Coleman admitted. Coleman remained in a relationship with the girl until she was 19, he said.

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The school reportedly did not notify school parents about Coleman's arrest until May 2016.

A school spokeswoman wrote to NBC Washington: “We are confident that we discharged our responsibilities properly in this matter. We have cooperated with law enforcement in all phases of its investigation and will continue to do so.”

Investigation also revealed Coleman got a new teaching job at Eastside High School in Gainesville four months after he was fired from Capital City Public Charter School.

NBC Washington reports his job application included a reference from a fellow Capital City Public Charter School teacher that said Coleman had "a fantastic rapport with his students."

Coleman is scheduled for sentencing in D.C. on Jan. 26. He is scheduled to be sentenced in Montgomery County on Dec. 14.

Once released from prison, Coleman will be required to register as a sex offender for 10 years as a result of his plea in the District of Columbia, and for life as a result of his plea in Montgomery County. He will also be on supervised release for up to 10 years as part of his sentence in the District of Columbia, prosecutors said.

Photo: Gainesville Police Department