Officials from Northern Lights Public Schools (NLPS) division have issued two public statements regarding two staff members charged with alleged crimes involving children.
The latest statement was released just 30 minutes after the RCMP announced that a 24-year-old man from Lac La Biche, Eric Sprecker, had been charged with possession and distribution of child pornography. NLPS officials confirmed that Sprecker had been employed by the school division for the past two years as an educational assistant and an Out of School Care worker at Vera M. Welsh Elementary School in Lac La Biche, a school serving students from kindergarten to Grade 3.
According to the RCMP, the victim in Sprecker’s case is not believed to be from the local area. Sprecker is scheduled to make his first court appearance on October 7 at the Alberta Court of Justice in Lac La Biche.
This news comes just hours after an earlier public statement from NLPS officials regarding another staff member facing criminal charges. A 35-year-old teacher from Bonnyville’s Duclos School, Janelle Arnold, has been charged with sexual assault and sexual interference. Arnold, a resident of Bonnyville, will make her first court appearance on these charges on October 1 at the Alberta Court of Justice in Bonnyville. Duclos School provides education for students from Preschool to Grade 4
In both statements, NLPS officials emphasized that neither Arnold nor Sprecker are currently employed with the school division.
“Out of respect for the legal process and the privacy of those involved, we will not be commenting further at this time,” reads the latest statement from the NLPS communications department. “The safety and well-being of our students and staff are always our top priorities, and we are focused on providing them with the support they need at this time.”
The school division has assured parents and the community that support systems are in place for students and staff affected by these incidents.
