Allegations against middle school PE teacher weren't investigated for 14 months

LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Five students — all girls — went to Southwestern Middle School administrators on Nov. 3, 2021, to report that teacher Peter Anders was poking them in the sides near their breasts, but the investigation went nowhere for more than a year.

One student also told Principal Sarah Gustin that same day, that she had a video of Anders kicking a female student in the buttocks in the hallway, according to prosecutors. But nothing happened.

"After receiving the student complaint, the (Tippecanoe School Corp.) immediately contacted law enforcement and the Department of Child Services," school district spokeswoman Sue Scott said in a written statement. "The TSC also began its own internal investigation, placed Anders on administrative leave and he later resigned during the investigation."

More: Former TSC middle school teacher arrested, accused of battery on students

There were 11 months between the initial report of Anders' behavior and his being put on administrative leave, according to information provided by Scott. Another four months passed before Anders resigned. Anders, a former physical education teacher, was arrested Thursday.

The prosecutor's probable cause affidavit, filed with five counts of battery on a child younger than 14 and two counts of battery, briefly mentions the initial investigation.

"On November 4, 2021, Deputy (Beth) Kidwell (Fraizer) spoke to Anders regarding the incident. Anders admitted he poked Victim 1, Victim 2, Victim 3, Victim 4, and Victim 5," the prosecutor's probable cause affidavit states. "Anders denied touching any students' buttocks."

After the initial investigation, two more students reported incidents, the second of which resulted in Anders' being put on leave.

Asked why it was nearly 14 months between the initial report of alleged battery and an investigation by the sheriff's office, Capt. John "Woody" Ricks said, "A report was taken in 2021.

"The officer that took the report, for whatever reason, it was not sent to the prosecutor's office," Ricks said. "I assume — and I am only assuming — this officer thought the school planned to handle it internally."

Then two more students reported Anders.

In December 2021, a student reported that while running outside for gym class, Anders ran up behind her and lifted her shirt. There is no indication in the probable cause affidavit that this was investigated until the end of December 2022, even though the student, who had a witness, reported it a year earlier, right after the alleged assault, according to the affidavit.

Sheriff's office detectives reached out to this student on Dec. 30, 2022, for an interview about the running incident, according to the probable cause affidavit.

In October 2022, another student — and an adult witness — alleged Anders struck the student in the buttocks with a tennis shoe.

The adult — a paraprofessional — witnessed Anders hitting the student with the shoe and took the student to the principal's office. There, she overheard the principal saying "they’ve received reports of Anders inappropriately touching students previously," according to the probable cause affidavit.

The day after the tennis shoe incident, Tippecanoe School Corp. place Anders on administrative leave. He resigned Feb. 14.

Anders and the principal reviewed school video of the tennis shoe incident while he was on administrative leave, and Anders said he did not recall the incident, according to the probable cause affidavit.

Asked about whether all of the alleged assaults were reported to Child Protective Services, Scott said, "If a complaint was made to a school official, the TSC took immediate, appropriate actions in accordance with the law and district policy."

The tennis shoe incident also sparked the Tippecanoe County Sheriff's Office to start forensic interviews with all seven victims, leading to charges filed July 24.

After the initial report by the first five alleged victims, the probable cause affidavit indicated Anders' behavior briefly changed.

"Victim 4 said Anders changed his behavior for a short period of time after they reported it, but then began to touch her more frequently than before," the probable cause affidavit states. "Victim 4 advised she did not see him touch other girls but she saw Victim 2 crying one day and Victim 2 disclosed to Victim 4 that Victim 2 had been touched by Anders in a way that made Victim 2 uncomfortable."

An unnamed source familiar with the school's handling of the case said the students didn't report the subsequent touches because they did not believe anything would be done since the alleged assaults didn't stop after the initial complaint.

The Journal & Courier is not naming the source to protect the person's employment.

"After receiving the student complaint, the TSC immediately contacted law enforcement and the Department of Child Services," Scott said in a prepared statement.

Indiana law requires that any suspected child abuse or neglect be reported to authorities.

Reach Ron Wilkins at rwilkins@jconline.com. Follow on Twitter: @RonWilkins2.

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Police didn't investigate students' allegations for more than a year