QUINCY, MI (WTVB) – Three Quincy School District administrators turned themselves into the Branch County Jail Tuesday afternoon after warrants were issued by the Branch County Prosecutor’s Office.
Former Quincy Superintendent Craig Artist has been charged with a high court misdemeanor count of Public Money Safekeeping and a misdemeanor count of Child Abuse-Failure to Report. Artist resigned from his position earlier this month.
Quincy High School Principal David Spalding, who is currently on paid administrative leave, is charged with one count of Child Abuse-Failure to Report. District Business Manager Cheryl Globke is charged with one count of Public Money Safekeeping. She is also on administrative leave.
All three posted bond and were released Tuesday afternoon. Arraignments in Branch County District Court have not been scheduled yet.
The warrants came after an investigation by the Branch County Sheriff’s Department following questions about the conduct of past and present Quincy school administrators and how they managed allegations against former teacher Jason Ferrell. Ferrell was arrested in April 2017 and is facing sexual assault charges involving a female student.
Ferrell is facing six charges of criminal sexual conduct in Branch County including two first degree counts. He is also facing three C.S.C. counts in Calhoun County.
Ferrell was employed by the Quincy School District for 20 years before resigning in January 2017 on the same day the district placed him on leave in connection with the allegations of improper conduct.
According to Branch County court documents, Ferrell was allegedly paid over $10,200 after his resignation in January. Artist and Spalding are accussed of not reporting accusations of alleged sexual relations involving Ferrell and a female student of his to the proper authorities even though the two administrators received monthly reports from employees, counselors and staff between May of 2016 and January of 2017.
Ferrell’s Branch County criminal case is now in Circuit Court where a status conference has been scheduled for August 14th.
A number of parents at a spring school board meeting made accusations that teachers and administrators ignored warnings about Ferrell that came from students along with parents, and that the red flags went up long before he was arrested.
