Boy, 12, accused of teacher sex attack

A seventh-grader is facing an unthinkable list of serious charges - including attempted rape - for allegedly sexually assaulting his 24-year-old teacher at Dimner Beeber Middle School in Overbrook Monday afternoon.

According to police, the teacher noticed the 12-year-old boy lingering in her room after classes let out for the day about 3 p.m. After all other students had left, he strugged with her, said Capt. John Darby, of the Special Victims Unit.

The boy threw the teacher against a wall and attempted to pull off her clothing, police said.

The teacher screamed for help and someone soon came to her aid, Darby said.

It was unclear who helped the teacher, but police immediately were called to the school, on Malvern Avenue near 59th Street, and arrested the boy.

He was suspended for 10 days, during which time he will attend an alternative school, said Cecilia Cummings, district spokeswoman. The district will conduct its own internal investigation, which should be completed before the boy's suspension ends.

The boy could face expulsion, she said.

Darby couldn't recall a student assault on a Philadelphia teacher "to this degree of severity."

"Let's face it, this is a 12-and-a-half-year-old boy. This clearly, clearly was something far removed from what we normally see," Darby said. "Certainly, what makes it even worse is the environment."

Jerry Jordan, president of the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers, said the victim has returned to work. The teacher's concern, above all else, he said, is that the child receives the appropriate psychological counseling.

"It's important that as advocates for kids, which is what teachers are, that we have to recognize some of our kids are troubled," Jordan said. "It's not our goal to overlook their situations but to help them when we recognize there are issues that require services that we as teachers aren't able to provide.

"The key is not for the child to slip through the cracks after this incident passes."

The student also faces charges of aggravated, simple and indecent assault. Darby said he was not aware if the boy had been released into the custody of his parents. *

Staff writer Valerie Russ contributed to this report.