A Bishop Noll Institute teacher was thought to have been relieved of duties Friday after a second complaint that he had inappropriate social media contact with a student, according to Hammond police.
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Police were called to the school at 1519 Hoffman St. around 1 p.m. Thursday to take a report about text and social media messages the student said she was exchanging with the 33-year-old teacher, Hammond Police Lt. Richard Hoyda said. She became uncomfortable with messages and talked to another teacher at the school, who recommended the police be called, he said.
In a press release Friday evening, police Hoyda said an additional complaint about alleged inappropriate communication between the teacher and another student earlier this year had been filed. A third complaint has been reported going back to January 2015 alleging innapropriate communication between a then-athletic coach and a female student, the release said.
After a visit to campus by Hammond Police on Thursday, Bishop Noll Institute administrators say they are concerned a faculty member’s social media accounts may have been hacked to communicate inappropriate messages to one of his students.
Debbie Bosak, of the Catholic Diocese of Gary, released a statement Friday on behalf of the school and Bishop Noll Principal Craig Stafford confirming the visit from police as well as issuing concerns the teacher “may be a victim of account hacking.”
“However, this is early in the investigation by public authorities and Bishop Noll administration; we have not had ample opportunity to confirm the entirety of the allegation,” Bosak said in the release. “This matter is being taken very seriously, and the appropriate steps have been taken to protect all BNI students.”
Bosak said in the release that “at no time was any student, faculty or staff member in any danger,” and asked for the public to not spread unfounded rumors. It was not immediately known whether the teacher has been placed on leave.
Hoyda said he was unaware of the possible hacking but would alert the detectives handling the case.
No arrests or criminal charges have been made in the incident, Hoyda said.
Thursday’s incident is the second the diocese has had occur against a student in 2016. In January, the mother of a student at St. Casmir School, on Hammond’s north side, made a molestation accusation, but the child was unable to identify the person.
Anyone with information is asked to contact either Sgt. Chris Matonovich at 219-852-2963 or Sgt. Mark Biller at 219-852-2966.
Michelle L. Quinn is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.