not another one!!

Appalachia art teacher set for arraignment
Published 06/01/2007 By Stephen Igo


WISE - A Wise County teacher will appear for a Wednesday arraignment hearing on a charge of contributing to the delinquency of a minor related to an ongoing police probe into allegations the teacher engaged in an improper relationship with a female high school student.

Wise County Sheriff's Department Chief Investigator Mike Holbrook on Friday said Naomi Miranda Peters, 26, 321 Stockton St., Gate City, an art teacher at Appalachia High School and Appalachia Primary School, was arrested Thursday at the high school without incident.

She is free under an unsecured $5,000 bond and scheduled to appear in Wise County Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court on Wednesday for further court processing to include setting a court date on the charge.

Since March, Holbrook said Peters has been the subject of an investigation into allegations she had an improper relationship with a female Appalachia High School student. The lead investigator on the case, Holbrook said he has interviewed several witnesses, including students.

An interview with one of those students resulted in the charge of contributing to the delinquency of a minor that is now leveled against Peters, Holbrook said.

The witness, another female student at Appalachia High School, allegedly told investigators that Peters instructed her to lie to police when questioned about the alleged relationship with the other girl. Holbrook did not supply the ages of the girls but said both are under 18 and students or former students of the high school.

Holbrook said an adult who instructs a minor to lie to a law enforcement officer violates Virginia's criminal code regarding contributing to the delinquency of a minor. The maximum penalty for that charge, a misdemeanor, is 12 months in jail and/or a $2,500 fine.

The investigation into the more serious allegations involving Peters and the other underage female is ongoing, Holbrook said. Both Peters and the alleged victim have denied the allegations, he said.

On Friday, Wise County Assistant Superintendent of Schools Don Mullins said Peters is "still an employee of ours ... and we are, I guess you might say, we are checking out the situation."

Personnel privacy rules prevent school administrators from addressing many specifics of employees, but Mullins said he believed the recently concluded school year was Peters' second in Wise County, splitting her teaching time at both Appalachia schools.

The pending misdemeanor charge and ongoing investigation targeting Peters mark the second criminal probe of an allegedly scandalous nature involving Wise County school division employees this year.

Earlier this week, a former Wise County teacher's aide pleaded guilty to three counts of taking indecent liberties with a child under 18 while employed in a supervisory role over children.

Darlene A. Blagg, 36, 2200-D Egan Road, Big Stone Gap, was sentenced by Circuit Judge Joseph Carico to 30 days in jail, a three-year suspended prison sentence, two years of supervised probation, and one year of unsupervised probation. In addition, she must have no further contact with the victim and never seek or hold a job in the future where she would be in a supervisory role over children. Blagg will also be a registered sex offender, a lifelong status.

Carico's sentence adhered to a plea agreement that falls within sentencing guidelines and was forged between Blagg's attorney, Gerald Gray of Clintwood, and Wise County Commonwealth's Attorney Ron Elkins, with approval by the victim's family.

Blagg confessed to authorities to engaging in an improper relationship with a male student who at the time the relationship occurred was a 17-year-old senior at Powell Valley High School, where Blagg worked as a teacher's aide. She apologized to the victim, his family and the school division during Wednesday's hearing before Carico.

The married mother of two young children is to report to the Southwest Virginia Regional Jail facility in Duffield by 6 p.m. on June 15 to begin serving her 30 days.

This is just the tip of the iceburg since they only have her brought up on delinquency for having another student lie about the situation.

Its really sad, and quite a mess.

Although I always had odd feelings about her, this still blows my mind, along with everything else I know about the situation.

So what is the story? Rug munching? Distribution of drugs? Showing off photos of her snatch?

Is Naomi a babe or somethin?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: sup-rbeast</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Is Naomi a babe or somethin? </div></div>

Damned if I know. Most of the art teachers I knew in school were skanks and hippies.

Some of these new art teachers are pretty cute tho...I had one in HS that taught art that was about 35 that I thought was hot..lol

I know of one art teacher in the Scott system that isn't half bad. She hasn't changed a bit in the 20 years I've known her.

i went to pv and the lady was there one year..she wasn't exactly hot..but i though she was sexy..lol...

Are you talking about Hannah Kern Bob? [img]/LDPforum/ubbthreads/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/frown.gif[/img]

No, I don't think Miranda is hot. Shes not a pure fido, but looks too much like an X I can't stand. Besides, she just got on my nerves too often.

Kern was one of them. Can't recall the name of the other. Jeannie something.