KYUK, Bethel: A January 17 Alaska Dispatch News investigative story by Craig Medred profiled a sexual assault case settlement in Tuluksak.
At the center of the story are allegations about former Tuluksak teacher 59-year-old Martin Bowman, who residents claim molested students in the village. The story says the alleged victims settled a two million dollar civil suit with the Yupiit School District this past fall. The story documents allegations the teacher lured young girls to his home to take showers then assaulted them.
According to the article, the Bethel district attorney declined to prosecute the case because they were not going to be able to prove it beyond a reasonable doubt. The story says nobody filed a complaint with the state’s Professional Teaching Practices Commission.
A private attorney filed and settled the civil suit. The story says Bowman fled the community after word got out about his alleged abuse and locals began throwing rocks at his house. The story says the former teacher now lives and works as a carpenter in Montana. His Alaska teaching certificate has expired, but he remains licensed to teach in Montana.
Correction: An earlier version of this story said that one victim settled a two million dollar civil suit with the Yupiit School District this past fall. Nice girls and two adults actually jointly settled the suit with the District.
Read the story in the Alaska Dispatch News.