Mountain Home Principal Faces Sex Charges
Principal John Clark is on administrative leave at Hacker Middle School. On Monday he was arraigned on two counts of sexual abuse of a minor under the age of 16 and one charge of sexual battery of a 16- or 17-year-old.
Clark's attorney, Scott McKay, said the allegations were untrue and related to "horseplay" involving his two stepdaughters, now ages 14 and 19. One of the girls told a school counselor about alleged abuse.
Mountain Home School District Superintendent James Gilbert, sent out an email to families in the district that said the “incident did not involve any Hacker students or happen on school grounds.”
Gilbert said in the email that the district normally does not publicly address personnel matters, but "the severity of the accusations" prompted him to acknowledge the situation, at least to reassure parents.