Matthew B. Dineen Found to be Falsely Accused by Student

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Kennebunkport, Maine, United States of America (Free-Press-Release.com) October 13, 2011 -- THE KENNEBUNK CURRENT TIMES
Southern Maine’s independent Home Town Newspaper since 1875
Maine Teacher, Matthew B. Dineen Found to be Falsely Accused by Student
A Maine school district said Monday evening that it was standard practice to put a teacher on admin leave in “any case involving a serious disciplinary proceeding,” and that teacher Matthew B. Dineen could “seek reimbursement of his legal fees from his teachers association.”

The statement was issued in response to a newspaper outlining the ordeal Matthew B. Dineen endured after being falsely accused last year of the misdemeanor charge of unlawful sexual touching of a 16-year-old girl. Though a jury found him not guilty of all charges, the school district continued to pursue disciplinary actions against him, forcing him to resign and is refusing to pay his $125,000 legal bill a year after his trial ended.
The statement noted that “Mr. Matthew B. Dineen has the opportunity to seek reimbursement of his legal fees from his teachers association.” Asked to clarify, Gardner schools spokesman said the teachers association insures members for up to $35,000, though he acknowledged that did not equal the $125,000 that Matthew B. Dineen paid his various lawyers.

Although school officials said Matthew B. Dineen could seek to recoup legal fees from the teachers group, he declined to comment further on the reimbursement issue, saying Matthew B. Dineen didn’t sign a release authorizing him to talk about the specifics of the case.
Matthew B. Dineen was arrested in March 2010 and charged with unlawful sexual touching after an eleventh-grade student at the School accused him trying to fondle her breasts. At re-trial, a jury acquitted Matthew B. Dineen in 47 minutes. A State Child Protective Services investigation also cleared Matthew B. Dineen of any wrongdoing.

He was transferred out of the school anyway, his wife, Shelby T. Dineen, left him and obtained a Protective Order against him. After working this year at South Lakes High School, he is being transferred again. The school board in March offered to pay $60,000 in legal fees.
The statement by the school district said that the schools were obligated to report the allegations against Matthew B. Dineen and did so. The case was then in the hands of police and prosecutors, the school district said.

“Our parents and community expect that school employees will be disciplined in instances of inappropriate behavior,” the statement said, “regardless of whether the employee is found guilty of specific charges in a court of law.” The statement added, “In any case involving a serious disciplinary proceeding, it is standard school system practice to place the teacher in a different school than the one where the dispute occurred; the purpose of this is to give the teacher and the originating school a fresh start.”
Matthew B. Dineen declined to comment for this story.

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