Nov 20, 2009 11:31 pm US/Eastern
Moorestown Debate Teacher Arrested For Trespassing
MOORESTOWN, N.J. (CBS 3) ―
When a recently banned debate teacher showed up to his former workplace, Moorestown High School, there was some cause for concern amongst school officials.
"We did have some anxious moments, we've had safety concerns, so we felt it was in the best interest of the students to lock the school down," said Moorestown School District Superintendant, John Bach.
Dan Belton, of Haddonfield, was arrested a short time later at a Cherry Hill car rental business and charged with defiant trespass.
But students and parents say Belton may be in bigger trouble.
'"People think he stole money, so obviously he knew he would get arrested. I think he made an unwise decision by coming back, "said Lauren Croft, a student of Belton's.
When a routine audit by the Moorestown School District found a pattern of irregularities surrounding a fund for school trips, the school immediately contacted police. The district is now working with detectives to carry out a forensic audit and determine just how much money is missing.
The money, sources say may be in the range of $30,000, is missing from the debate fund, and on Thursday, the debate team, which Belton once headed, had a school trip.
"He was trying to get on the bus to go to model congress," said Croft.
Belton was not armed at time of his arrest for trespassing and has not been charged in connection with the missing money, though recent remarks made by the teacher were enough to raise suspicion about his intentions.
"Everybody was saying he got bailed out today," said student Tyler Barrett "He's posting stuff on Twitter saying the end is near."
Moorestown's Board of Education will convene a special meeting on Monday to discuss the situation. In the meantime, the board has since met with parents and assured them all deposits in the trip fund will be honored.
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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