Nearly seven months after his arrest on sexual assault charges, the New Hampshire Department of Education has revoked the teaching credentials of former Concord High School teacher Primo “Howie” Leung.
Commissioner Frank Edelblut announced Wednesday that Leung voluntarily surrendered his teaching credentials as part of an agreement he reached with the education department. Leung, who faces rape charges in Massachusetts, is now prohibited from teaching in New Hampshire.
“In accordance with the department’s rules, Mr. Leung cannot apply or reapply for any credential from the New Hampshire State Board of Education in the future,” spokesman Grant Bosse wrote in a statement Wednesday afternoon. “Additionally, Mr. Leung is prohibited from working in any school—district, charter, or private—in New Hampshire or any other state.”
Leung’s name will now be listed on both state and national databases which archive educators whose teaching credentials were revoked or suspended.
“The safety of our students is paramount. No student should be victimized by the people we entrust with their education. My heart goes out to Mr. Leung’s victims,” Edelblut said. “Today’s action ensures that Mr. Leung will never be allowed to work with students ever again.”
Police arrested Leung on April 3 in Concord. He was later extradited to Massachusetts where he faces two counts of aggravated rape of a child, one count of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14, and one count of indecent assault and battery on a child over 14.
The girl, who is now 17, told police she was sexually assaulted by Leung multiple times in 2015 and 2016 at the Fessenden School in West Newton, Mass., which provides an overnight English Language Learning summer program. She reported being inappropriately touched by Leung on several occasions at Rundlett Middle School, both on school property and in his vehicle when he gave her rides home, according to court documents.
Concord school officials were alerted Dec. 10 that Leung had “engaged in inappropriate conduct” with an 18-year-old female student, who is a different student than the one Leung is accused of sexually assaulting. District officials said they did not report the incident with the 18-year-old to Concord police because of the student’s age. However, they did forward the results of their investigation to the Department of Education, which ultimately notified authorities.
“The Department of Education has been aggressively pursuing this case since the allegations first came to its attention, while being careful not to interfere with the criminal investigation and prosecution that resulted from the department’s referral of the case to the Concord Police Department,” Bosse wrote Wednesday.
The New Hampshire Department of Education Code of Ethics specifically prohibits teachers from having any form of sexual contact with students currently enrolled in New Hampshire schools and up to 10 months after graduation.
Teacher are at risk of losing their credentials if they are found to be “soliciting or encouraging participation in a romantic or sexual relationship, whether written, verbal or physical” with a student, according to the code of ethics, which came out late last year. It prohibits discussions between teachers and students over technology about the “physical or sexual attractiveness or the sexual activities or fantasies” of the student or educator.
Leung, who is out of jail on bail conditions and living in Massachusetts, is next scheduled to appear in Middlesex Superior Court on No v. 6.