from www.suntimes.com – PLAINFIELD — A high school teacher was arrested Tuesday night after police allegedly caught her having sex with a 16-year-old student in a parking lot.
Ashley M. Blumenshine, 27, was charged with aggravated criminal sexual abuse after police reportedly found her and the boy inside a vehicle at 6:19 p.m. outside Kohl’s, 11860 S. Route 59.
Blumenshine is a dance teacher at Plainfield North High School, where the boy is a junior.
Police Chief William Doster said officers were on patrol checking the parking lot when they saw two vehicles parked next to each other. One was unoccupied while Blumenshine was in the driver’s seat of the other vehicle with the minor in the back.
Assistant Will County State’s Attorney Mary Fillipitch said both occupants admitted they had just engaged in consensual sexual intercourse and a condom was taken as evidence from the vehicle.
“(Blumenshine) told police she knew he was a student at Plainfield North High School,” Fillipitch told Judge Marzell L. Richardson during a bond hearing Wednesday.
Blumenshine has taught at the school district since 2006. She choreographed several dances for the spring show in May, according to the district’s website.
She coached golf at Plainfield North, serving as head coach last school year and assistant coach in the 2008-09 school year. She also taught driver’s education in the summer in 2008. She was also an assistant cheerleading coach at Plainfield South High School in the 2006-07 school year.
District spokesman Tom Hernandez said a substitute teacher has taken over Blumenshire’s classes.
“District administration and the board of education will take appropriate action promptly after Blumenshine is released from custody,” he said in a statement.
On Wednesday, administration and counselors reached out to students most likely to be affected by the allegations, such as her students and dance club members.
Today, “the counseling will be more generally available in the auditorium,” Hernandez said.
Plainfield North Principal Ray Epperson sent an automated phone message to parents Wednesday afternoon, alerting parents that additional support services will be available for students.
“Counselors and social workers will be available to speak with any student who may need support. Also, please speak with your child about appropriate ways to deal with this situation and all of the misinformation that will be circulating for the next several days,” Epperson said. “If you or your child have relevant information, please share that with either the Plainfield Police Department or a trusted adult here at school.”
Court appearance
Blumenshine said only a clear “good afternoon” while appearing via videolink in bond court Wednesday. Fillipitch asked Richardson to set bond at $200,000 for the Class 2 felony, an amount defense attorney George Lenard called “extremely excessive.”
“(Blumenshine) has no prior criminal record and is a graduate of Eastern Illinois University and has a master’s degree from Olivet,” Lenard said. “The state indicated she made admissions to the officers, which shows she has been cooperative with (this investigation).”
Richardson set Blumenshine’s bond at $75,000 and said she is not to have any contact with students at Plainfield North or minors she is not related to if she is able to post bail.
Her case is scheduled for a hearing Jan. 26.