The Humane Society of the United States, the world's largest animal protection organization, wants Loudoun County Public Schools to suspend Pinebrook Elementary School fifth-grade teacher Larry Kent Messner immediately, according to a letter sent to Superintendent Edward Hatrick.
Messner, 52, of Martinsburg, W.Va., was charged last week with felony cruelty to animals after allegedly attempting to harm his neighbor's dog by pouring an unidentified, highly corrosive liquid on the animal, according to West Virginia police reports.
Peter Wood, Humane Society deputy manager of animal cruelty issues, said in the letter that studies have shown that people who abuse animals are at significant risk of becoming violent to people. "It's not very often you get a fifth-grade teacher that's been charged with a felony like this. It's rare but when there's a teacher that's been teaching young children charged with a crime like this, we do contact the schools and ask that they be suspended until the case has been resolved," he said. Wood requested in the letter that the school system suspend Messner and not reinstate him until he is proven innocent in court.
Messner is still actively teaching, said Wayde Byard, LCPS spokesman, and the school system has chosen not to take any action at this time.
"Due process has yet to take place. Being charged is different from being guilty. Right now it's an alleged crime," Byard said. "At this point the superintendent's feelings are that these are just allegations and that nothing has been proven in a court of law yet."
Byard said that theoretically, if Messner, who has also served as principal of Cool Springs Elementary and as a teacher at Arcola Elementary School, is convicted, he could lose his teaching license. If a teacher's license is revoked he or she can reapply for a new one in five years.
Wood, of the Humane Society, said that in cases like these, it's 50/50 whether schools comply with the Society's request.
"It depends on what they think is the best thing to do. But we believe when there's a horrible case of animal cruelty, the schools should not take the risk of having a violent animal abuser in their school," he said.
According to West Virginia police reports, Messner is accused of pouring an unknown chemical on the face of a 9-year-old black and tan English shepherd in late July. The dog, named Trixie, belongs to the family of Sonia Waggoner in Martinsburg. It survived but sustained severe burns and became violently ill, according to police reports. Messner was released on a $10,000 bond and faces up five years in prison if convicted.
- Erika N. Cotton