Teacher proclaims his innocence
Top photo: Hector Osuna-Bonilla demonstrates the touch (above and in the video) he said got him into trouble at Milwaukie High School, and landed him Friday in Clackamas County court.
MILWAUKIE, Ore. – Milwaukie High School teacher Hector Osuna-Bonilla was released on bail Friday, hours after appearing in court on charges he sexually abused three female students during the past year.
"Why? Why do I receive [so much] discrimination?" Osuna-Bonilla said, in broken English, on his way out of jail. "I live in this country too many years! I am very angry!"
Hector Osuna-Bonilla is a Latino immigrant, here legally, who says he's innocent of all seven charges of misdemeanor sex abuse and attempted sex abuse. He's angry that one allegation dates back to last year - and claims his accusers are plotting against him. (Watch the video above to see this in Osuna-Bonilla's own words.)
The 58-year-old math and physics teacher has been on paid leave since the allegations first surfaced in December.
He admits "touching" a girl. However, he said it was in a way that, in his culture, they would touch anyone – "the girls and the men" he said. "Now those girls blame ... me for the touch."
Joe Krumm at the North Clackamas School District, which oversee Milwaukie High, said its investigation shows there was much more - though he won't be specific. He also said that, even if Osuna-Bonilla is cleared of criminal charges, "we find the behavior unacceptable ... and I've been told he won't be back."
The accused teacher said he has always been an advocate for minority students, has never even been accused of anything like this, and believes he's being targeted unfairly.
Osuna-Bonilla made his first court appearance Friday afternoon. His next court appearance is scheduled for Feb. 10.
Osuna-Bonilla said he passed a polygraph test administered while first being questioned by detectives - an interview process that lasted for 10 hours. He said he was eventually given a second polygraph test, which he apparently did not pass. He wonders now why he was tested a second time.
Meanwhile, the arrest is a shock for some parents and students who knew Hector Osuna-Bonilla. Not many did, however, since he's only in his second year as a teacher at Milwaukie High.
NOTE: Those registered from any of KATU's Neighborhoods can report offending comments.
Related story:
Filed Under:
30
Comments
Submitted by twoeyes (not verified) on Sat, 2010-02-06 18:38.
what i don't get is when people say: "well in my culture we do do things like this." well fine...however. you live in another country now, the ways of the culture you adopted DON'T do that, so you should adapt your ways to blend in. This is why I don't think we should be "culturally sensitive", not because we don't care, but we don't encourage enough immigrants to adopt the culture they moved into, and things like this happen. I think we should go back to the idea of a "melting pot" so we can all be strong and solid american citizens, not just one culture against another.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 2010-02-06 19:35.
It would be better for him to return to his own country after his jail time. Then he can feel free to do whatever he wants to do. You can't tell me that he doesn't know that certain behaviors are not okay in the US. Please!!!!
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 2010-02-07 03:30.
Yeah... I love that excuse... ''Well, in my country (or culture) this is accepted..."
Things are a little different here; if you don't like it, head in any direction until you hit a border or an ocean and bail out. It's that simple. Non one is keeping anyone here - it is a free country. If you're not happy here - then head back to your homeland.
Perhaps the guy is innocent - we shall see. But I dislike that defense of ones actions based on culture...
Submitted by PDX Volunteer on Sun, 2010-02-07 11:35.
Case in point indeed Werewolf. Here's the link for those interested: http://www.katu.com/news/local/83480097.html
Submitted by MaryTwo (not verified) on Sat, 2010-02-06 22:16.
I believe that all teachers in the state of Oregon are required to take a class on sexual harrassment as soon as they are hired. It would be interesting to know whether this teacher took the class, and whether it was offered/required by his district. The types of touching that are not allowed and those that are cautioned against are covered in the class.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 2010-02-07 06:26.
Wrong, sorry. Lie detectors are horribly inaccurate. They read emotion as well as stress. Lets say your daughter was molested and the case is closed. You become a teacher and have to submit to a lie detector that’s asks questions about inappropriate conduct with minors. Your mind will bring up the incident with your daughter, all your stats suddenly change and a false-positive is given. Even if the subject was addressed in the pre-test interview, there will be a flag raised.
Never voluntarily take a lie detector test.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 2010-02-07 01:06.
A person speaking as the story says "broken English" is TEACHING ? What the hell is wrong with the Milwaukee School district? Did they hire this guy to fill a quota?
Teachers should be required to speak English fluently in the class room regardless of race. And then people wonder why our children are doing so poorly in classes. It makes you wonder what other types of teachers they have hired.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 2010-02-07 01:28.
With all due respect Mr. Osuna-Bonilla, there are MULTIPLE victims indentified, there is a criminal investigation that warranted your arrest - which means there is more than just a witch hunt going on here - and this odd plea of yours trying to denounce any of that is inappropriate. And rude.
A simple NO COMMENT would suffice.
This is pretty damning and serious stuff, Mr. Osuna-Bonilla. Silence yourself and prepare your defense.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 2010-02-07 04:16.
I have an Ideal...Now that the Schools have MORE money from measure 66 & 67, WHY DON"T THEY INSERT CAMERAS INTO EVERY CLASSROOM and hallways & Even out on the parking lots where the teachers park their cars, this way if a Person is being accused of something, then they can go back and LOOK at the tape...Don't tell me that that would cost alot to do, cause like I mentioned THEY HAVE THE MONEY NOW!
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 2010-02-07 16:59.
That's funny, money from where? The school district is so low budget now that the 2% you are complaining about will not even make it an average school district. I'm taking it you make more than $250 grand a year? Aren't you just special!?
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 2010-02-07 08:21.
Screw this. Parents and their little urchins are so terrified of everything, that this probably never even happened! Never, never will I teach or interact with children of these entitlement-minded parents. They foist off the raising of the children on the state, and then try to sue and/or collect damages for the slightest imagined offense.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 2010-02-07 08:48.
There is nothing wrong with a 47 year old man having a 3-some with school aged hotties. Lets drop the legal age of consent and stop persecuting poor men like this for doing what comes natural in his culture.
Submitted by 1hotsummer (not verified) on Sun, 2010-02-07 09:04.
"I lived here too many years" then here's the thing he should know better. You can't say in one sentence you've been here so long and in the next sentence say "in my country." You come to our country you should know the law and the lay of the land, ALL immigrants should go by our laws, or else, go back.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 2010-02-07 09:22.
Here's another story of the School District acting surprised by inappropriate behavior of a teacher. One allegation dates back a year so did the School District just learn about it now or have they done nothing since learning of it a year ago? It really seems the oversight of teachers is lacking and every good manager knows that observing their employees and interacting with them is the best way to ensure their performance meets standards.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 2010-02-07 16:52.
Well, I'm definitely sure the million dollar lawsuit that is going to be paid from North Clackamas School District to three kids all from being touched wont have an effect on the learning of all the other students that go to that district. Sheesh Can the funding get cut more?????
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 2010-02-08 16:56.
In my culture we only teach Senior English so when the girls turn 18 we can romance the with Shakespeare. Then we dump them after they put on their freshman 15. That is my culture and I love it dearly.
Submitted by RagingBear (not verified) on Tue, 2010-02-09 10:20.
I am not condoning any kind of inappropriate "touching" or any other kind of behaviour between students and teachers\ male and female. However, I must say that it is all too easy to blow things out of proportion today. We have to ASK before we even consider putting our hands on an ARM. How anal has it become that we can get in trouble for even saying that someone " looks good " today. Even that can be misconstrued as harassment. How truly sad. All it takes is ONE person (male or female) to accuse (be it true or false) and the damage is forever done. Hard to believe that just a bit over 100 years ago, 14 year old girls were still getting married to 45 year old men and it was ACCEPTED. The men were not pedophiles and the girls were not sexually assaulted. It was standard practice. I am not saying that we should go back to that, but we should not be so surprised that "touching" goes on. Has anyone really taken a GOOD look at how these "girls" dress today? My gf`s 16 year old is a stone fox and flaunts it. She has older men follow her all the time. They grow up much faster, are introduced to sex much earlier and are inundated with sex and sexual images from day 1. How about we dig a bit deeper and get to the TRUTH before condemning someone? `Tis a sad commentary .........
Submitted by RagingBear (not verified) on Tue, 2010-02-09 10:25.
Before I get a bunch of you whinny little pouts saying I`m blaming the girls for the way they dress, I am NOT blaming them. I am merely saying we live in a much more advanced society today as far as sexuality goes and a lot more is permitted. In other words, parents, stand up and take YOUR part in this as well. Make sure the girls (and guys) dress accordingly, not like they are trying to look like someone out lookiing for a "date," if you get my drift. TEACH your children what is right and what is wrong. TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AS PARENTS SHOULD!!! As men, we are more vulnerable to attacks as this as it is always put out that "it must have been his fault and she did nothing to warrant this." Sometimes the girls are at just as much fault if not more.
Archives
- September 2009 (10)
- October 2009 (34)
- November 2009 (41)
- December 2009 (35)
- January 2010 (25)
- February 2010 (32)
- March 2010 (15)
Community Pics
Keep us, and your neighbors, in the know.
- News tips
- Community events
- Submit a story
Become a community reporter
Featured Businesses
Latest Discussions
Local Real Estate Listings
Coming soon!
If you're a real estate agent and would like to feature your listing on this site and/or become a featured agent, please contact us.
Local Real Estate Agents
I am committed to guiding you through an exceptional selling experience.
Local Service Providers
Featured Lawyer
Providing effective legal strategies for over 25 years