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Sex Abuse Charges Dropped Against Md. Teacher Due To Loophole

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. (WJZ) -- Serious charges are dropped against a Maryland school teacher and coach. Scott Spear, 47, was once accused of having sex with a student but, as Mary Bubala reports, a snag in Maryland law got him off the hook.

The middle school teacher and high school coach in Montgomery County no longer faces sex abuse charges.

"This should never have happened. I committed no crime," Spear said.

Police say Scott Spear had sex with a 16-year-old female student from Richard Montgomery High School and charged him with a fourth-degree sex offense. But those charges are now dropped because of a loophole in Maryland state law.

Spear was only a part-time employee at the high school and under state law, school personnel can only be charged with having an inappropriate sexual relationship with a student if they are full-time.

"Our daughter is going to go to that exact school, so we are very concerned," said one parent.

Parents fear Spear will get his teaching job back at Julius West Middle School, where he was full-time.

"I wouldn't be comfortable with having my daughters there, him being a teacher," said a parent.

Spear says he wants to get his life and his job back.

"I just want to get back and do what I have always done. I hope I get that chance," Spear said.

Prosecutors say they will try to get rid of the part-time employee loophole and are talking with lawmakers in Annapolis about changing state law.

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