WILMINGTON — The New Hanover County Schools district confirmed Tuesday afternoon that Peter Michael Frank has been suspended with pay after authorities began investigating him on numerous felony charges. The district also confirmed Frank has been suspended before.
Related: New Hanover County band teacher charged with numerous felony indecent liberties with students
Frank, 47, surrendered himself to the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office (NHCSO) on Monday evening and was taken into custody; deputies began investigating him earlier this month, apparently after receiving a report of inappropriate behavior on January 13. Deputies visited Roland Grise Middle School, where Frank is the band teacher. According to the New Hanover County School (NHCS) district, Frank was hired in July of 1997 and has worked at Roland Grise since then.
In December of 2015, Frank was investigated by the school system. Frank was suspended with pay on December 3 while the investigation was completed and then given a 10-day suspension without pay beginning on December 9. According to NHCS, the suspension was “for an incident not involving a student.”
NHCS also confirmed that Frank has been suspended with pay since Thursday, January 23 — after the initial January 13 report was made to authorities, but before he turned himself in and was arrested yesterday.
NHCS issued the following statement:
“New Hanover County Schools have been alerted to the recent arrest of Pete Frank by the New Hanover County Sherrif Office. The district is cooperating fully with the NHCSO as they continue their investigation. If NHCS can confirm the allegations against Pete Frank the district will take the appropriate actions including and up to dismissal and revocation of teaching licenses. We hold our educators to the highest standards, the greatest responsibility placed upon all NHCS employees is the safety and well being of our students. Mr. Frank is currently on suspension with pay and has been since Thursday, January 23, 2020.”
NHCS did not confirm if the district was conducting its own investigation.
