EAST HELENA — After an altercation between a student and teacher at East Helena High School last week, some students walked out of school on Tuesday in support of their peer and in protest of the teacher's continued employment.
Students held signs naming the teacher involved as Erik Pritchard, which MTN confirmed with law enforcement. Pritchard is listed as a teacher at East Valley Middle School; he is also a driver’s education instructor.
Since Thursday’s incident involved a minor, MTN was not able to obtain police reports, but law enforcement said the minor allegedly assaulted Pritchard in defense of his sister.
According to an email from East Helena Public Schools Superintendent Dan Rispens, the district’s investigation so far does not corroborate what the minor alleged.
In September, MTN reported on allegations from former students of what they characterized as inappropriate behavior from Pritchard. At the time, the district confirmed they were aware of multiple student reports.
Additionally, in March of 2024, a Title IX investigation into a student complaint found Pritchard violated sexual harassment as defined by Title IX as “unwelcome conduct as determined by a reasonable person to be so severe, pervasive and objectively offensive that it effectively denies a person’s equal access to the recipient’s education program or activity. This is not the same as a criminal conviction."
According to an email from Rispens on Tuesday, he is working with the school board and the teachers’ union to find a path forward.
We tried to contact Pritchard for comment, but he has not responded.
