Ex-morris Catholic Music Teacher Loses Teaching License

By Peggy Wright
Daily Record
April 22, 2015

http://www.dailyrecord.com/story/news/local/2015/04/22/ex-morris-catholic-music-teacher-loses-teaching-license/26197993/

The state Board of Examiners for the Department of Education has revoked the teaching certification of a former Morris Catholic High School music teacher accused of masturbating in his car while watching children at a bus stop in Denville.

John W. Watson, 33, of North Brunswick, was charged in December with four counts of lewdness and was accepted in February into Morris County’s Pre-Trial Intervention program for first-time offenders.

To get into PTI, Watson did not admit to any crimes. If he successfully completes 36 months of supervision, performs 100 hours of community service and undergoes a psychological evaluation, the lewdness charges will be dismissed and he will not have a criminal record.

As a condition of PTI, Watson agreed to forfeit his teaching license. To guarantee the forfeiture was recorded, the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office alerted the state Board of Examiners for the state Department of Education. On April 17, the board revoked Watson’s teacher of music certificate he received in 2006, according to the board’s order.

On Dec. 2, police arrested Watson after receiving a call about a man masturbating in the back seat of a vehicle at a bank on Route 53 in Denville. The vehicle had left the scene by the time police arrived but the witness who allegedly saw the occupant masturbating gave police the car’s license plate.

The plate trace led police to Watson, and investigators later determined he had touched himself in public at least three additional times before Dec. 2, according to police. He then was charged with four counts of lewdness, which will be dismissed at the end of 36 months if he fulfills all the PTI requirements.

Rich Sokerka, spokesperson for the Diocese of Paterson, has said Watson was a part-time music teacher at Morris Catholic and resigned following his arrest. He had a clean background record when he went to the school and completed necessary programs on child sexual abuse, Sokerka had said.

He also runs a music instruction business out of North Brunswick called John Watson Productions.

Peggy Wright: 973-267-1142; pwright@njpressmedia.com Staff Writer Michael Izzo contributed to this report.