The Free Press, Mankato, MN

Local News

September 30, 2009

Former teacher pleads to sexual misconduct

Collum lost Sleepy Eye job after charges

By Brian Ojanpa

NEW ULM — A former Sleepy Eye teacher has pleaded guilty to having a sexual relationship with one of his students.

Calvin Collum, 47, of New Ulm admitted in Brown County District Court to one count of criminal sexual conduct in the third degree.

Collum was suspended from his English teaching duties in March and faced felony charges of criminal sexual conduct for his relationship with a 16-year-old female student.

According to court documents, Collum used covert classroom flattery, Facebook charm and the allure of a Connecticut love nest to seduce the girl.

A friend of the girl told a Sleepy Eye police officer of the relationship.

An investigation revealed that Collum would compliment the girl on how her jeans fit, and during class the two would exchange cell phone text messages.

The girl and Collum also were friends on the online social networking Web site Facebook, and on their Facebook pages were photos of the teacher with his arm around the girl.

Court records show that the two began meeting privately in school, and that the girl told a friend she and the teacher were planning to move to Connecticut when she turned 19, and that they’d already chosen names for their children.

Collum would work these names into his class lectures to the delight of the girl.

The girl later revealed to her friend that she and Collum were having sexual relations at his New Ulm residence.

The Sleepy Eye School District voted not to renew Collum’s contract.

Collum initially pleaded not guilty to charges. A jury trial had been scheduled.

He will be sentenced Nov. 10.

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