St. Helens teacher pleads ‘not guilty’ to sex abuse charges; Bail set at $150K

ST. HELENS Ore. (KPTV) - One of two St. Helens High School teachers facing sexual abuse charges appeared in court on Wednesday afternoon.

Eric Stearns, a music history and choir teacher, has been accused by six victims, who say the alleged abuse happened at St. Helens Highschool.

Stearns pleaded not guilty during his virtual appearance in front of a Colombia County judge, who then set his bail at $150,000.

Stearns told the court he did not have that type of money.

"We are struggling to come up with the $15,000 we could come up with $10,000 so I could go home and take care of my kids," Sterns said.

The judge did not change the bail amount.

Along with bail, the judge set several other conditions for release. Whether or not Stearns can post bail, he is not allowed to contact the alleged victims, St. Helens High School, or any minors. And, if he does make bail, he is not allowed anywhere minors might gather.

The other suspect, former St. Helens teacher Mark Collins, posted bail Wednesday morning and his arraignment hearing was rescheduled to Thursday.

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Many parents said they hope Stearns stays behind bars.

Tiffany Cooper is the parent of a junior at St. Helens, and said she is so disgusted by how the school is handling the investigation that she unenrolled her daughter from St. Helens High.

"He was arrested yesterday, and he was teaching here yesterday morning," Cooper said. "I'm mad! The entire time the investigation was taking place he was not placed on administrative leave."

The St. Helens High School parents were informed about the arrests and investigations on Tuesday through an email. But Cooper said it was too vague.

"It just said a staff member, that's all the detail, a staff member had been arrested and that's all it said," Cooper said. "I then went online and the Colombia County Sheriff's Office made a post of the two teachers who were arrested for sexually abusing minors. My daughter has had one of those teachers for the entire year."

Cooper showed FOX 12 a copy of her daughter's transcript. Her daughter is enrolled in "Music History" during her seventh period.

Cooper said she feels more comfortable now that her daughter will no longer attend St. Helens High School.

"She wants to be able to get her education where she doesn't have to worry about predators," Cooper said.

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Meanwhile, students planned a walkout of school on Wednesday morning.

"It's a message that people are scared to be at school," said junior Avlene Moore. "Two teachers who taught at our school were doing those types of things and now we are getting that message across that we are scared."

Moore was in Stearns' choir class since her freshman year. She said while his arrest and the allegations came as a surprise, there were warning signs.

"Those accusations were happening for years, because whenever I mentioned I was in choir people would tell me 'Didn't he do this?' and I'd put it in the back of my head because I didn't want it to be true. But, hearing it now it's just like - woah," Moore said.

The school district issued a statement Wednesday afternoon and said Stearns has now been placed on administrative leave.