Maryland State Police have charged Maurice Cotton Sr., 61, of Westover, Md., with sexual abuse of a minor, second-degree assault and a fourth-degree sexual offense after an alleged assault in Princess Anne. According to police, the incident happened at a barbershop and involved a 16-year-old who knew Cotton. Authorities have released few details beyond the charges themselves.
Cotton is listed as a teacher at East Salisbury Elementary School, and police confirm he also works as a barber. So far, there has been no public statement from the school district about his current status or whether he has been placed on leave. State police have not shared additional information about the circumstances of the alleged assault.
The case raises practical questions for parents: how do schools screen employees, and how closely do they track second jobs where staff work with minors? Those are policy questions every district can answer, and this story is a reminder to ask. We’ll update this post as the school system or investigators release more information. What would you want your child’s school district to tell parents in a case like this?
