George James Symonds
THORNBURY — The Head of School of the Concept School was arrested and charged with corruption of minors, indecent assault, and related charges involving an alleged series of incidents with a teenage student from the school., Chester County District Attorney Tom Hogan said Tuesday.
George James Symonds, 62, who has been a teacher at the school since 2004 and Head of School, similar to principal, since 2012, was taken into custody on July 3 at his Wilmington, Del. home by Westtown-East Goshen police, and arraigned in front of district justice William Kraut. Bail was set at $100,000 which Symonds posted.
Hogan said that the teacher is charged with engaging in unlawful and inappropriate contact when the victim, a student at the school, who was between 14 and 15 years old from Spring of 2014 until Winter of 2015. According to the investigation, the victim alleged that between eighth and ninth grades, the defendant communicated with the victim almost daily through text messages, emails, and telephone calls. Symons also allegedly told the victim that he loved the victim, taught the victim how to masturbate, and informed the victim that the defendant thought of the victim while he masturbated.
The Concept School has terminated the employment of Symonds and is cooperating with the investigation, Hogan said.
