Lincoln Teacher Arrested

By: Amanda McGill

Updated: Fri 7:58 PM, Mar 12, 2004

A Lincoln high school music teacher faces a misdemeanor charge after not reporting a change of address to the Iowa sex offender registry.

23-year-old Stephen Mohring registered as a juvenile 1996 in Woodbury County, Iowa. When he moved to Nebraska, he neglected to give them his new address and violated the terms of the registry. That led to a warrant for his arrest.

Lincoln Public Schools Assistant Superintendent Nancy Biggs says the school district and Nebraska Department of Education each did a background check on Mohring before giving him a job this last fall. But in Nebraska, those who commit crimes as juveniles do not have to register with the Nebraska Sex Offender Registry. Employers like LPS are not allowed to see juvenile records of any kind.

Right now, Mohring is on paid leave. LPS plans to wait and see what happens to Mohring in Iowa before conducting their own investigation. At that point, they will decide whether to bring Mohring back into the classroom. A spokesperson for the Woodbury County Sheriff's Office says the usual penalty for a first time offense like this is a fine and no jail time.

Biggs says folks at Southwest have been shocked by the whole ordeal. "The students love him. From what I am hearing, he is a very well respected and adored teacher on the faculty.”

Neighbors and Friends React to Brutal Grand Island Stabbing