Update: Former WCSD board trustee charged with pulling student by the ear and trespassing

Mike Higdon | Reno Gazette-Journal

Updated at 5:05 p.m. Thursday with new information

A former Washoe County School Board trustee was charged on Wednesday with trespassing and acting without lawful authority on school grounds, according to city of Sparks Attorney Tom Wilson.

Howard Rosenberg was summonsed to Sparks Municipal Court on charges of trespassing on Dilworth Middle School and disciplining a student without a teacher's license.

"It basically means he acted as a teacher when he didn’t have the authority to do so," Wilson said.

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Rosenberg allegedly pulled a 13-year-old student by the ear while taking him to the principal's office, City Attorney Chet Adams confirmed to the RGJ. The principal told Rosenberg to leave campus but Rosenberg allegedly returned to the classroom instead, Adams confirmed.

Rosenberg was in the class as part of a partnership between Washoe County School District and the University of Nevada, Reno, Adams confirmed.

The complaint was brought to the city of Sparks but Wilson could not specify who brought the complaint. The city of Sparks is prosecuting the case.

Rosenberg was not arrested. He will be formally charged at his arraignment on Tuesday.

Wilson said the charges are a misdemeanor and the court could fine Rosenberg up to $1,000 as well as sentence him up to six months in jail if he is found guilty.

Attempts to reach Rosenberg for comment were unsuccessful.

Rosenberg served on the Washoe County School Board of Trustees from 2012 to 2016 when he decided not to seek re-election.

Rosenberg is currently a University of Nevada, Reno professor and advisement coordinator in the art department, according to his UNR biography. He also held positions as a member of the Nevada System of Higher Education Board of Regents.

Mike Higdon is the city life reporter at the RGJ and can be found on Instagram @MillennialMike, on Facebook at Mike Higdon, Reno Life and on Twitter @MikeHigdon.