Former Washoe school board member pleads no contest to trespassing, disciplining a student

Mike Higdon | Reno Gazette-Journal

Howard Rosenberg, a former Washoe County school board member, pleaded no contest in Sparks Municipal Court on Tuesday to charges of trespassing and disciplining a student without a teacher's license.

Judge Barbara McCarthy ordered Rosenberg to pay a $1,280 fine for the two counts.

Rosenberg's attorney, Robert Fahrendorf, said Rosenberg was training a Dilworth Middle School student teacher in an art class on April 3. Fahrendorf said several students were sliding sharp scissors back and forth across a table, and when Rosenberg asked them to stop, they disobeyed.

Rosenberg decided one of the students — who attended Wednesday's hearing — was the cause of the problem and took him to the principal's office, Fahrendorf said.

Sparks city attorney Chet Adams previously told the RGJ that Rosenberg pulled the student by his ear then escorted him to the principal's office.

Tom Wilson, an attorney for the city of Sparks, said those allegations were not at issue in today's hearing.

"It's up to the family if they want to bring a case for civil battery for the ear pinch," he said.

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

Police report: Report: Rosenberg told principal that university problems are WCSD schools' fault

Taking the student out of class was what Rosenberg's attorney and Wilson said violated state law. Rosenberg cannot discipline a student without a Washoe County teaching license.

When the principal asked Rosenberg to leave campus, he returned to class instead, Fahrendorf said, which led to the additional trespassing charge.

Wilson said they all met and came to a resolution before the arraignment.

“I truly believe we all do a better job in justice when all parties are involved in negotiations,” McCarthy said.

The family of the student did speak in court or to reporters who attended the hearing.

Rosenberg did not give a statement in court or to reporters.

Rosenberg is currently a University of Nevada, Reno professor and advisement coordinator in the art department, according to his UNR biography. He served on the Washoe County School District Board of Trustees from 2012 to 2016, when he decided to not run for re-election.

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.