Kentucky superintendent arrested for sexual solicitation of minors

Owensboro’s former superintendent has been arrested on charges related to the sexual solicitation of minors, according to Kentucky State Police.

Dr. Matthew Constant, 51, who retired from his role as head of Owensboro Public Schools in late June for allegedly having engaged in a relationship with an “adult-aged student,” was arrested around 4:30 p.m. Thursday in Owensboro, KSP said.

He was charged with procuring or promoting the use of a minor 12 years or older and tampering with physical evidence, KSP said in a Thursday evening press release.

The investigation is “still in the early phases and has spanned into other states,” state police said. “Additional charges are likely.”

Before he left the role in late June, Constant had been suspended with pay since May 25, when the Owensboro Public Schools Board of Education learned of an ongoing investigation by KSP into his actions.

Constant was initially believed to have had a relationship with an 18-year-old student in another school district.

While KSP at first told the school board it had not found evidence of criminal wrongdoing, they were still developing a timeline and awaiting more information, “in the form (of) subpoenas,” Trooper Corey King told the Herald-Leader at the time.

“During the course of the investigation, the Kentucky State Police notified the Board that while not criminal in nature, Dr. Constant did engage in a relationship with an adult-aged student enrolled in another school district,“ the district said in May. The board opted to suspend Constant for violating the professional code of ethics and several board policies.

It’s unclear what new evidence was uncovered, but KSP’s ongoing investigation “resulted in search warrants of Constant’s electronic devices to examine the contents,” KSP said Thursday.

Constant is being held at the Daviess County Detention Center.

A 2022 investigation by the Lexington Herald-Leader showed that in the 194 cases of teachers who voluntarily surrendered or had their license revoked or suspended between 2016 to 2021, 61% lost their license due to sexual misconduct. The overwhelming majority of those cases involved male teachers and teenage girls.

A bill that would’ve instituted tougher screening requirements for teachers and more training on appropriate relationships between students and teachers failed to pass the General Assembly earlier this year. While the bill received unanimous support in the House and a Senate Education Committee, it was never called for a vote on the Senate floor.