Erin Rohwer

Here is a transcript of the letter sent to the parents of students attending Dowling Catholic High School in Des Moines by Dr. Jerry Deegan:

I want to take this opportunity to inform you about an investigation and arrest involving Eric Rohwer, one of our female teachers.  The West Des Moines Police Department arrested and charged her with sexual exploitation by a school employees which is a Class D felony -- it involved one of our 18-year-old male students.  The arrest was made late last night and Mrs. Rohwer has been placed on leave.  It is our understanding from law enforcement that htis matter occurreded off campus and outside of school hours.

This is a legal matter that will be handled by the West Des Moines Police Department and the Polk County Attorney’s Office. However, I feel a strong responsibility to parents, students and faculty to provide you with accurate information about this matter.

The safety and well-being of our students and faculty are a high priority for the entire Dowling Catholic community. Therefore, when a community member called me and alleged there may be an inappropriate relationship I contacted the West Des Moines Police Department immediately. Within one hour the West Des Moines Police Department began their investigation and we cooperated fully. While this matter is not yet resolved, we must remember our role and responsibility is to create a safe learning and spiritual environment for all of our students.

We met early this morning with faculty and staff members to advise them of this situation. There was tremendous sadness. However, I can tell you that our faculty members are highly talented, dedicated, and resilient. Together we will move forward and remain focused on our mission of educating students. We are holding Class meetings today to inform students about this situation and underscore our values and mission as a Catholic school. We will use this as an opportunity to review and reinforce our code of conduct and ethics for the entire Dowling community.

Today when your student arrives home please take the time to discuss this issue with him or her. It is not unusual for students to go through the stages of grieving such as denial, anger, sadness, and acceptance. Please encourage your student to talk about their feelings and use this as a time to connect about appropriate relationships.

This is clearly a difficult and sad situation for all involved.  I would ask you to direct any questions about this issue to me.  I will do my best to address your concerns recognizing that this is an active and on-going investigation.

I want to thank you for the trust and confidence you have placed in all of us at Dowling Catholic.  We pray for your continued support and guidance.