Perrysburg teacher charged after following student’s bus home

PERRYSBURG, Ohio — A Perrysburg Schools teacher has been criminally charged after reportedly following a student’s bus home to check if the student finished their homework.

William Hilt, a Hull Prairie Intermediate School teacher, was already on administrative leave and under investigation by the district after reportedly following a student’s bus home March 19. 

Hilt was arraigned in Perrysburg Municipal Court Tuesday morning on a criminal trespassing charge. He pleaded not guilty and a no-contact order was issued.

According to Perrysburg police last month, a concerned parent contacted the principal of Hull Prairie Intermediate School about the incident.

According to police, the student’s father arrived at the home to find the Hilt at the front door. The teacher reportedly stated that he was confirming the student completed their assignment because the class would receive a pizza party if all students completed their assignments.

A police report says the parent told the principal they were unaware the teacher was planning on coming to their residence and “found it to be really weird and concerning.” 

Hilt is a sixth-grade social studies teacher who is a leader with the Ohio Council for Social Studies and once testified before the Ohio House Primary and Secondary Education Committee, according to information on the school’s website. He’s taught in the Perrysburg district since at least September 2021.

On Tuesday, Superintendent Tom Hosler sent a message to parents, staff and community: 

We would like to provide an update on the matter we reported to you on March 21 regarding a situation involving a staff member at Hull Prairie Intermediate School (HPI). We have been informed that the Perrysburg Schools teacher who was recently placed on administrative leave is now facing a charge of criminal trespassing as described in the Ohio Revised Code Section 2911.21.

As we shared previously, a report was made by the family of a current HPI student, who informed school administrators that the teacher arrived unannounced at their home after the school day. According to the police report, the teacher requested the student retrieve a missing homework assignment. During this interaction, a parent arrived home, confronted the teacher on the front porch, and later emailed the building administrators. The teacher was placed on administrative leave before the start of the next school day and a police investigation was opened about the incident.

The teacher will remain on administrative leave pending the outcome of the school district’s investigation, which is still underway. We remain in close communication with law enforcement and are continuing our internal review, consistent with the Ohio Revised Code and the applicable collective bargaining agreement.

As this remains an active legal matter, and due to the protections afforded by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and employee due process rights, we are limited in the details we can provide. However, we want to reiterate that Perrysburg Schools takes this situation—and any concerns involving student safety—very seriously.

Student safety and well-being are at the heart of everything we do. Perrysburg Schools expects all staff to act with professionalism, good judgment, and respect for appropriate boundaries. When we become aware that an employee’s actions may not align with those expectations, we respond promptly and follow all required legal and contractual procedures. This ensures accountability, protects due process, and maintains the integrity of any investigation.

We are thankful to the family who brought this matter to our attention promptly and encourage all students and families to speak up if they ever feel uncomfortable or have concerns about any aspect of their educational experience.

We will continue to keep our community informed as we are legally permitted to do so. Thank you for your support as we work to uphold the trust placed in our schools and maintain a safe, respectful, and supportive learning environment for all Perrysburg students.

According to the police report, the teacher stated he sometimes does this for students and asked the student if he could follow their bus home. 

The email sent to Principal Scott Best in March by the student’s parents further stated they found it very out of the ordinary that a teacher would follow a student to the home to presumably pick up a missing assignment or check on homework completion, given the use of the school’s online portal that lets students and teachers email or upload assignments.

The district confirmed to WTOL 11 last month that the teacher was placed on administrative leave as there’s an open police investigation.