BY JIMMY LAWTON
North Country This Week

MADRID – A former Madrid-Waddington Central School science teacher, who has been publicly speaking out against sexual abuse, turned himself into police March 5 for a stalking charge he says is bogus.

William Roome, who calls himself a whistleblower, spoke from the St. Lawrence County Courthouse lobby on Facebook live just prior to turning himself in to state police. He was joined by supporters, one of whom recorded his presentation, which can be viewed at https://www.facebook.com/100008283850581/videos/2867147096904724 .

Roome, who was released on his own recognizance, also spoke recently at a St. Lawrence County Board of Legislator’s meeting where he raised concerns about sexual abuse.

He warned the legislators that sex trafficking and abuse is happening in St. Lawrence County. The video can be seen at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPA2_g3zasc . Roome’s comments start around the 50 minute mark.

“Sex traffic is not organized crime. It’s not kidnapped victims. I’ll tell you where it’s happening, and you’re not going to like it,” he told legislators. “It’s happening in our schools.”

Roome says he’s faced backlash for speaking out against what he says was a sexual abuse incident he reported in 2005 at MWCS, but district officials say they’ve investigated his claims and deny their credibility.

“The District is aware of some of the statements that have been made by William Roome, and we are not interested in entering into a public debate with a former employee who has spent the last several years on a personal campaign to smear a large variety of District employees and school board members,” Superintendent Eric Burke said in a prepared statement.

“The District is dedicated to the health, safety, and education of our students and thoroughly investigates all credible information. To this date the District investigation has found no evidence to support Mr. Roome’s allegations.”

Roome has a history with the district. He resigned his position 2015, but both Roome and the district have signed a non-disclosure agreement so details regarding his resignation are not public. Roome says he maintains his teaching certificate.

Roome says he’s not a “disgruntled teacher” and believes accusations against him are intended to silence him.

“What’s done to me doesn’t really matter. I will not deter from speaking out against pedophiles and sexual predators. I will not. I will not stop,” he said at the St. Lawrence County Board of Legislators meeting.

In 2017, Roome was charged with stalking the superintendent and barred from visiting the campus. However, the charges against Roome were dismissed after prosecutors failed to meet speedy trial requirements.

Now Roome is again facing a stalking charge. This time it was filed by a member of the MWCS school board, who was granted an order of protection against him.

The charge came after Roome attempted to speak to the MWCS board in February but was stopped by the board president, who instructed him to submit his comments to herself or Burke. A video of that meeting can be seen at https://www.facebook.com/kellsOhara/videos/822650588290964

According to the police report, Roome is accused of driving by the victim’s home slowly in a black sedan and sending at least three emails to the victim. He is also charged with posting pictures taken from the victim’s Facebook page on his own Facebook page with disparaging captions.

For his part, Roome says he doesn’t own a black sedan and doesn’t have a license and did not drive by the house. He says he sent the emails because he wasn’t able to speak at the school board meeting and was instructed to submit complaints about MWCS via email.

Roome believes the treatment he has received from Burke and board of education members are retaliatory for him speaking out about sexual abuse.

Roome also alleged St. Lawrence County Sheriff’s deputies refused to take a statement after Roome reported he and several female supporters were closely followed and felt threatened after they left the MWCS February board meeting. He claimed a relative of the school board member who filed the stalking charge against him drove the vehicle.

County Sheriff Brooks Bigwarfe says he is aware of the calls made by Roome to his department, but said there was not enough evidence to warrant further investigation of Roome’s claim of being stalked. He also noted that his department investigates any reports of sexual abuse made to his office.

The 2017 stalking charge against Roome, which was dismissed in 2020, centered on a statement made by Burke that claimed Roome engaged in a series of communications and actions “which serve no legitimate purpose other than to intimidate, harass and threaten my safety.”

Roome was also accused of sending emails regarding the well-being of Burke’s family and using “religious overtones to threaten” Burke’s health and wishing disease and suffering on him and his family, Burke’s statement says.

In his statement to police regarding the now-dismissed charge, Burke also stated that Roome made “veiled threats” via social media and email and that made him feel threatened.

At the time, Burke also had an order of protection against Roome, but that was vacated along with the stalking charge.

The new protection order bars Roome from visiting the school district, which means he can’t attend school board meetings even though he is a district resident.

Roome has sent a letter to New York State Board of Education Reagent Beverly Ouderkirk outlining his complaints and concerns.

Roome says he intends to keep speaking out against sexual abuse and says the county needs to create a safe place for women to come forward.

He says he also intends to run for Madrid-Waddington Central School Board of Education and has been collecting petitions to get on the ballot.