Ex-school chief will be tried on molest charges

A former Calaveras and Tuolumne county school administrator has been bound over for trial on child molestation charges in Stanislaus County Superior Court.

Thomas “Kevin” Hart, who last served as superintendent and principal of Valley Home Joint School District, is scheduled to be re-arraigned Feb. 21 on two felony counts of sexual abuse of a child.

At a Tuesday preliminary hearing in Stanislaus Superior Court, the two young victims were called to the witness stand and said that Hart sexually abused them on multiple occasions. Other experts also testified, including medical experts who examined the children.

Stanislaus County Superior Court Judge Dawna Reeves ruled that the evidence was sufficient for a trial and set the arraignment date. Hart remains free on $250,000 bond, according to the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office.

 Until his arrest on July 6, Hart served as superintendent of the 165-student Valley Home Joint Elementary School District just outside Oakdale. He was superintendent of the Belleview School District for two years and, prior to that, worked as principal at Avery Middle School in Calaveras County.

The Valley Home Joint Elementary School District placed Hart on paid administrative leave following his arrest.
Charges involving a third child were dropped at Tuesday’s preliminary hearing. No other charges have been filed, said Assistant District Attorney Carol Shipley.

The arraignment will take place at 8:30 a.m. at the Stanislaus Superior Court building, 800 11th St., Modesto.
The Union Democrat is withholding the alleged victims’ identities.