By Deb Nicklay
Mason City Globe Gazette

LAKE MILLS, Iowa — The teaching license held by a Lake Mills High Elementary teacher has been suspended for 18 months for alleged inappropriate contact with students via text messages.

Mark Van Gorkom’s coaching authorization was also suspended.

The Board of Educational Examiners on Nov. 18, said Van Gorkom “acknowledges that the number and nature of the text messages he sent to students was inappropriate for a teacher-student relationship and a violation of the Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics governing the teaching profession.”

Van Gorkom, 36, agreed to complete an ethics training as part of the board’s stipulation and order.

His suspension began Nov. 18. He will have to reapply for licensing after 18 months if he wants to teach in Iowa.

Van Gorkom served as the high school girls’ basketball coach and a fifth-grade teacher since 2003. His employment with the district was terminated in March 2010 after students on March 24, 2010, alerted officials to the texts.

According to the board’s order, hundreds of text messages were sent to female students. A forensic examination of Van Gorkom’s cell phone was only able to recover a portion of the messages.

Those that were recovered, the board said, “revealed the messages were of a personal nature,” citing a Jan. 7, 2010 conversation:

“Student: Just got up. Yeah. Ha (1:36 p.m.).

“Respondent: Haha. Nice. I just got done shoveling. Its cold and windy. Time for a shower to warm up. Sorry you are missing it. LOL (1:37 p.m.)

“Student: Ha yeah (1:40 p.m.)

“Respondent: That felt great! Ahhhhh…Better with company as always (1:54 p.m.).”

“On Jan. 9, at 7:17 a.m., Respondent texted a student, ‘U can always stop and wake me up on your way home (smiley face).’”

The board on June 8, 2010, found probable cause to file charges.

No criminal charges were filed.