SLIPPERY ROCK — An eighth-grade math teacher charged with sexual assault and corruption of minors appeared in court Monday to be arraigned, but he left a free man after posting a $35,000 surety bond.

Robert P. Willison, 51, of Slippery Rock said little in District Judge William O'Donnell's courtroom Monday, and he did not speak while leaving or entering the premises. O'Donnell issued a no-contact order prohibiting Willison from contacting any of the four girls he is accused of touching or any relevant witnesses in the case.

Willison is suspended from his teaching position at Slippery Rock Middle School. This is his third suspension related to sexual harassment or abuse complaints since 2012, police report.

That fact has some parents of students in the district as well as alumni fuming. Earlier on the same day as Willison's arraignment, a letter sporting more than 160 people's signatures arrived in the inboxes belonging to Superintendent Alfonso Angelucci and school board members.

The letter was written by 2001 Slippery Rock alumna Kelly Hiser, 35, of Pittsburgh. Hiser said she was motivated to act after reading news reports about Willison's charges and speaking to friends who also attended the school.

“I thought, 'I really hope people start screaming at the district,'” Hiser said in a telephone interview Monday. “And then I thought, well, I can start screaming.”

The letter questions why Willison was allowed to continue teaching after twice being suspended for inappropriate touching.

“It appears that the school district has known that Willison was a sexual predator for at least seven years and has done next to nothing to protect students and other staff from him,” Hiser wrote.

The letter calls on the district to develop “a concrete, public, and actionable plan moving forward to protect students and communicate to them that the district cares about their safety.”

Hiser forwarded to the Eagle the email response she received from the superintendent. In it, Angelucci denied being able to respond at all.

“Criminal charges were filed,” he wrote. “Because of these pending charges and related personnel matters and student involvement, the school district cannot provide any further comment or information.”

In a phone interview Monday, he gave the same response as his comment. Asked whether the district would reconsider its sexual assault policies as letter-writers urged, he said he could only refer questions back to his previous statement.

“We protect all our kids to the best of our ability all the time,” Angelucci said, when asked to explain any special protections put in place for Willison's ostensible victims.

Hiser responded via email to Angelucci.

“It seems you are using the criminal charges as a screen to avoid discussing what the district's policies around sexual assault are, including how the district plans to support victims of sexual assault in the future,” Hiser wrote.

Angelucci confirmed that he started as superintendent in 2014. Willison's second suspension was in 2015.

Hiser's letter is signed by alumni of the school district and parents of both former and current students. The letter is circulating on alumni Facebook pages.

Hiser said that several on the list confided in her that they too had felt uncomfortable in situations with Willison.

“I've heard from a few other women that they felt uncomfortable with him or that he had touched them or their friends,” Hiser said.

She said she hoped the letter reassured the girls who reported Willison.

“I think the fact that these four girls were taken seriously by the police and their parents really speaks to the power of the #MeToo movement,” Hiser said. “The climate is changing around sexual assault.”

Attorney Eric Levin appeared in court Monday to represent Willison. Levin asked Judge O'Donnell how Willison was to avoid contacting the victims if he did not know who they are. Sexual assault victims who are minors are kept anonymous in court filings. O'Donnell said only that he noted the statement and offered nothing further. Earlier in the proceeding, he told Willison “no witness tampering.”

Willison was ordered to be fingerprinted as part of the arraignment process.

His preliminary hearing is scheduled for 2:45 p.m. Nov. 28 at O'Donnell's district judge offices in Slippery Rock.

The allegations against Willison now and those pertaining to past suspensions include instances of Willison touching both female students' and teachers' rear ends.

Anyone with information related to Willison's case can email tips to news@butlereagle.com.