Local high school teacher removed from classroom after being indicted on lewd conduct with child charge
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IDAHO FALLS — A Hillcrest High School teacher has been removed from the classroom and is accused of committing lewd acts with a child.
Matthew C. Felshaw, 43, is charged in Canyon County with one count of lewd and lascivious conduct with a child under 16. Felshaw has taught at Hillcrest since 2019 and previously taught in the Notus School District in Canyon County for five years.
Felshaw was indicted by a grand jury this month. The indictment says between January and October 2018, he “did willfully commit a lewd and/or lascivious act” upon a child who was 5 to 6 years old. A warrant was issued for Felshaw’s arrest on July 12 and he was booked into the Canyon County Jail on $500,000 bond.
In a statement to EastIdahoNews.com, Bonneville School District 93 Superintendent Scott Woolstenhulme said the district has not been provided with any additional details about the alleged criminal activity.
“However, we have no reason to believe that the charges against Mr. Felshaw are related in any way to his employment with Bonneville School District,” Woolstenhulme said. “Whenever we have reason to believe that a certified employee has violated the Code of Ethics for Idaho Professional Educators, we report the conduct to the Professional Standards Commission to investigate and make a determination regarding the employee’s teaching certificate. In the interim, Mr. Felshaw will not be resuming teaching responsibilities with Bonneville Joint School District.”
Felshaw appeared in court on Monday and pleaded not guilty. He is scheduled to be arraigned in Canyon County on July 28 at 10 a.m.
Even though he has been charged with a crime, Felshaw is presumed innocent in the eyes of the law.