School administrator charged with solicitation

Karen Zekan

Friday, Dec. 11, 1998 | 11:13 a.m.

Clark County School District's program coordinator for visually and hearing impaired students has been placed on paid administrative leave after being jailed Thursday for allegedly soliciting a male prostitute on district time.

School officials directed Ron Malcolm, 36, not to return to work until the district can gather all the facts relating to the case.

Metro Police vice Lt. Terry Davis said Malcolm was arrested about 11 a.m. and booked into Clark County Detention Center on a single count of soliciting prostitution -- a misdemeanor crime that could see a convicted offender spend up to six months in jail and/or pay a $1,000 fine.

Malcolm remained jailed as of late Thursday afternoon. Bail was set at $200.

Sources said that a district employee had chauffered Malcolm to an undisclosed location, where he allegedly offered money in exchange for a sexual act from a man he believed to be a prostitute.

Davis declined to disclose the location of the incident or other specifics of the alleged crime until his detectives completed paperwork on the case.

Ed Goldman, CCSD assistant superintendent, said the district will review the facts and make a recommendation to an impartial arbitrator regarding Malcolm's future with the district. The district will especially look at Malcolm's use of district time.

"That's one thing we will be looking at -- not being on the job when he was supposed to be on the job," Goldman said.

The law permits the district to recommend termination for felony and misdemeanor charges, even without conviction, if the crimes involve moral turpitude, Goldman said. School officials said they have no evidence Malcolm did anything inappropriate with children.

Goldman declined to comment on the identity or status of the driver.

Malcolm has supervised teachers of approximately 500 hearing-impaired students since being hired by the district in 1992. His salary is $69,000 a year.

Malcolm himself has been hearing impaired most of his life and became blind almost three years ago, authorities said.

The Governor's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities honored Malcolm at its annual awards dinner in October 1997.