<p>Bradford L. Dalton</p>

The Astoria School Board unanimously passed a motion Monday to dismiss former teacher and coach Bradford L. Dalton, 49, who plead guilty in November to fourth-degree misdemeanor assault.

I move that the board approve the superintendents recommendation to dismiss Brad Dalton for the statutory grounds of neglect of duty and immorality, effective todays date, read Director Laurie Choate from a prepared statement. It was seconded by board member Jeanette Sampson.

After an executive discussion to discuss the matter, only the motion was read in open session, which only the board, Superintendent Craig Hoppes and a reporter from the The Daily Astorian attended. The district has maintained a policy of not commenting on actions taken against employees. It placed Dalton on paid administrative leave shortly after his arrest, stating that the law requires such action in occurrences of alleged child abuse.

Dalton, who taught algebra and geometry at Astoria High School and coached girls basketball for at least 10 years, was arrested in August for allegedly assaulting his 10-year-old daughter.

In an annual therapy session, the daughter revealed her account of events to her counselor, who reported it to Department of Human Services, which led to Daltons arrest by the Astoria Police Department.

Dalton allegedly applied pressure on the throat and neck of his daughter, authorities have said. The girls mother took pictures to document the injuries, according to Astoria Police. Daltons second daughter, according to the indictment, witnessed the alleged assault.

At a hearing in October, Judge Paula Brownhill ruled that a no-contact order be amended to allow Dalton to visit the family home between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. with adult supervision.

He was convicted in November in Clatsop County Circuit Court Judge Phil Nelson for misdemeanor assault in the fourth-degree, acknowledging in the plea petition for a lesser charge that his actions caused physical injury to his daughter. He was sentenced to 18 months supervised probation.

During the November trial, Daltons wife told Nelson that because she took the photos relatively soon after the event, the marks were more visible. She said that because they didnt turn into bruises, she didnt report the incident.

Nelson ordered that the no-contact agreement set by Brownhill be kept in place until the Clatsop County Parole and Probation Division completes its evaluation of Dalton or agrees with the assessment already conducted and allow contact.

The girls mother said she never thought charges would be brought when their daughter spoke of the incident to her counselor. Before Daltons sentencing, she told Nelson that she disagreed with the charges of physical abuse or strangulation.

She said although Dawn Buzzard, the deputy district attorney working on the case, had been gracious with her children, she felt there were several inaccuracies in the prosecutors telling of the event.

She also told Nelson that during the limited contact since October, the family has been able to spend time together and begin to heal.