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A former second-grade teacher at a Wilmington elementary school has been sentenced after being convicted of sexually abusing five young students during a single school year — with the Red Clay Consolidated School District forced to remove him from the classroom after multiple children came forward with allegations.
Vincent Buckwash, 58, is the Anna P. Mote Elementary School Wilmington Teacher Accused of Child Sexual Abuse in Delaware who has been sentenced following his conviction on five counts of unlawful sexual contact with a person under the age of 13 and five counts of sexual abuse of a child by a person of trust. Upon his release, Buckwash will be required to register as a sex offender.
In May 2024, administrators at Anna P. Mote Elementary School and the Delaware Division of Family Services notified the Delaware State Police of several reported incidents involving Buckwash allegedly touching multiple students inappropriately. The Red Clay Consolidated School District removed him from the school immediately. Buckwash chose to retire effective July 1, 2024, and did not return to the school prior to that date.
Investigators determined that during the 2023-2024 school year, Buckwash — while employed as a second-grade teacher — inappropriately touched five students between the ages of seven and eight on multiple occasions, over their clothing. Arrest warrants were issued in August 2025 following a thorough investigation conducted in consultation with the Delaware Department of Justice, and Buckwash turned himself in the same day.
The factual information above was sourced from wdel.com and dsp.delaware.gov as of July 17, 2026. The attorney commentary below is not specifically about the case reported above. Attorney commentary provided is information about these types of cases in the justice system.
When an elementary school teacher is convicted of sexually abusing multiple young students, families may have significant civil legal options beyond the criminal process. Legal Herald editor Paul Amess spoke with Delaware sexual abuse attorney Aman Sharma about the civil legal avenues that may be available to families in cases involving alleged sexual abuse by a school employee.
Paul Amess: Aman, when a teacher is convicted of sexually abusing multiple young students in a school setting, what civil legal options may be available to the families?
Aman Sharma: Cases involving the sexual abuse of young children by a classroom teacher are among the most serious civil matters we handle. Families may have grounds to pursue civil claims not only against the individual convicted but also against the school district. When a school is alerted to allegations of misconduct and takes steps to remove the employee, civil cases examine the full timeline — including what was known, when it was known, and whether the institution's response was adequate to protect all affected students. Each family's situation is unique and deserves individual legal evaluation.
Paul Amess: In cases where a teacher retires during an active investigation, does that affect a family's ability to pursue civil claims against the school district?
Aman Sharma: A teacher's retirement during an investigation does not resolve questions of institutional liability. The relevant civil questions center on the school district's knowledge of the alleged conduct, the adequacy of its oversight practices, and whether its response was sufficient to protect the students in its care. Families should speak with an experienced attorney to understand how those factors apply to their specific circumstances.
Paul Amess: What would you say to a family in Delaware whose young child was allegedly abused by a teacher at their school?
Aman Sharma: Please speak with an experienced attorney as soon as possible. Time limits apply to civil claims in Delaware, and acting early gives families the strongest possible position. An initial consultation is completely confidential and free of charge — no family should have to face this process alone.
If your child was allegedly sexually abused or touched inappropriately by a teacher, school employee, or any person in a position of authority in Delaware, you may have the right to pursue civil action and recover financial compensation. Contact The Legal Herald today to be connected with an experienced Delaware sexual abuse attorney for a free, no-obligation consultation.
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