Thursday, May 29, 1997
Former band director accused of inappropriate
touching
By LESLIE STRADER / Abilene Reporter-News
Former Abilene High School band director Cliff Graham resigned
under allegations he inappropriately touched two female students,
according to an incident report filed last week with the State
Board for Educator Certification.
On May 15, the Abilene school district announced Graham, who
directed Abilene High's band since 1988, had resigned effective
immediately for personal reasons.
Last week, the district filed an incident report with the SBEC,
as required by law, advising the agency of the allegations prompting
Graham to leave the district.
If the SBEC decides there is enough evidence to file a complaint
before the commissioner of education, Graham could lose his teaching
certificate.
Attempts to reach Graham for comment were unsuccessful.
According to AISD's report, Graham put his arm around a 17-year-old
female student in his band "and slid his arm down until his
hand rested on her buttock. She was shocked by his action and
expressed so by the way she looked at him. He moved his hand to
her shoulder, but then repeated the movement once more to her
buttock."
The incident is alleged to have occurred the morning of May
7, just before the band was to leave for an out-of-district trip.
The parents reported it to Principal Royce Curtis May 12.
The parents said this was the only such incident between Graham
and their daughter. The report states they did not want to file
charges nor did they interpret his behavior as a "sexual
attack."
On May 14, the AISD report claims, a second 17-year-old female
student came forward with a similar allegation about the band
director.
The student told Curtis that earlier in the year, Graham had
"put his hand under her blouse, (rubbed) up and down on her
bra strap and (made) remarks about getting married and going on
a honeymoon followed by suggesting they skip the marriage and
(go) directly to their honeymoon," the report states. She
also reported being kissed by Graham on the back of the neck May
6.
Curtis and assistant principal Melody Roper said they met with
Graham May 14 to inform him they were looking into the students'
allegations.
The district's report states when Curtis asked him if he had
anything to say about what the girls had accused, Graham said
"he would not lie about the allegations; they were true and
asked what he needed to do."
Curtis said he told Graham he needed to resign the next morning,
and he complied.
Maggie Montelongo, director of investigations and enforcement
for the SBEC, said the allegations against Graham are being investigated,
which means the agency will eventually talk to district officials
and to Graham.
After all evidence is reviewed, the agency will decide whether
to file a complaint to Dr. Mike Moses, the commissioner of education.
Graham may answer the complaint before the commissioner in
a hearing. Moses will then decide whether or not to revoke his
teaching certification.
While she is trying to hire more help this summer, Montelongo
said she has a backlog of 1,200 cases and only three investigators,
"but we're moving as quickly as we can." The process,
however, may take months.
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Copyright ©1997,
Abilene Reporter-News / Texnews / E.W. Scripps Publications
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