Aiken, SOUTH CAROLINA

October 24, 2008 - Stephen Eubanks, 67, a former principal of Winyah High School, was arrested on charges of molestation in that area that date back to the 1970s. He is being charged with lewd act upon a child under the age of sixteen, exposing of private parts, two counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor and one count of enticing children - both male and female - from North Augusta High School and Paul Knox Junior High in Aiken.

Eubanks worked in Georgetown at the high school just before it closed in 1985, according to local school district officials. It is unclear why he left the Georgetown School District. Since his arrest, police officials said additional calls have come into the hotline (listed below.)

The S.C. Law Enforcement Division has set up a special number dedicated to this ongoing investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact 1-800-414-2826.
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Comment at the story:

As a public school teacher for over 30 years I have seen numerous cases of faculty or staff becoming involved with kids in inappropriate and often illegal ways. In many cases when the unsubstantiated allegations begin to surface in the school and community the accused is often encouraged to move on. “We will give you a neutral or even positive recommendation; we don't need this kind of scandal. Just get out of town"- type of attitude.

I’m guessing that kids become adults and harbor feelings of guilt or even resentment, then finally many years later something happens that compels the person to come forward.

As a seventh grader in another state I was the victim of inappropriate touching and fondling by a male teacher in a tutoring session after school. I never told anyone for various reasons I didn’t understand at the time. This perpetrator was eventually dismissed and lost his teaching credentials because others came forward who were braver than me. It is a pity that these charges against Eubanks didn't surface much earlier.

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October 22 - Victim speaks after former Aiken County principal makes bail
Video interview as well. Eubanks is scheduled to appear in court December 5.

October 22 - Possible sex crimes connection between Eubanks, Meloan
(North Augusta Planning Commission Chairman Edward Meloan was sentenced to serve 78 years in prison for sexually abusing teenagers in the late 1960s and 1970s.)

October 22 - Ex-school administrator arrested on sex charges
Eubanks also served as an administrator with the Georgetown and Lancaster county school systems.

October 23 - SLED: Hotline set to investigate former school administrator 'very active'
(SLED: South Carolina Law Enforcement Division)
- QUOTE Local officials have said Eubanks had an erratic work history, hopping from school to school for several years. His South Carolina certification expired in 1999, but his Georgia certificate is valid until 2020.

He graduated in 1963 with a bachelor's degree in social studies from Berry College in Mount Berry, Ga., and received a master's degree in education administration from Appalachian State University in Boone, N.C. in 1974 .UNQUOTE

October 23 - Sex abuse suspect released
QUOTE North Augusta Detective Tim Thornton said the case was sent to SLED because it was "somewhat connected to an earlier investigation" conducted by SLED of Edward Meloan, who was arrested in July 2007 on charges of molesting a 12-year-old boy in the 1970s. UNQUOTE