Louisville, KENTUCKY

October 30, 2008 - A grand jury indicted Adrian Sanford, the principal of Dixie Elementary School who resigned last month, and Toneke Bullitt, the bookkeeper. The four felony charges include theft, unlawful taking, tampering with physical evidence, fraudulent use of a credit card and abuse of public trust.

The school district began investigating Sanford and Bullitt in May after receiving an anonymous tip about questionable vendor payments made by Sanford. The school investigation revealed roughly $69,000 in unsubstantiated payments from school funds.

Two of the vendors Sanford hired were his relatives,, one with a felony drug conviction, the other with felony charges pending against him in connection with a purse stolen last year from a Dixie teacher. The district says they can't prove some of the vendors did any work.

The two will be arraigned Monday.
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Sept. 12, 2008 "Adrian Sanford Resigns From Dixie Elementary"

Louisville, KENTUCKY

October 30, 2008 - Ronald Borman, 61, a former English teacher at Kammerer Middle School, is due in court after being charged with federal child pornography charges stemming from an investigation two years ago.

Borman has been serving a 21-month sentence in Florida. He resigned from Kammerer after he was arrested in 2006. He was convicted after a Florida detective posing as a 13-year-old had sent the detective child porn over the Internet.

Fox 41 WDRB reported that police said he was nude, had a web cam, and performed sexual acts in front of it.
-----------------
OTHER:
Borman is on the Florida Sex Offenders List

An October 13, 2006 article on his arrest, revealed his work history. From WHAS:

Not only did Borman teach at Kammerer Middle School, but WHAS discovered that he taught at Saint Agnes and was a priest.

Borman was a priest in Indiana, Ohio and Michigan. He was transferred by religious order twice and left the priesthood in 1998.

He was also a teacher in the catholic school system in Louisville. He taught at Saint Agnes from 1999-2001, at Saint Polycarp School from 1998-1999, and Holy Spirit School from 1978 to 1985.

The Louisville Archdiocese confirms he worked at those schools and wouldn't say anything else about why he left.

He also taught at Westport Middle School in Jefferson County.

West Point, KENTUCKY

Sex with a 13-year-old student in 1977-1978 nets four years.

June 7, 2008 -James Skaggs, 60, West Point Independent School, 62, a teacher at West Point Independent School, was sentenced to four years in prison. A jury found him guilty in April of four counts of third degree sodomy for having a relationship with a 13-year-old student.

The relationship started in the fall of 1977 and continued through 1978, according to court records. Skaggs later became superintendent of the Cloverport schools in Breckinridge County.
Full Name: James B. Skaggs

April 21, 2008 - Veteran Educator Convicted On Sodomy Charges.
Jurors saw a taped confession from Skaggs during his trial and ultimately convicted him on four counts of sodomy.

Leitchfield, KENTUCKY

No charges filed, but district is firing the teacher.

June 5, 2008 - Complete story:

Trooper Steve Pavey said KSP (Kentucky State Police) was called several weeks ago by Grayson county School authorities concerning a complaint of sexual abuse or sodomy between a teacher, Adam Decker, and a 16-year-old girl at Grayson County High School.

After an investigation by Detective Matt Johnson no charges were filed. Pavey said relations between the teacher and student were consensual and therefore no laws were broken.

In Kentucky, the legal age of consent is 16 years. That law will change in July creating an exception for those in a position of authority such as teachers and scout leaders.

The teacher is "being fired" and is "now working in the private sector. "

Bardstown, KENTUCKY

Campfire Kev is in a lot of trouble and not just with the police.

May 29, 2008 - Kevin Holladay, 42, a Bardstown High School drama teacher, was arrested, along with his wife, last week. He was accused of having an inappropriate relationship with a female student and his wife Marta Holladay, 34, a veteran teacher, was charged with assaulting the student on school property when she found out.

Marta Holladay had been teaching in Bardstown for five years, while Kevin Holladay was a part-time employee for three years. Kevin Holladay is accused of kissing a 15-year-old student, including on the bare breast, and attempting to take off her clothes. At Kevin Holladay’s full-time job, he’s knows as “Campfire Kev,” traveling from school-to-school performing for kids; one reason, WHAS11 asserts, officials think they’re may be more victims.

The couple resigned in April but had planned to finish the school year before they were arrested.
NO NATIONAL BACKGROUND CHECK May 29 - WHAS11 is reporting that Kevil Holladay was charged in July 1997 with sexual assault against a child.

According to reports, Holladay was a counselor at a summer camp in Wisconsin, when he allegedly fondled a 13-year-old girl who fell asleep while watching a movie with him. A jury later found Holladay "not guilty".

He also had a misdemeanor conviction on a theft-related charge in Indiana, none of which showed up in a background check because only certified teachers are required to undergo national background checks in Kentucky. Kevin Holladay was a part-time classified employee.

OTHER COMPLAINTS May 29 - A student who is a junior at the school and has been involved in the student drama program since Holladay began working as the school’s drama coach three years ago says that she became so upset at Holladay’s behavior around female students that she and her mother went to the school’s former principal last fall and told him about it

She says that others have made the school’s current principal aware that there might something improper going on. Pictures have been circulating around MySpace for months. When a new principal arrived, Cara Blackmon, the student says parents and coaches from other speech teams contacted the school.

ADDITIONAL CHARGES June 4 - The grand jury has indicted 42-year-old Kevin Holladay on seven new felony counts of illegal transaction with a minor and seven additional counts of sexual abuse. All of the charges involve the same victim. Both Halladays have resigned from the school.

Clinton, KENTUCKY

He recently resigned from the school.

May 16, 2008 - Mark Morris, 38, a Hickman County High School teacher, was arrested and charged with five counts of unlawful transaction with a minor 3rd degree after police conducted an investigation into an inappropriate relationship with a 15-year-old female student.

Police were alerted when they received a complaint from the student’s father alleging that Morris was having an inappropriate relationship with his daughter after discovering over 200 text messages on her phone from the teacher.

The investigation continues.
----------------
LEGAL INFO
530.070 Unlawful transaction with minor in the third degree.
----------------
Pre-Trial Conference is scheduled for July 7, 2008.

Criminalizing Teacher-Student Sex

Bill to criminalize sex between teacher and student in Kentucky a possibility.
That was the line they took in December.
It's now May 2008 and the bill is still in committee.

Dec 23, 2007 - The legislation was proposed by former state Rep. J.R. Gray, a Democrat who left the General Assembly to become a new labor commissioner. Now, State Rep. Kathy Stein, chairwoman of the House Judiciary Committee, is taking responsibility for the legislation.

The proposed the legislation would allow prosecutors to charge teachers with statutory rape if they have consensual sex with 16- or 17-year-old students.

Several states have enacted similar measures over the past six years, including Alaska, Connecticut, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Nevada, Oklahoma, Texas and Washington. Lawmakers in New York and South Carolina are considering following suit. The Education Commission of the States said Ohio and Maine have had laws criminalizing such conduct since 1994 and 1995, respectively.

Only eight states have set 18 as the age of consent for both men and women, said Jennifer Boyter, senior policy analyst for The Council of State Governments in Lexington. In the vast majority of states, Boyter said, 16 is the legal age of consent.

UPDATE May 2, 2008 - The bill is HB 235. As of this date, it is STILL in committee and hasn't been heard.

Mount Olivet, KENTUCKY

Sentenced to five years each on six count to be served concurrently.

INDICTED Dec 11, 2007 - Crystal Wells, 33, a math teacher at Deming High School, was indicted by a grand jury on six counts of third-degree rape. She turned herself in and was arrested. [Third degree rape is defined as a person over the age of 21 who has sexual intercourse with someone under the age of 16. under KRS 510.060,]

Crystal Wells is accused of engaging in sex four times in August and twice in November with a 15-year-old male student, state police said.

SUSPENDED She was suspended for five days after sending more than 3,000 text messages to the boy. Wells provided the boy with the cell phone, according to Kentucky State Police. The district maintains that there was no evidence of a sex crime against Crystal Wells at the time. [Odd how some school districts NEVER find evidence of a crime.]

RESIGNED Wells resigned Nov 13 two days after state police opened an investigation after being contacted by the boy's family.Authorities said family members had found text messages on the boy's cell phone and felt they were indicative of a sexual relationship.

Also see Ledger Independent coverage. (Dec 10)
Wells is scheduled to appear in court on Jan. 14.

GUILTY PLEA Mar 3, 2008 - Wells is married and the mother of two small children. In a pretrial appearance, she pleaded guilty to amended charges of unlawful transaction with a minor on each count. The plea agreement calls for five years on each count to run concurrently. She will be sentenced Apr 14.

Wells was indicted in December. Prior to the indictment, only text message incidents during school time were acted on by school officials. Allegedly more than 3,000 text messages may have been exchanged between Wells and the boy. According to minutes of the October 2007 Deming school board meeting, the board approved the Sept. 17, 2007, minutes which listed Wells as suspended without pay for one week and with pay for a second week, Aug. 27-Sept. 7, 2007.

SENTENCED April 14 - Wells was sentenced to 30 years in prison. Wells was sentenced to five years on each of the six charges - to run concurrently. She is required to attend sex offender counseling, relinquish her Kentucky licence to teach. Her attorney wanted probation citing the fact that she had resigned from her job, her marriage was falling apart and a divorce was pending which would be affecting her two young daughters., but Circuit Court Judge Robert McGinnis did not buy the argument.

McGinnis disagreed, citing the impact statements and facts of the case, with the boy's mother and supporters of the victims' family, and Wells family and church members present, McGinnis formally sentenced Wells to five years on each count to be served concurrently.

If Wells' offense had been a single incident; if she had ceased contact with the victim after a confrontation by the boy's family; if she had not been a teacher, the offense may have warranted probation, McGinnis said."I have to treat this the same as I would a male teacher and a female student," McGinnis said. "I am not sure anyone benefits from jail."

And,

Citing the reduced charge from the original charges in the guilty plea and concessions already made by the commonwealth, the judge said there would be no probation at the time being. Wells is also shielded from prosecution from possible criminal charges in Nicholas County involving the same victim."A significant break has already been cut with the plea," McGinnis said. "Probation is denied ... you are in custody."

Lick Creek, KENTUCKY

ARRAIGNED

April 9, 2008 - Lincoln Bentley, 32, a teacher at East Ridge High School, was arraigned Wednesday where he pleaded not guilty to two counts of of official misconduct. He was arrested by Kentucky State Police last month, accused of asking a minor student to expose her breasts in exchange for a better grade.

According to the warrant, on March 27 and 28, Bentley, as a teacher, committed official misconduct when he asked the minor student to expose her breasts to enhance her grade. Pike County Schools Superintendent Roger Wagner said yesterday the allegations were brought before board officials, who immediately notified social services and the Kentucky State Police.

Bentley has been suspended with pay. His next court appearance is June 16.
Full Name: Lincoln Shane Bentley

April 10 - Brilliant lawyer statement of the year.

"The evidence is mostly in the form of written statements, spoken statements, there's no forensics, as far as I understand, no eyewitnesses," said Robert Wright, Bentley's Attorney.

TT - We think he's been watching too much Forensic Files.

Benton, KENTUCKY

Plea deal calls for registration as sex offender for 20 years.

ARREST reported Oct 16, 2007 -Michael Colvett, 37, a band director at Marshall County High School, was arrested and charged with misdemeanor unlawful transaction with a minor.
The parents of a 16-year-old told school officials they suspected an inappropriate relationship with their daughter. Colvett remains employed by the school.
Full Name: Michael F. Colvett

KFVS Ch 12:

According to a criminal complaint, the parents of the 16-year-old girl first found out about an inappropriate relationship between their daughter and Colvett back in February. After that, the girl's parents and school officials warned Mr. Colvett to only have contact with her for school matters. Police say he broke that warning.

According to the criminal complaint, the girl's father found recent personal text messges, emails and records of late night phone calls between the band director and his daughter. The teen later claimed she had a sexual encounter with Colvett.

According to KFVS,

Colvett is getting support from students and alumni. According to a former student, she and several current students planned to try and raise the money for Colvett's bail, if he couldn't make it. But Colvett did post $2500 bail and was released.

Some of his former students have started a Web site in support of the band teacher. Dozens have signed up on a Facebook page called "Supports the Colvett's."

NOT GUILTY PLEA Nov 9 - Colvett pleaded not guilty. Sex between a teacher and a student at least 16 years old is not a crime in Kentucky, but it is illegal to encourage a girl to disobey her parents. The unlawful transaction charge stems from what investigators believe was a sexual relationship between Colvett and the girl.

INDICTED Dec 18 - A grand jury indicted Colvett on charges of rape, tampering with physical evidence, sexual abuse and unlawful transaction with a minor. He's in jail on $25,000 dollars cash bond. A state lawmaker wants to make it illegal for a teacher or anyone else in a position of trust to have consensual sex with someone under 18.

NOT GUILTY PLEA Jan 8, 2008 - Colvett pleaded not guilty. Another court date has been set for April 1.

PLEA DEAL April 2 - Colvett reached a plea deal that allows him to enter an Alford Plea (no contest). He pleaded to a felony count of tampering with evidence and two misdemeanor counts of second-degree sexual abuse. Prosecutors dropped rape and unlawful transaction charges as part of the agreement. Colvett also has to give up his teaching license and to register as a sex offender for 20 years. No sentencing date given.

Newport, KENTUCKY

Nov 10, 2006 - Long-time Newport school board member Jim Hesch, 47, and his wife, Helen, 47, an English teacher at Newport Middle School, were arrested on charges of third-degree unlawful transaction with a minor as part of an on-going investigation into the use of drugs in their Grandview home.

Previously, Brandon Hall, a teacher at Newport Middle School was arrested after being videotaped smoking marijuana with students who were seen partying at the Hesch home. In addition, Bonnie M. Cioffi, 34, and her son were arrested in connection with the case. How it relates to the case is not known at this time.

HALL SENTENCED - May 30, 2007 - Hall was sentenced May 30 to three years' probation, drug and alcohol tests and participate in any recommended counseling. TT entry for Hall.

UPDATE Feb 22, 2007 - As the Cincinnati Enquirer notes, the Hesch trials are continuing. Meanwhile, she is still suspended with pay. He still serves on the school board.
[TT entry for Brandon Hall.]

PLEA AGREEMENT Feb 27 - The Hesches reached a plea agreement so that successfully complete a diversion program, they can have charges of drug paraphernalia possession and unlawful transaction with minors dropped.

The couple will also have to successfully complete 100 hours of community service, including speaking at schools and avoiding teen alcohol use and telling parents about their story and how to avoid the same scenarios.
[TT - Our view is that they should never be allowed inside a school again, let alone lecturing teenagers and parents.]

As part of the plea agreement, Mr. Hesch will have to resign from the school board by July 1 and Mrs. Hesch will have to quit her job immediately. If all of these stipulations are met, the charges will be dismissed in a year.

CHARGES DISMISSED April 1, 2008 - Campbell County’s Judge Gregory Popovich dismissed the case against Jim and Helen Hesch, a Newport School Board member and middle school teacher, because they complied with orders to complete a diversion program.

As a result of the publicity, Jim Hesch had to resign his position as Newport School board member and Helen Hesch had to resign her position as a Newport Middle School teacher.

There was no stipulation that the judge made Monday, Blau said, that the two cannot teach or be involved with another school system.

Covington, KENTUCKY

March 10 - James Chase, 69, a sixth and seventh-grade music teacher at Two Rivers Middle School, was arrested for possession of child pornography. He is charged with distribution of material portraying a sexual performance by a minor

He was arrested after police executed a search warrant at his home. Police seized several computers, on which they found "hundreds of images of young children in various positions."

He has been with the school district for more than 21 years. Chase has been suspended without pay while the matter is under investigation.
Full Name: James C. Chase
Booking photo Kenton County Police

LEGAL INFO (from story): Under Kentucky law, possession of more than one pornographic image can result in the distribution charge, even if there is no evidence the child pornography was distributed.

MOTION DENIED March 19, 2008 - Chase's lawyer requested his client be released on home confinement. A judge refused to release Chase, say that Chase will have to post a $20,000 cash bond. He is waiting for his case to be presented to a grand jury.

Police found 450 pornographic pictures on his computer of girls in sexually suggestive poses. The children ranged in age from 3 months to 12 years.

Chase was transferred to the middle school in July when a teenaged girl at Holmes Junior/Senior High School filed a sexual harassment complaint against Chase, who was her music teacher. His wife was at the hearing.

Campton, KENTUCKY

He may have been found not guilty by one jury, but the grand jury has indicted him again.

May 24, 2007 - Robert Brewer, a third grade teacher at Campton Elementary, has been indicted by a grand jury, accused of sexually abusing two girls under the age of twelve from September of last year to this past April. The mother of one of the victims tells us both girls were in Brewer's class.

Update June 7 - Brewer pleaded not guilty. Brewer is reportedly on paid leave. He'll be back in court in July. (Kinda cavalier coverage but there are 82 comments at the news story of his arrest with more enthusiasm for the news than the tv station.)

THIRD INDICTMENT: August 27 - Court officials say a grand jury handed down a third indictment against Brewer on Friday. Next court appearance is September.

COURT DATES: Sept 6 - Court dates scheduled - pretrial date for October 4 and his trial date for November 27.

NOT GUILTY VERDICT Nov 30 - A jury found Brewer not guilty.

INDICTED AGAIN Feb 22 - 2008 - A grand jury indicted Robert Brewer on a new felony charge of first degree sexual abuse. He has posted bond and will return to court in April.

Hopkinsville, KENTUCKY

Mar 9, 2007 -
Lucian Gower, Jr ,44, a teacher at North Drive Middle School, was arrested after police say he set up a meeting to have sex with a thirteen-year-old girl. Police intercepted the calls.
(Photo courtesy of Hopkins County Jail.)

SENTENCED Feb 13, 2008 - Gower was sentenced to 60 days in jail and a five year pre-trial diversion.

From arrest story: Gower used to work at Browning Middle School 2005-2006 where the the superintendent's office says he wasn't fired, but he wasn't asked to come back. He then went on to teach in Christian County public schools while police say he was corresponding with a former student. The girls' parents called police.
----------------------
May 2, 2008 - As of this date, he is still credentialed in Kentucky. Search here.

Lexington, KENTUCKY

Feb 22, 2007 - Charles Little Jr., 57, a popular music teacher at Booker T. Washington Academy, now retired, was indicted on charges he sexually abused three teenage boys more than 20 years ago. The grand jury dismissed charges against another man connected to the case.

Little faces three counts of third-degree sodomy, a felony, for "engaging in deviate sexual intercourse with a person less than 16 years old." Two of the victims were incarcerated at the time of the accusations. A third victim spoke with the newspaper.

Little retired from Lexington Traditional Magnet School in June 2001 with 30 years of service, was working as a part-time band and orchestra teacher at The Academy at Lexington, which is now Booker T. Washington Academy, at the time of his arrest. Arraignment is set for March 2.
Full Name: Charles F. Little, Jr.

ALFORD PLEA Dec 14 - Little entered an Alford plea of guilt -- meaning he was not admitting guilt, but acknowledging there was enough evidence to find him guilty if he went to trial -- to three counts of sexual misconduct, a misdemeanor that carries a penalty of six to 12 months in prison.

Fayette County Circuit Court judge Kim Bunnell requested that Little undergo a sex offender evaluation. The judge had some odd remarks:

"I don't like to set people up for failure; I like to set people up to succeed," she told Little. “I don’t know you. I don’t know what’s going on. I know we have some very serious allegations here. We’ll do anything we need to do to assist you and to make sure we don’t find ourselves at this situation again.”

The misdemeanor charge allows Little to avoid registering as a sex offender. Prosecutors recommended six months for each charge. He will be sentenced Feb 8. [The Alford plea means that Little can't be sued by his victims. See CORRECTION below.]

SENTENCED - Feb 8 - Little was sentenced to one year in jail - not prison - followed by two years' probation. He will not be required to register as a sex offender. The judge suspended the jail sentence.

[Fayette Circuit Judge Kim] Bunnell said she decided against sending Little to prison, in part, because she was swayed by a flood of letters of support from Little’s friends, former students and colleagues — some of whom were people Bunnell greatly respected. But the judge also said she didn’t have any reason to believe that Little, whose criminal record didn’t boast more than a speeding ticket, would not be able to succeed on probation.

The decision led to sighs of relief on one side of the courtroom; and sobs of despair on the other.

TT - Another popularity contest and a judge vying for an appearance on the Jerry Springer Show on "Bozo Judges in the Courtroom, We Love Em!".

What does that tell victims when they come forward? It says, "You don't count. Cause you don't have letter-writing colleagues and former students who were lucky enough not to be targets."

The judge is fond of letters, apparently. (Previous court room antics.)

CORRECTION: Someone pointed out that the Alford plea doesn't mean that he can't be sued. It doesn't take a finding of guilt to sue in Kentucky and that's true in every state. The Alford plea is a guilty plea only for the purposes of sentencing. It can't be used in a lawsuit as an admission of wrongdoing. Having clarified that, we feel better.

Mount Olivet, KENTUCKY

Jan 22, 2008 - It's the second arrest for Nicole L. Silvey, 27, a Mount Olivet City Council member and Bracken County school teacher. She was arrested Saturday and charged with DUI and being in possession of an open alcohol container in a vehicle after an accident where she failed to negotiate a curve and struck a garage.

In May 2007, she engaged in a high speed chase with police that ended with an arrest when they found her in a private driveway with the car lights off. Last month, she was sentenced (sorta) on reduced charges of second-degree wanton endangerment, to 90 days in jail, to serve seven days with credit for time served; the balance was conditionally discharged after two years.

On the charge of fleeing or evading police, she also received a sentence of 90 days, served consecutive with the endangerment charge, to serve seven days with credit for time served and the balance conditionally discharged.

She was elected City Council in 2006. She had been a half-day social studies teacher but the class was discontinued. Arraignment was postponed until Feb. 12.

Schoolteacher jailed following high speed chase (May 7, 2007)

Lexington, KENTUCKY

Wants probation after four months of an eight-year sentence.

June 26, 2007 - Anthony Graves, 28, a Bryan Station High School teacher, pleaded guilty for third-degree sexual abuse of a former student, a 15-year-old girl. He also admitted he took pictures of the sex acts.

He was arrested in September 2006. He was fired Sept 18.

He was sentenced to eight years. (Five years for use of a minor under 18 in sexual performance and three years for possession of matter portraying a minor in sexual performance.)

PROBATION REQUESTED Dec 22 - Graves has asked a judge for "shock probation" to allow him out of jail after only four months. Graves admits he had been sexually involved with two minors and is now serving an 8-year sentence for the crime. A last-minute letter from the victim's father, pleading with the judge to keep Anthony Graves behind bars, however, caused the judge to delay the decision.

No date when the judge will decide.

TT - The judge is Judge Kim Bunnell.
If you would like to write to the judge and express your opinion, the address is
Hon. Kimberly Nell Bunnell
Circuit Judge
120 N. Limestone
Lexington, KY 40507-1151

LAWSUIT April 25, 2008 - The victim is suing Graves and the Fayette County Public Schools.

Graves was fired from Bryan Station High School in September 2006, four days after allegations surfaced of sexual contact with another student, who was 15 years old at the time.

The lawsuit states that video footage of the plaintiff and Graves having sex was discovered on Graves' computer during an investigation into the original charge, for which he was sentenced to 90 days in jail.

He was also sentenced to eight years in prison on felony charges of use of a minor under 18 in sexual performance and possession of matter portraying a minor in sexual performance. He has since been released on probation.

Louisville, KENTUCKY

Dec 2, 2007 - Talk about a man without a clue.

Jefferson County public schools Superintendent Sheldon Berman, in defending the new, narrowly-passed anti-discrimination policy, said "If someone is calling someone else gay, I expect a teacher to confront it and tell them that it is not appropriate and that we want them to respect other people," he said.

He also said, teachers should not be discussing their sexual beliefs with children, adding that he does not believe that is a problem in Jefferson County's classrooms.

THIS, despite the fact that an openly lesbian teacher told the board at the Nov 12 board meeting that she had shared her sexual orientation with a middle school student who had used a sexual slur.

"I simply have to disagree. I have been outed at all of the schools I have been at in Jefferson County, and to be honest, it hasn't disrupted learning or been difficult to manage," [Highland Middle School instructor Kat Crawford] told the board.

"As a matter of fact, I have found my living honestly and openly as a lesbian to be very positive in a way to capture a teachable moment here and there."

Citing an example just a week earlier, Crawford said she heard a girl tell other kids while on her way to scoliosis screening that "there are going to be lesbians working this," prompting snickers.

"I called the girl over and talked with her privately," Crawford told the board. "… I asked her what she said … and why she said it. I told her that I took offense to it (and said), 'How do you think that comment makes this lesbian feel?' "

TT- Calling someone a lesbian is a slur? Or just an opportunity to chastise a child and intimidate them and advertise the teacher's sexual orientation? And do you believe a middle school student used the expression, "there are going to be lesbians working this?"

The school board shouldn't be suprised. In the announcement that Berman would be the new superintendent beginning with the 2007-2008 school year, the school board used the term "diverse" twice, "diversity" twice and "diversified" once. And there was this:

We see in Dr. Berman a person who is a consensus builder, and who can develop coalitions among diverse interest groups. He is committed to collaborating closely not only with employees and the Board, but with legislators, community organizations, universities, local government, labor groups, State education agencies, and other stakeholders. He is a highly skilled listener, and genuinely wants to hear and consider all sides of an issue before arriving at a decision.

Where do parents come in? Not once in the announcement.

WATCH THE VIDEO Board member Ann Elmore, who was on the committee that recommended the change, voted against the new policy.

Ridiculous

Nov 25, 2007 - The software that keeps on giving. But not to children.

Bledsoe, KENTUCKY

Nov 15, 2007 - A jury found Michael Ashley, 41, guilty of third-degree rape and third-degree sodomy for sex with a 14-year-old girl. The jury recommended a six-year sentence.

Ashley was arrested in 2005 when he was accused of having sex with one of his eighth-grade students over the course of four months.

Ashley taught at Harlan County's Green Hills Elementary School.

He will be sentenced Dec 6.