Monroe, LOUISIANA

It's like a Monty Python skit. Without the laughs.

October 29, 2008 - From the News Star (Monroe, Louisiana)

State Superintendent Paul Pastorek has asked 4th District Attorney Jerry Jones to investigate the possibility that members of the Monroe City School Board and Monroe Mayor Jamie Mayo may have violated the state's bribery statues.

Pastorek questions whether members of the board violated the statutes in attempting to place board member Brenda Shelling's daughter Cassandra Shelling in several positions in the district.

In April, Mayo appeared before the board urging members to overturn their decision not to retain Superintendent James Dupree. Brenda Shelling initially voted against renewing Dupree's contract, but switched her vote, making her the final vote needed to renew the contract.

Cassandra Shelling was considered for a position as principal of Carroll High School, a teacher at Wossman High School and a teacher at an elementary school. Shelling could not hold the Carroll principal postion as long as her mother is a sitting member of the school board. She did not hold the proper certifications to hold the high school teaching position at Wossman.

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INFO:
You wanna see some scary pictures, these people fit the bill. link
And their October 11 board meeting sounds like a Monty Python skit.

The bottom line seems to be that there have been several attempts to hire boardmember Shelling's daughter who had been previously employed and fired six years ago from the district following a tenure hearing regarding her conduct on school grounds.

In August, Cassandra Shelling, was a finalist in the search for principal for Carroll High School until her mother said she learned that immediate family couldn't hold any position except teacher. Next, the daughter was considered for the elementary school.

The school board has dithered on renewing the school superintendent's contract. They eventually rehired Dupree in October, with Shelling the deciding vote. A few days later Dupree placed Cassandra Shelling at Wossman High School to fill a newly created position.

Dupree claimed that her placement came upon the recommendation of principal Sam Moore. Moore later stated that he had not interviewed her for the position. In an e-mail to the board, obtained by The News-Star through a Freedom of Information request, Moore informed Dupree that he had discovered that Cassandra Shelling's qualifications would not allow her to teach high school.

Meanwhile, the school board is stonewalling a newspaper's attempt to obtain additional documents.

CITY INFORMATION:
Monroe, LA Wikipedia entry
As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 53,107, making it the eighth largest city in Louisiana. The University of Louisiana at Monroe is located in the city, as well as Delta Community College. The racial makeup of the city was 36.78% White, 61.13% African American.

MONROE CITY SCHOOLS:
The school district rates a 6 (with 10 being highest) at GreatSchools.net
There are 9098 students in 21 schools.

Observation: Usually you see some sort of consistency in the school ratings. But Monroe schools are all over the map. For example, there are three high schools. One is a 9 while two are rated 3. High schools are good measures of what a child has learned as they pass through the school system. This isn't a mobile population composed of immigrants.

Graduate Exit Exams
test scores for Carroll High School here. 100% black student population
test scores for Neville High School here 57% black, 41% white
test scores for Wossman H.S. here 99% black student population

Carroll and Wossman are rated a 3. Neville is rated a 9.
Carroll is a magnet school with, clearly, nothing attractive about it.

New Orleans, LOUISIANA

October 23, 2008 - Damon M. Williams, 26, described as "a popular L.E. Rabouin High School choir teacher" was arrested.

Another student said the 17-year-old male student told police he "received a picture message of a penis" to his cell phone from Williams' phone, the victim told an adult relative, who ultimately came to the school.

Williams faces an obscenity charge. He has been placed on paid leave pending the outcome of the police investigation.

Saddest quote:

One student in the choir called Williams' arrest "a set-up."

"He's a sweet man. He would never do anything like that. It doesn't add up, " said choir member [name deleted, ] 16. "I love him."

TT - What kind of irresponsible reporter sets up a student to make such an ill-informed remark that she will likely regret?

Baton Rouge, LOUISIANA

Almost a year later, two of the three teachers have been sentenced.

ARRESTED Nov 15, 2007 - Amanda Elizabeth Key, 29, is the third teacher at the Louisiana School for the Deaf arrested in a week for improper contact with a 16-year-old female student. Key is accused of maintaining an improper relationship with the girl.

Earlier, Christopher Joseph Watson, 38, and Nathan Daniel Boyes, 26, were both arrested and each was charged with a count of indecent behavior with a juvenile.

Watson was a teacher at the School for the Deaf last year. Boyes is a physical education teacher at the school Both are accused of sending the girl sexually explicit e-mails and text messages.

WATSON SENTENCED - TEACHER
October 22, 2008 - Christopher Watson, 39, admitted last month to sending sexually explicit messages and images to a teenage Louisiana School for the Deaf student while teaching there. He was sentenced on a charge of contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile. He will be on active supervised probation for five years. He will have to REGISTER AS A SEX OFFENDER.

Watson and Veronie were among five people arrested between November and April on sex-related charges involving students at the school on Brightside Lane. Three of those arrested were current or former teachers at the school.

Veronie's case will go to trial. The case against Boyle is pending.

KAY SENTENCED - TEACHER
October 4 - In May, Amanda Key pleaded guilty to contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile. She was given a suspended two-year prison term and supervised probation for five years. She must REGISTER AS A SEX OFFENDER.

SCHOOL REOPENS November 1 - The Louisiana School for the Deaf will reopen Wednesday, a month after shutting down because of alleged sex incidents among students and staff, Department of Education officials said Friday.

State Superintendent of Education Paul Pastorek closed the school Oct. 7 after a sex attack by an unsupervised student with a history of bad behavior.

Lafayette, LOUISIANNA

Lawyers are a separate species from humans, aren't they?

August 19, 2008 - When a mother complained about a middle-aged man photographing girls in a water park, the pictures park security found pictures in his camera were focused on their butts and breasts. He was arrested for video voyerism. The girls were 10 to 13 years old and wearing bikinis. Police subsequently found 13,000 images of girls, mostly in bathing suits, on his home computer.

Duane Champagne's attorney argued Monday that his client wasn't breaking the law when he snapped the photographs because his subjects, young girls and women wearing bikinis, had no expectation of privacy at that public facility.
TT entry for Champagne.

Webster Parish, LOUISIANA

August 18, 20008 - David Taylor, 51, a substitute teacher, has been charged with being an accessory after the fact and indecent behavior with a juvenile. Police say knew of the aggravated rape of an 11-year-old girl, but instead of reporting it he asked her to do the same thing him.

Rockcola "Rocky" Plaisance, 19, is being held on $4 million bond after his arrest in Cotton Valley over the weekend. He is accused of aggravated rape of the girl.

Alexandria, LOUISIANA

Improper relationship with a student.

August 16, 2008 - Christopher Smith, 39, a teacher at Holy Savior Menard Central High School, was arrested Friday, accused of having "an improper relationship" with a female student.

The parents of the student filed a complaint with the Sheriff's Office about the relationship, authorities said. Smith was arrested on two counts of felony carnal knowledge of a juvenile and two counts of prohibited sexual conduct between educator and student. The latter charges also are felonies.
Full Name: Christopher D. Smith
Arresting Agency: Rapides Parish Sheriff's Office
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LEGAL: Louisiana passed the law criminalizing sex between an educator and student last year. Entry.

Hornbeck, LOUISIANA

Pleaded guilty to carnal knowledge of a 14-year-old boy.




ARRESTED May 1, 2007 -
Maurna Thornton, 39, a Hornbeck High School teacher, was arrested, accused of felony carnal knowledge involving a 14-year-old male student.

May 2 - From Leesville Daily Leader: Superintendent Dr. Cindy Gillespie confirmed that Thornton is still employed by the Vernon Parish School Board, but that she has been on sabbatical leave since Jan. 1, 2007. Gillespie added that last week the victim's parent came to her office and described what allegedly went on between Thornton and the victim.

Gillespie explained that she instructed the parent to go to the Vernon Parish Sheriff's Office and file a report.A complaint was then filed with the VPSO and an investigation began.
Full Name: Maurna Cay Thornton

PLEADED NOT GUILTY July 16 - Thornton pleaded not guilty. A trial is scheduled for Nov. 5, 2007 in front of Judge John Ford.

TRIAL SCHEDULED Jan 8, 2008 - Thornton's trial scheduled to begin Feb 11.

GUILTY May 12 - Thornton pleaded guilty May 8 to carnal knowledge of a juvenile. Pre-sentencing investigation is scheduled for July 3. Thornton will be sentenced on July 31.

SENTENCED August 1 - Thornton was sentenced to ten years, with five years suspended, followed by five years supervised probation. She will have to register as a sex offender.

SENTENCE RECONSIDERED August 8 - On August 1, Thornton's attorney filed a motion for reconsideration of sentence, a standard procedure on such cases. The new sentencing date was set for today, Aug. 8, but has been continued and re-fixed for next Wednesday.

The original sentence provided Thornton with eligibility of diminution (early release) of sentence for good behavior and five years supervised probation, however, new statutes that went into effect Jan. 1, 2008 prohibit diminution (reduction of time served) of sentence for good behavior. The new statutes were created by the Louisiana Legislature. The new sentence cannot, by virtue of the new statute, include time off for good behavior. As a result of the motion for reconsideration Wednesday, Giordano will have another opportunity to plea for a lesser sentence.

New Iberia, LOUISIANA

July 31, 2008 - Darius Sias, 38, principal of the Alternative Center for Education, was arrested Wednesday, charged with possession of Schedule II narcotics, which authorities identified as cocaine; possession of marijuana; possession of a firearm while in possession of a controlled dangerous substance; possession of drug paraphernalia; and monetary instrument abuse (possession of counterfeit money.)

Investigators recovered marijuana, cocaine and more than $300 in counterfeit money in a search of a house where ongoing drug activity was suspected..

The Alternative Center for Education is designed for students who have special education needs or have been suspended or expelled from other schools. Sias has been the principal of Lee Street Alternative School for about three years and has been with the school system for 14 years.
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A poster at the news story at the Daily Iberian wrote:"This is NO SUPRISE to me! I am a former Westagete student where Sias was asst. principle. He would always act like one of the boys, flirt with all the girls and showed to respect for his position.This is the kind of person we send our children to school with? what a shame! "

Denham Springs, LOUSIANA

July 3, 2008 - Jennifer Davis, a Lewis Vincent Elementary School** teacher, was arrested, charged with cyberstalking and unauthorized entry of an inhabited dwelling.

The Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office says communication between Davis and a 14-year-old boy led to the arrest, after a confrontation at the 14-year-old's house on June 12th. The relationship was not improper.

Davis is accused of posing as a 14-year-old girl and sending messages to a 14-year-old boy. Police say Davis also forced her way into the boy's home several weeks ago.

** We are assuming it is this school from the video report, and that the contact was through MySpace (also assumed from the video report.)

New Orleans, LOUSIANA

Waste of taxpayer money. Who pays for all her lawyers?

June 18, 2008 - A teacher whose artwork on her website contained nude pictures of herself and sculptures made of sanitary napkins has lost another round in her lawsuit against the school board that fired her. A student complained about the "artwork."

A federal judge dismissed Heather Weather's lawsuit against the Lafayette Parish School Board without comment. Her lawsuit claims they violated her right to freedom of expression.

Today, a three-judge panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans affirmed the lower court's ruling.
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Their 2-page ruling is online. PDF
She was a substitute teacher at Comeaux High School when she was fired.

We also wondered who paid for the lawyers for the butt-painting Virginia high school teacher. These aren't First Amendment issues. They directly affect the quality of our schools by lowering the standards to accomodate the weirdos.

New Orleans, LOUISIANA

A federal probe into Care Unlimited alleges misuse of money that was supposed to have been directed at at-risk youth, education, a program to teach building and teaching skills to at-risk males, support of pregnant teenagers, and assistance to pregnant teenagers. Misuse Alleged

Now for the bad news.

That's just one of three charities associated with one family in Louisiana. Today the fourth member of the family was indicted. Family

Story of the latest indictment.

Amite, LOUISIANA

Another lowercase judge™ in the news with the Always Clueless Lawyers making Asses of themselves.

June 11, 2008 - U.S. District judge Stanwood Duval Jr. said he has drafted a ruling that favors the ACLU Board its lawsuit over a teacher’s prayer during a public high school’s graduation. It is the one of seven cases the ACLU has filed against the same Louisiana school district.

But the judge agreed to wait until at least June 28 to issue that opinion so a settlement could be negotiated, including an agreement for the school board to pay for the ACLU’s attorneys fees, court records show.

AND,

The case was the sixth of seven lawsuits that the ACLU of Louisiana has filed against the Tangipahoa Parish School Board since 1994, according to ACLU attorney Katie Schwartzmann. The ACLU also has sued the school board over prayers in the classrooms, at school board meetings and at footbal l games and over the distribution of Bibles on school property.

School board attorney Christopher Moody suggested that the ACLU is unfairly singling out Tangipahoa Parish because most, if not all, of its cases against the school board are based on complaints from the same family, whose names aren’t identified in court papers

The teacher was filling in for an absent student when he gave the invocation and remarks were not prepared.
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TT - Coercing the school district to pay the ACLU fees is lowercase judge™ U.S. District judge Stanwood Duval Jr.. Wikipedia entry

WWLT said Bobby Jindal's campaign literature referred to Duval as a 'left-wing' jurist" without actually naming Duval. Jindal was elected Governor of Louisiana. And that's kinda remarkable considering Duval's rulings on Katrina.

(We haven't actually copyrighted lowercase judge, but lowercase judges are undeserving of the honorific capitalization of their title. They do not honor the law. )

Slidell, LOUISIANA

Oct 9, 2007 -
Anthony Ularich III, 60, a teacher at Slidell Pathways School, was arrested at the school. He is faced with 276 counts of pornography involving juveniles.

According to police, a call was received by a computer repair shop reporting pornographic photos on a customer’s computer that appeared to involve juveniles – this led police to obtain a search warrant and seize Ularich’s computer.

It was then turned over to FBI computer forensic examiners and a second search warrant was obtained for Ularich’s residence.

There investigators said they seized hundreds of digital images, dozens of video tapes, two computers, a digital camera, a scanner and other items.

He is being held on $1.1 million bond.
Full Name: Anthony Vincent "Vince" Ularich III

The school is a k-12 special education school.

SENTENCED June 2, 2008 - Ularich was sentenced to seven for each count for 275 counts of possessing child pornography. The sentences will run concurrently without the benefit of parole or probation. Ularich pleaded guilty to the child pornography counts May 7.

Child Pornography and Educators
TT - List sentenced for child pornography.
TT - List guilty but not yet sentenced for child pornography.

Vivian, LOUISIANA

May 28, 2008 - Monica Martin, 27, a substitute teacher at North Caddo High School, was arrested for prohibited sexual conduct between an educator and a student and for contributing to the deliquency of a minor.

She is accused of having a sexual relationship with an 18-year-old student she met while working at the school.
Photo: Caddo Parish Sheriff's Office
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Caddo Parish Sheriff's Office Press Release (dated May 25, 2008)
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LEGAL: A 2007 state law prohibits sexual conduct between an educator and a student between the ages of 17 and 19. FIRST OFFENSE is a a misdemeanor and conviction can mean $1,000 and jail time of up to six months, or a fine of $1,000, or both. A SECOND OFFENSE can mean a minimum sentence of one year in jail, or up to five years, possibly in state prison, and has a fine of up to $5,000. A second offense can be a felony. TT entry

Baton Rouge, LOUISIANA

May 16, 2008 - Aaron J. Hammond, 34, a Southern University Lab School teacher, was arrested, accused of sexually harassing two 16-year-old students and having pornography on his classroom computer. He was booked on a count of indecent behavior with juveniles.

Hammond teaches algebra I and physical science to middle school students. The investigation began when a 16-year-old girl contacted a Southern University police officer on April 14 to complain about Hammond. A second victim complained that Hammond touched her buttocks while she was standing at her locker.

When word spread, other students told the officer they had seen Hammond looking at pornography on his computer during class.

Investigators with the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office High Technology Crime Unit seized Hammond’s work computer, finding more than 250 pornographic images of adults and “several images of child erotica,” the warrant says.

Child erotica differs from child pornography in that the former depicts nude children who are not engaged in sexual activities and does not focus on their genitalia, said Laura Gerdes, a spokeswoman for the Attorney General’s Office.

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The school was established by and is supported by the College of Education, Southern University and A&M College.

Greensburg, LOUISIANA

May 6, 2008 - Kendric Stewart, 32, a social studies teacher and coach at Helena Parish Central High School, pleaded no contest to a simple battery charge after being accused of grabbing a female student’s buttocks last fall.

Judge Bruce Bennett sentenced Stewart to six-months' suspended sentence, two years on probation and fines and court costs. And prohibited him from teaching in Louisiana during his probation. He also required him to apologize to the girl.

Superintendent Amy Westbrook said the alleged inappropriate actions came to light last fall after the girl’s parents notified law enforcement authorities. Stewart resigned in November.

Shreveport, LOUISIANA

April 2008 - Appeal denied by 2nd Court of Appeals

May 1, 2007 - Adrian Sims, 29, a substitute at Lee Junior High, was sentenced to 10 16 years after having pleaded guilty last year to having sex with a student. [See sentencing information from appellate case.]

He was sentenced on one count of carnal knowledge of a juvenile and subsequently pleaded guilty to molestation of a juvenile for a February incident that reportedly took place while he was on bond.

Monroe police first arrested Sims in August after learning of the pregnancy of a 13-year-old student at Lee Junior High, where Sims once worked as a substitute teacher. He was arrested on seven counts of molestation of a juvenile but pleaded guilty in October to the single count of carnal knowledge.

Sims was free on bail pending sentencing when the Ouachita Parish Sheriff's Office arrested him in February for the forcible rape of a 15-year-old family friend.

The judge said he wanted the stiff sentence to serve as a warning to authority figures that prey on students.

APPEAL DENIED April 30, 2008 - The 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals denied Sim's appeal for a sentence reduction, ruling that the 16-year sentence was not excessive and the guilty plea was free and voluntary.
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The case is STATE OF LOUISIANA versus ADRIAN K. SIMS. The decision can be found here. PDF

Original sentencing was, as stated in the opinion: "The defendant was sentenced to serve the maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment at hard labor on the conviction for carnal knowledge of a juvenile with credit for time served.

On the molestation of juvenile conviction he also received the maximum sentence of ten years’ imprisonment at hard labor, with the first four years of the sentence to be served concurrently with the last four years of the sentence imposed on the carnal knowledge of a juvenile conviction, and the remaining six years to be served consecutively."

Shreveport, LOUISIANA

Headline reads: "Former Lincoln Parish Teacher of the Year indicted on six counts indecent behavior with a juvenile"

Jan 2008 - Pleads guilty.
April 2008 - Sentenced to 18 years in jail - not prison, 10 years suspended, and 10 years probation.

Jan 30, 2007 - Philip Cardwell, 55, an English teacher at Simsboro High School, resigned as a result of the investigation by the sheriff’s office of misconduct involving an English teacher and four [male] juveniles. No other details available.

INDICTED Mar 6 - Cardwell was indicted on on six counts of indecent behavior with a juvenile and one count of distribution of material harmful to minors. Cardwell was out of town and will be arrested when he returns to Ruston later this week, Lincoln Sheriff Mike Stone said.

"It has been a thorough and fair investigation that included the seizure of 10 computers and the execution of over 20 search warrants and subpoenas over a one-month period," Stone said in a prepared statement.

INDICTMENT Mar 7 - The indictment states that each charge involves a person being more than 17 years old, who did, "with the intention of arousing or gratifying the sexual desires of either person, transmit electronic textual communications depicting lewd or lascivious text to a person believed to be under the age of 17 ."

The indictment refers to the victims as juvenile male, John Doe No. 1 or John Doe No. 2, who was under the age of 17.

NOT GUILTY PLEA Apr 11 - Cardwell pleaded not guilty. He is scheduled for a pretrial conference June 12. He resigned in late January shortly after the investigation began.

Nov 13 - Cardwell is due in court today for a conference hearing. Unless he pleads, a trial date will be set.

GUILTY PLEA Jan 8, 2008 - Cardwell pleaded guilty to six counts of contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile and one misdemeanor count of distribution of material harmful to a juvenile. He will be sentenced in March.

SENTENCED April 9 - Lincoln District Judge R. Wayne Smith sentenced Cardwell to 18 months in jail - not prison. In addition, Cardwell received 10 years suspended and 10 years of probation. The judge ordered Cardwell to enroll in sexual illness treatment and mandated he be subject to random polygraph tests and GPS monitoring by his probation officer.

The judge gave Cardwell a blistering lecture that Cardwell declined to have read in court.

According to the sentencing, Cardwell hired a psychologist who reported to the court that Cardwell is confused about his sexual identity and identifies himself as bisexual. He said Cardwell did not view his relationship with the boys as sexual in nature and claimed Cardwell "had not yet crossed the line of being a sexual predator."

The argument is one Smith apparently rejected."The court is of the firm opinion that to characterize the chats between Cardwell and the boys as merely being coarse or crude or lack of judgment or immature behavior or male bonding or horseplay is not accurate," he wrote. "The behavior crossed the barriers of morality and decency. The behavior violated the law. These students were victims of crimes perpetrated upon them by Cardwell."

Cardwell has garnered significant support from the community. The felony charges stemmed from two camping trips between August of 2006 and January of 2007, where he took pictures of several male students naked and posted them on the internet. Since Cardwell pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of contributing to the delinquency of a juvenilewill not have to register as a sex offender.

Background checks

March 26, 2008 - Legislators are considering a bill to extend criminal background checks. Two separate bills filed last week seek to broaden the Child Protection Act, which determines what information school districts can receive from background checks conducted by State Police.

Currently, school districts are provided with that information going back only 10 years.

The bills, which will be heard in committee after the legislative session begins March 31, would remove the 10-year limit for convictions outside the Child Protection Act.

The legislation was prompted by the arrest of a school janitor who had been hired despite known prior arrests. School officials hired Schwertz despite the fact that he was serving five years of probation for bank fraud when he applied to work in St. Tammany schools and that two protective orders had been taken out against him, by his fiancee and by his parents. He had also been convicted of DWI.

He was arrested in March and is facing seven counts of aggravated rape and two counts of child molestation.

Joan Hunt, deputy counsel for the Department of Education, said the teachers union has traditionally opposed strengthening the law for fear that changes would encroach on privacy rights.

TT - What a surprise.

Destrehan, LOUISIANA

March 18, 2008 - Byron Toups, 39, a band director at Destrehan High School, was arrested, accused of having sex with one 16-year-old student and trying to kiss another. He has been charged with molestation of a juvenile, indecent behavior with a juvenile and simple battery, all allegedly involving the two female students.

LEGAL: (from story) A 2007 state law prohibits sexual conduct between an educator and a student between the ages of 17 and 19. FIRST OFFENSE is a a misdemeanor and conviction can mean $1,000 and jail time of up to six months, or a fine of $1,000, or both. A SECOND OFFENSE can mean a minimum sentence of one year in jail, or up to five years, possibly in state prison, and has a fine of up to $5,000. A second offense can be a felony.

Bond was set at $150,000. The judge also ordered that Toups be prohibited from any contact with students younger than 19 that resulted in this telling exchange.

Toups asked whether the prohibition applied to his own two children. Granier said it does not. Toups then asked whether he could have contact with his fiancee's children.
"How old are they?" Granier asked.

Toups said they are 10 and 15.

"Absolutely not," [Assistant District Attorney Kim] McElwee interjected.

The judge ordered that he not be in contact with them. Arraignment is scheduled for April 7.

Anyone with information about Toups is asked to call Detective Sgt. Roanne Sampson at 985-783-1135.

NOT GUILTY PLEA April 7 - Toups pleaded not guilty in court this morning.

The molestation charges stem from allegations that Toups, 39, had sex with a 16-year-old student at his home during the 2006-07 school year.

The battery and intimidation charges are in connection with allegations that Toups tried to kiss a 17-year-old student at a band camp at Destrehan High School last summer. He allegedly locked the door to the room they were in and told her not to tell about his attempts to have physical contact with her.

The 17-year-old has lodged similar complaints in a civil suit filed in February against Toups.

TT - Some really interesting comments at the story. Several think the accusers ought to get on with their lives or share the responsibility. In response, one poster wrote:

I don't understand these comments about blaming these girls for becoming the victim of a pedophile. It's really quite disturbing. This a teacher, not some biker they met at a party. Seriously.

RECUSAL REFUSED August 2 - State District Judge Kirk Granier signed an order recusing himself from the case on June 12, saying both his and his secretary's sons were close friends of one of the victims and that the girl had talked to both boys about the case. He said his secretary's son probably would be called as a witness in the trial.

BUT state District Judge Emile St. Pierre, who was allotted the case after Granier withdrew, signed an order earlier this month that stated having a family member who knows about the case or a secretary whose son knows about it is not a legal basis for a recusal. Without a legal basis for the recusal, St. Pierre said, the case could not be reallocated to him, and he ordered it returned to Granier.