Youth Board Set to Hear Sex Charges Against Two
By Stan Bailey, News staff writer
Originally published by The Birmingham News, June 16, 2001
MONTGOMERY — The state Youth Services Board on Friday set dismissal hearings next month for two teachers at the DYS Chalkville Campus on charges of "sexually inappropriate comments and conduct."
The board's action, as well as dismissal hearings set for 11 other Department of Youth Services staffers, comes in the wake of an intensive investigation into alleged sexual misconduct by several employees at the Chalkville lockup and school for delinquent girls.
At the request of John Stewart, DYS superintendent of education, the board set individual hearings on July 13 to consider canceling the employment contracts of Michael Coleman and George W. Lewis, teachers at Chalkville's Sequoyah school building.
Stewart said he called for the hearings because of allegations the men "displayed sexually inappropriate conduct," "made sexually inappropriate comments," and "allowed sexually inappropriate comments and conduct from students" in the Sequoyah school building.
J. Walter Wood Jr., the DYS executive director, said he also has notified 11 permanent state service staff members of termination hearings in Birmingham on June 27. Wood said the employees, all men, are being told in writing of the charges made against them "as a result of our investigation into alleged sexual misconduct."
Several teenage girls at the Chalkville campus accused adult employees last month of sexual misconduct. Wood told the board Friday that the investigation began immediately.
He also said he has placed the Chalkville campus under the direct command of Richard Ray, the DYS assistant director of institutions; initiated an internal review of American Correctional Association standards for quality of life at Chalkville; and requested technical assistance from the association for a review of campus operations.
"Should any of the allegations made by Chalkville students be proven, it would reveal a violation of public and moral trust by certain individuals acting on their own outside all standards, training and acceptable behavior that would be unprecedented at DYS," said Wood.
He said the investigation hasn't found evidence of sexual intercourse between the staff and students.
DYS Chairman David Swaim appointed six board members to a committee to review findings of the various internal reviews.
In other action Friday, the board scheduled a July 13 dismissal hearing for a third DYS teacher on unrelated charges. In that case, Stewart recommended that the board fire Gloria Burton, a teacher at the Lurleen B. Wallace School at the DYS Mt. Meigs campus.
Stewart said Mrs. Burton is accused of cursing a security guard, hitting a student with a broom handle, encouraging a security officer to hit a student with a baton, and cursing in the presence of students, another teacher and a security guard.
