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Livingston Academy teacher Mark Lee has been removed from his post at the school following allegations of sexual harassment.
Overton County Director of Schools Mark Winningham announced the decision at Tuesday night’s school board meeting. He cited the number and nature of claims made against Lee in a written statement delivered to the Board of Education.
“It has been determined that Mr. Lee will be suspended without pay for the Overton County Board of Education for a period of 90 days,” Winningham said. “This suspension will be reported to the state Board of Education for possible licensure action. He will be removed as a teacher at Livingston Academy effective immediately.”
Winningham said Lee is still employed by Overton County Schools and is subject to placement in a teaching position at Winningham’s discretion. The school board ended the meeting for further discussion on the issue with its attorney.
“He will be placed on professional probation effective immediately,” Winningham said.
The board was addressed by Carol Ann Rudd, the mother of one of the students that have come forward with the allegations against Lee. She said her daughter came forward to help prevent another student from going through the same experience.
“I ask you, why did this happen to my child,” Rudd said. “And I beg you, as a mother, to please do the right thing and remove him from the school board and the school system, and make our children safe. Please. I beg you.”
Michael Kinnard said he has a daughter in middle school. He said she would not be, in his words, the next guinea pig for a sexual predator.
“You’re still allowing him to be a predator toward these girls,” Kinnard said. “To sexually harass and be sexually provocative. To touch inappropriately these girls. I mean, you are allowing this to happen. You are complicit in this.”
Kinnard and several other parents demanded more answers from the school board upon the completion of its investigation.
“I think the board can ask for the Director and notify the authorities that (investigate),” School Board Chairman Howard Miller said. “I don’t think the board has the authority to go out here and investigate. If they are made aware of what something wrong has been done, they have an obligation to report it to the correct police and the Director and let him, but the board does not have the authority to investigate.”
At that point, attorney Brett Knight asked Miller if the School Board was impotent to protect students. As Miller began to respond, he was interrupted by the board’s attorney, Chuck Cagle, and advised not to answer the question.
The board then adjourned to meet with privately Cagle, citing that the Lee conversation was a personnel matter.
Lee had been on suspension since allegations surfaced publicly for the first time in March. At that time, two former students approached the School Board accusing Lee of sexual harassment. In addition to the School Board launching its investigation, District Attorney Bryant Dunaway’s office began a criminal investigation. That investigation ended last month with no charges filed.
