COLUMBIA – Sheriff Leon Lott announced on Friday, Nov. 19, that no charges will be filed against a Richland Two school administrator who was accused of sexual misconduct during a live-streamed school board meeting last week.
“After an intense investigation which included interviewing multiple witnesses and the individuals involved, as well as reviewing surveillance video from school cameras, investigators determined that the incident did not occur as described by the child and that the administrator did not do anything improper,” a Richland County Sheriff’s Department reported in a press release.
The Richland County Sheriff’s Department began investigating on Monday, Nov. 15, after the parent of a Richland Two elementary student raised concerns about an incident involving an administrator.
On Tuesday night, that parent spoke about the allegations during the public participation portion of the school board meeting.
“As parents, we want to believe that our kids are always truthful with us, but sometimes it turns out that’s not the case,” Sheriff Lott said. “However, we have a duty to make sure that any allegations are fully and completely investigated so that appropriate action can be taken when warranted.”
Richland Two and the elementary school involved cooperated fully throughout the investigation and have been notified of the findings.
The Voice has not been able to contact the father, but WIS reporter Lauren Adams spoke with him following the investigation and WIS anchor Judi Gatson had this to say in an update posted on her Facebook page:
“Our reporter, Lauren Adams, just talked to the dad. He told her he has apologized to the administrator.
“He thanked the Richland County Sheriff’s Department and said he feels it best to relocate his daughter to another school.
“He also said he’s going to put his daughter in counseling and seek counseling as parents.
“The father told Lauren he plans to conduct his own investigation into why his daughter knows those words/actions and to see if she was sexually assaulted.
“To be clear, the Richland County Sheriff’s investigators say their thorough and exhaustive investigation exploring all possibilities revealed no signs or evidence of any abuse.”
The following press release was issued by the Richland County Sheriff’s office this morning:
Sheriff Leon Lott announces that no charges will be filed against the Richland Two school administrator who was accused of sexual misconduct.
After an intense investigation which included interviewing multiple witnesses and the individuals involved, as well as reviewing surveillance video from school cameras, investigators determined that the incident did not occur as described by the child and that the administrator did not do anything improper.
The Richland County Sheriff’s Department began investigating on Monday, after the parent of a Richland Two elementary student raised concerns about an incident involving an administrator.
On Tuesday night, that parent spoke about the allegations during the public participation portion of the school board meeting.
“As parents, we want to believe that our kids are always truthful with us, but sometimes it turns out that’s not the case,” Sheriff Lott said. “However, we have a duty to make sure that any allegations are fully and completely investigated so that appropriate action can be when warranted.”
Richland Two and the elementary school involved cooperated fully throughout the investigation and have been notified of the findings.
BLYTHEWOOD – A Richland 2 administrator has been put on leave after being accused of strip-searching an elementary school student, school officials have reported.
The alleged incident occurred on Wednesday, Nov. 11 according to the father who addressed the Richland 2 School Board Tuesday night, Nov. 16, saying his first-grade daughter had been the victim of a strip-search at her school.
District officials say they became aware of the allegations against the administrator after an email from the child’s father was received by school officials on Monday, Nov. 15.
The allegations became public during a Tuesday school board meeting when the father described the particulars of the incident during the public comment period.
The district issued a statement Wednesday, saying the Superintendent Dr. Baron Davis said, “Richland Two does not tolerate any type of misconduct involving students and always fully investigates any reports of possible violations of laws, policies and procedures.”
Davis was quoted as saying, “I want to reassure the entire Richland Two family that providing safe, nurturing and caring environments that support quality teaching and learning at all of our schools remains our top priority,” he said.
The child’s father, who can be seen addressing the board in the video, told The Voice on Wednesday, Nov. 17 that the family had not yet been contacted by Davis.
The Voice was also told on Wednesday that at least some school board members had not been made aware of the alleged incident before it came up during the public comment period.
“I was not aware of the incident at all until I heard about it during the [father’s] public presentation,” School Board Member LaShonda McFadden told The Voice. “I don’t believe any of the board members were aware of it prior to the presentation.”
The livestream video of that meeting is no longer available on Richland 2’s website.
The video of the meeting is password-protected and is accompanied by a note. “Based on the advice of the district’s Director of Safety and Security, the availability of the livestream video from the meeting is currently restricted to protect the identity of a minor involved in an investigation. The district is exercising as much caution as possible during this ongoing investigation.”
In the prepared statement, the district said the allegations were “disturbing to hear just as they were disturbing to read about in the email.”
The district is required by law to protect “all individuals involved in the investigations,” Davis said in the statement. The district has not revealed at which school the incident allegedly happened.
The child’s father told The Voice that he filed a report about the incident with the Richland County Sheriff’s office on Monday, Nov. 15.
The Richland County Sheriff’s office confirmed to The Voice on Wednesday, Nov. 17, that it is investigating the incident.
The Voice will update this story as information becomes available.
This story was updated on Nov. 23 at 8:30 p.m.