Charlotte student sues teacher, school over sexual abuse www.privateofficer.com
CHARLOTTE, N.C. May 19 2011– A South Mecklenburg High School band teacher who pleaded guilty to taking indecent liberties with a student is now facing a civil lawsuit.
The lawsuit filed in Mecklenburg County Court on Friday also names the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education, saying the board was negligent in hiring Richard Priode.
In October 2009, Priode pleaded guilty to taking indecent liberties with one of his students. He was ordered to undergo treatment for sex offenders and had to register as a sex offender.
According to the lawsuit, Priode forced the student to have sexual encounters with him over a 13-month period while the student was a junior and senior at South Meck.
The student is referred to as “Jane Doe” in the lawsuit.
The lawsuit says, “In the spring of 2007, Priode began making sexual innuendos to Doe in an attempt to eventually have her engage in sexual relationships with him, her teacher.”
The lawsuit claims Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools was negligent in hiring Priode because he “had a history of inappropriate behavior with students at some of his prior schools that should have been known to the Board, had a proper background check been conducted.”
According to the lawsuit, the student was a member of the band, which Priode directed, and many of the sexual encounters happened on campus between classes.
“The sexual encounters took place at South Mecklenburg High School, in Priode’s office or in the music library/band room. … Their sexual encounters at school often caused Doe to be late to her next period classes,” the lawsuit says.
The lawsuit says the sexual encounters began when the student was 16 years old. At the time, Priode was 42 years old.
According to the lawsuit, Priode convinced the girl to have sex with him when she was 17, during a school-sponsored band trip.
The lawsuit seeks damages in excess of $10,000, saying the student sustained “serious disabling injuries, emotional distress and psychological and mental suffering.”
Source:WCNC
