Accountability for the Predators in Our Midst

 

Content warning: The following contains references to sexual assault.

Two of the most difficult experiences of my time in the West Texas town of Shamrock involved sexual predators in the school district. I grew up in public schools, and my wife Anna and I agreed they were the best path for our sons as well. 

Overall, we had great experiences with our boys’ teachers. In every community we served, we found dedicated educators who tackled their work with empathy, patience and skill— until we came to Shamrock.

The Coach and the “Open Secret”

Shamrock was different. The previous superintendent set a low bar for staff. Though he left shortly after we arrived, the damage had been done. 

The first issue we encountered was a predator coach—a voyeur who frequently watched young female students in the locker room. That was an open secret, but he was also a volatile man.

We learned the extent of the damage he was causing one night at dinner when one of our sons started crying. Our other son told us the coach was punishing the boys with angry tirades and physical exhaustion as a means of intimidation. I did not take this lightly. 

Because Shamrock was a gossipy community, it didn’t take long to uncover a thick file of parental complaints against this coach, with incidents involving both boys and girls. Once I was certain my information was accurate, I went to the principal, who denied everything and defended the coach.

I decided to use a card I had never played before.

Our church televised its morning and evening services. I told the principal, “We know we are not the first parents to complain about this coach.” 

Again, he denied it. I told him I came to him because he is responsible for keeping our children safe.

I informed him that on Sunday morning, I would step into the pulpit and share with the community what is happening in this school. I would be clear and articulate and report that I came to him first out of respect for your office. “Is that what I need to do?” I asked. 

We locked eyes. The moment conveyed the seriousness of my concern and my willingness to go public with what he had refused to address. He broke eye contact and quietly said, “I will take care of it.”

The Band Director and the Ultimate Cost

It is often difficult for a parent to gauge the severity of a school problem, but in Shamrock, these failures cost middle school boys their lives.

Another poor hiring decision by the former superintendent brought a second predator to the district: a band director. My sons did not fit his “profile” because he specifically hunted for boys from single-parent homes without a father. He would groom these students and then attempt to initiate sexual relationships.

Again, I gathered enough information to be certain of the facts. I went to the new superintendent, who happened to be one of our deacons.

He outlined a narrow path for discipline: The students would have to stand before an all-male school board and tell their stories. I told him plainly, “If my boys were being preyed on, there is no way they would appear before a board to recount those details.” He insisted there was no other way.

I asked his permission to investigate the director’s previous district. Armed with his consent, I looked into the man’s college history and a church where he had served on staff. 

I filed a report with CPS, specifically asking them to forward the information to the Sheriff’s Department rather than the local police. Unfortunately, it went to the local police anyway, where it sat on the Chief’s desk for his staff to see.

I eventually tracked down the superintendent of the former district of the band director. When I mentioned the teacher’s name, the man immediately knew who I was talking about. 

He had faced the same proof issues but had “gone to war” against the man by cutting his budget and making his tenure difficult. He then told me the chilling truth: The band director was responsible for a middle school boy’s suicide in that district.

I was unable to get him out of town before one of our own students committed suicide. Sometimes, one can only do their best and leave the rest to God.

The Confrontation

The band director eventually came to my home with his wife, accusing me of filing the CPS report. I told him that in all my years of ministry, I had filed only one such report. 

When he asked if it was on him, I declined to answer. By then, I knew he had resigned and had already been offered a higher-paying job in another Texas city.

I asked him one question: “If you believe I did this to you and you are now without a job, where is your anger?” My psychological training taught me that victims of grave injustice lash out; the guilty often do not.

The next day, I called him to my office alone. Behind closed doors, I told him what I knew—that he had harmed countless children and was responsible for two suicides. I watched his smugness turn to terror as I revealed I knew exactly which district he was moving to and what his new salary would be.

“I cannot have you prosecuted, but I would if I could,” I said. “Leave my office, leave this town, and never contact my family again. And know this: If you go anywhere near a Baptist church, I have access to every pastor and superintendent in those communities.”

A Call for Accountability

When male predators target young men, the victims often feel they have nowhere to turn. Many believe they were targeted because of a flaw within themselves. 

In rigid hierarchies—whether a school board, a church, or a coaching staff—the pressure to remain silent is immense. For some, that burden is too much to carry.

While we rightfully acknowledge the trauma young women face, our culture still often views sexual aggression toward women through a warped lens. But for men assaulted by other men, there is a specific brand of shame that strikes at the very core of their identity.

Schools, churches, and communities must do more. We must ensure these tragedies occur less frequently and that those who violate the rights of the innocent are prosecuted to the full extent of the law.