Elfrida – An evidentiary hearing was held Tuesday morning for Richard Anderson, a Valley Union High School math teacher who is accused of both allegedly using sexually inappropriate language with a student and of touching the student on the thigh.
 Richard Anderson, left, and his attorneys listen to testimonies from teachers and staff at Valley Union High Tuesday afternoon. Anderson is accused of inappropriate behavior with a student. |
The student, whose name was not released, is known only as Student A.
Anderson is on paid administrative leave.
Attorneys for Anderson, the Valley Union School Board, and the prosecution listened to testimonies from current and former teachers and staff, all of whom testified to Anderson’s good standing and character.
Principal Rusty Taylor said Anderson had received high marks on his evaluations and performance.
He told the board and the attorneys he had never heard the “eye rolling in the head” phrase used in a sexual context.
For Taylor, “eyes rolling in the head” was a gesture of boredom.
Anderson’s attorneys asked Taylor if Anderson was a strict teacher and Taylor responded that he was tough.
“I respect him for making students accountable for their education,” he said.
English teacher Laura Miller also had high praise for Anderson. Miller said the eye-rolling phrase came about from a Sunday comic strip that would eventually become Anderson’s generic, catchall phrase for a variety of situations, ranging from boredom to exasperation.
Miller was asked if Anderson kept a proper distance with his students. Miller said he never relaxed his professional distance with his students.
Deputy Cochise County Attorney Candace Pardy asked Miller if it was appropriate that a teacher allow a student to shower in a teacher’s home.
Miller said it depended on the situation. Many students there often times work for teachers and so allowing the students to use the facilities to clean up was appropriate.
Former teachers and staff Muriel Metcalf and Shirley Ortega also took the stand and spoke well of Anderson’s professionalism. Both Metcalf and Ortega said the eye-rolling phrase carried no sexual connotation.
The attorney’s and school board moved into a close session to listen to four student’s testimonies. Those testimonies were not released to the public.
Anderson’s attorney’s also read excerpts from statements made by 13 students, all praising Anderson’s merits as a teacher and as an individual.
The hearing will resume and conclude on Nov. 19 in which the school board and attorneys will issue their decision.
The charges and evidentiary hearings against Anderson stem from a Sept. 7 Cochise County Sheriff’s investigation in which Anderson was accused of touching Student A on the leg. According to the Sheriff’s report, Anderson took a photograph of Student A when the student was in boxer shorts and preparing for sports practice.
In the report, Anderson would remind Student A of the photograph and tell him that the photograph was pinned to Anderson’s bathroom wall and that he would masturbate to Student A’s photograph.
Comments
ghudson wrote on Nov 5, 2007 8:54 PM:
Former VU Student wrote on Nov 5, 2007 1:04 PM:
Former VU Student wrote on Nov 5, 2007 1:02 PM:
YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE wrote on Nov 2, 2007 10:36 PM:
Mike Jackson wrote on Nov 2, 2007 7:08 PM:
Concerned parent wrote on Nov 2, 2007 3:29 PM:
a real concerned citizen wrote on Nov 1, 2007 4:25 PM:
Mr. Anderson is innocent! wrote on Nov 1, 2007 8:53 AM:
jj wrote on Nov 1, 2007 8:41 AM:
Mike Jackson wrote on Nov 1, 2007 8:35 AM:
In total support for Mr. Anderson! wrote on Oct 31, 2007 10:29 PM:
Tammy Sue Smith wrote on Oct 31, 2007 9:11 PM: