Teacher faces charge of sex with student - he denies that act occurred while tutoring girl, 15

The Dallas Morning News ^ | January 29, 2004 | By KATHERINE MORALES and SCOTT STAFFORD / The Dallas Morning News

[MeekOneGOP]

Teacher faces charge of sex with student

He denies allegation that act occurred while tutoring girl, 15

03:22 AM CST on Thursday, January 29, 2004

By KATHERINE MORALES and SCOTT STAFFORD / The Dallas Morning News

A Coppell High School social studies teacher surrendered to police Wednesday and was arrested on a felony charge of sexual contact and indecency with a child.

Duane Masengill, 34, was suspended from his job Jan. 14, when a student filed a complaint with Coppell police. According to the arrest warrant, a 15-year-old girl said she had sexual contact with Mr. Masengill during a 7 a.m. tutoring session the previous day at the school.

"He vehemently denies the accusations," said Mr. Masengill's attorney, Ted Steinke of Dallas.

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Mr. Masengill, an eight-year employee of the district, posted bond and was released. He remains on paid leave from the district.

Tamarah Ringo, Coppell school district spokeswoman, said the arrest was the first in the district in recent memory.

"All of our teachers have criminal background checks," she said. "The last checks were completed in December." She added that his record was clean at the time.

Mr. Masengill, who contributed a geography quiz to The Dallas Morning News' travel section for several years, lives with his wife and young child in Little Elm.

Mr. Steinke said it could be as long as a month until a grand jury hears any evidence in the second-degree felony case.

If he is not convicted, school officials would determine whether there was a faculty position for Mr. Masengill, said Judy Denman, the district's director of human resources.

Mr. Masengill's position is being filled by another teacher indefinitely, officials said.

"This is the kind of thing that has a ripple effect throughout a school district," Mrs. Ringo said. "Our first priority is to take care of our students and staff."

E-mail kmorales@dallasnews.com

and sstafford@dallasnews.com

---

Online at: http://www.dallasnews.com/s/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/012904dnmetcoppellteacher.38151.html

[Spok]

Any male teacher who would be alone with a 15 year old female student should have his head examined.

[goldstategop]

He met his Lolita. Any one who's read Vladimir Nabokov's novel and seen the film versions knows how hard its for men to resist the lure of teenage females. Our Lothario went straight to his doom...

[diamondjoe]

I know a number of young male teachers, and it is a sad necessity that many of them refuse to be left alone in the presence of a female student. One accusation can destroy a career. That's not to say that happened here, but no teacher should put himself in this kind of position.

[Huck]

Duane Masengill, 34, was suspended from his job Jan. 14, when a student filed a complaint with Coppell police. According to the arrest warrant, a 15-year-old girl said she had sexual contact with Mr. Masengill during a 7 a.m. tutoring session the previous day at the school.

What a douche.

[Pern]

Guilty or innocent, his career as a teacher is over.

[July 4th]

his career as a teacher is over.

He probably didn't have much of a life anyhow, with a last name like that.

[goldstategop]

With nubile teenage girls, its just too much of risk to be around them.... no matter how old the guy might be.

[Huck]

Man, I don't find it that difficult. Teenage girls have to be one of the most obnoxious creatures known to man.

[dc27]

You are right. One can't take any chances of he said, she said. Also, she could have been failing the class, hence the need for tutoring. He gives her a bad grade and she gets pissed.

[Hodar]

How about some evidence? Now, if she had some semen, and the DNA matched; nail him. However, here again we have a case where a child's word is the only 'proof' that a crime has been committed. The child's name and reputation are preserved, but the teacher now get's to prove his innocense and is being thoroughly trashed both professionally as well as personally. Was this an extortion attempt? Did the girl decide to get revenge for a bad grade? Or did a crime occur?

Children lie, they always have, and they always will. Some do it to see if they will be caught, some do it maliciously, some do it just for general giggles.

[goldstategop]

LOL... a guy named after a popular feminine hygiene product. It does have a fitting ring to it.

[Fintan]

She added that his record was clean at the time.
 

Despite his unfortunate last name...

[goldstategop]

Did you feel that way around them when you were 15? Just curious.

[DFW_Repub]

There are 150 students and parents holding a rally right now at the Coppell PD headquarters in support of this guy. It has been revealed that the girl has made this type of accusation before. I think he is innocent and she is a head case.

[justlurking]

It has been revealed that the girl has made this type of accusation before.

What happened the last time?

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Interesting additional info. Thanks.

[MeekOneGOP]

That name stuck out like a sore thumb for me too ...

[proust]

"You're only as young as the woman you feel." -Groucho Marx

[MineralMan]

"Any male teacher who would be alone with a 15 year old female student should have his head examined."

Bingo! That's one way to make sure nothing happens and that if nothing happens nobody can say it did.