Teacher Abuse Trial Enters Day Three

Content warning: Many will find the content in this story disturbing.

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – Day three of testimony continued Friday in the child sex abuse trial of former first-grade teacher Duane Sanders. 

Sanders, who once taught at Wallace A. Smith Elementary in Ooltewah, faces multiple charges tied to alleged abuse of young students.

Throughout the week, the court reviewed emotional video testimony from several former students, recorded during forensic interviews with trained child therapists. 

In those videos, children described a so-called “Good Boys Club,” where they say the abuse often happened, sometimes during math lessons and even with other students nearby.

When one child was asked how long the abuse had been happening, the child replied, “A lot,” and when asked if the abuse happened every day, the same child replied, “yes”. 

On day three, we continued to hear from students who explained what happened in Duane Sanders’ classroom.

We are keeping their identities anonymous due to the sensitivity of this case.

One child told the forensic interviewer the following:

Forensic Interviewer: “Where were you when he *explicit* your *explicit*?”

Child: “In the classroom.”

Forensic Interviewer: “When he *explicit* your *explicit*, do you know how many times?”

Child: “A lot of times:”

Forensic Interviewer: “Do you know if it was more than once?”

Child: “Yes.”

Forensic Interviewer: “More than twice?”

Child: “Yes.”

Forensic Interviewer: “More than three times?”

Child: “Yes.”

Forensic Interviewer: “How did it make you feel?”

Child: “Icky.”

Parents also took the stand, sharing how difficult it was to uncover the truth. 

One mother recalled her child being too scared to talk at first, and now fears being left alone even for a trip to the store.

So far, the jury has heard from both forensic experts and emotional parent accounts, painting a clearer picture of the alleged abuse.
Although the trial was originally scheduled to continue on Saturday, proceedings were postponed due to ongoing roof repairs at the courthouse. 

The case will now resume next week.

We will keep you updated as the trial moves forward.