Trial of former elementary teacher charged with child sex abuse begins
Duane Sanders in court on day one of his child sex abuse trial.
Content Warning: Many will find the contents in this story disturbing.
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- A former elementary teacher’s trial began Wednesday on charges of child sexual abuse.
Duane Sanders was arrested in March 2023 and charged with 19 counts of sexual crimes involving nine former students.
Sanders had taught first graders at Wallace A. Smith Elementary School in Ooltewah.
Pictures of his classroom shown on Wednesday show Peanut characters and other friendly faces throughout his classroom.
However, prosecutors and parents say absolute horror was unfolding behind closed doors.
We are not showing or naming any of the victims or parents.
One mother testified, “He said “Mommy I know where that hole comes from. It’s from when Mr. Sanders touches my (expletive).”
This is what one mother of a Wallace A. Smith student said her child told them that ultimately led to the arrest of Duane Sanders.
The mother says that this admission was made while putting up laundry after discovering a hole in a pair of the child’s clothing.
She went on to describe how her child seemed to not understand the gravity of the situation.
The mother said the child told her, “It was an accident. It was an accident.”
A prosecutor asked, “(They) said it was an accident?”
The mother responded, “I asked “How could it be an accident”, and they said “Mommy it was just an accident.”
That mother went on to say that their child loved being in Mr. Sanders’ class, and that she had been excited because “We were told he was the best teacher”.
However, after her child told her he was inappropriately touched, she testified, “I didn’t want him to go back into that room. I didn’t want that to happen again.”
Wallace A. Smith’s principal, Dr. Kelley Weiss, said that she was approached by a detective in early March 2023 after a student had come forward alleging abuse.
After more families came forward with allegations, Sanders was suspended then eventually arrested, which led to this response from him when Dr. Weiss informed Sanders he was suspended.
Dr. Weiss said, “He said, “Okay.”
A prosecutor asked, “Did he ask you any questions?”
Dr. Weiss said, “He just said, “Okay.””
She testified that one students with allegations of sexual abuse had been personally recommended by Sanders to be in his classroom.
Dr. Weiss testified, “He said he believed (student) would do well in first grade with additional supports he could provide, and so we placed (student) in Mr. Sanders’ class.”
She also recalled an incident earlier in the 2022-23 school year where she said she noticed a student sitting on Sanders’ lap.
Dr. Weiss testified, “I had noticed he had a student in his lap, so I had a conversation with him about making sure he didn’t do that in order to protect himself and making sure that we were being appropriate.”
She had testified that Sanders ran the school’s patrol program and had been an afterschool tutor where he worked with several of the students who allege abuse in this case.
A forensic psychologist testified that many of the students required multiple interviews due to the complexities of this case.
Sanders’ trial will continue into Thursday as the prosecution continues its case.
