District Investigating Latest School Sex Scandal
A male teacher at Dutch Fork (S.C.) High School has been placed on administrative leave while district officials investigate allegations of sexual misconduct made by numerous current and former female students, FITS has learned.
Forty-year-old Jeffrey Browder, who teaches social studies at the award-winning Midlands area school, was reportedly placed on leave sometime earlier this week, but district officials would not comment regarding his status.
FITS originally learned of the accusations against Browder from the parent of a current Dutch Fork student, although we have also been advised of numerous alleged indiscretions involving at least five former students.
It is unclear which set of complaints the district is currently investigating.
If the allegations against Browder are true, this would be the second sex scandal to rock Lexington-Richland District Five already this year.
In July, former Superintendent Scott Andersen was forced to step down after it was alleged that he had an inappropriate sexual relationship with one of his subordinates, River Springs Elementary principal Melissa Cole – a story which broke exclusively here on FITS.
Stay tuned to FITS for the latest developments in this breaking story …
Comments
By Lee on October 17th, 2008 at 3:11 pm
read his teacher ratings (found through a Google search): http://www.ratemyteachers.com/schools/south_carolina/irmo/dutch_fork_high_school/jeff__browder
By smart Kid Grant on October 18th, 2008 at 10:53 am
very interesting… I have heard a lot about him, but that wasn’t part of it…
By BIN News on October 18th, 2008 at 2:17 pm
And this is important to sic(k) willie because…? sic(k) willie is paid!
So, sic(k) willie. Tell us what the facts are. Like, you were convicted of CDV. Has this guy been convicted? No. So, why did you post his name?
BIN News
Flair and Balanced
By James on October 18th, 2008 at 4:43 pm
Why post his name? Gee, perhaps other parents will read this, look at their children’s report cards, and then have a talk with THEIR children.
And then if something un-toward comes up a call to law enforcement who can sort it all out a LOT BETTER than the “one bullet in their pocket investigators” in the district office.
Then perhaps a real case can be built rather than have something swept under the rug.
What are you BIN – Catholic and fond of your altar boy days?
By A DFHS PARENT on October 18th, 2008 at 8:59 pm
This is accurate. The District does not need to put our children in anymore harm’s way. Don’t sweep “this one” under the rug.
By reggie on October 18th, 2008 at 9:44 pm
i hate soccer moms.
By BIN News on October 19th, 2008 at 2:50 am
sic(k) willie. You’re readers are perverts, just like you.
If there is anything to your latest willie scam our staff is confee’dent that school district will deal with it appropriately. You are just distracting from the important stuff. So, how about pushing aside your dust bunnies and tell us about the Midlands elected official you once claimed had a Strom problem? And please update us (like you promised and promised) on your allegation that the gub’ner paid off the family of some “poor little black girl” in Beaufort?
Here is a tip you can check out. After the U.S.C. game tonight two fans were overheard talking about how disappointed they were they did not bag a gator during the recent S.C. alligator hunting season. Seems they were last seen heading out towards Lake Murray with a harpoon and a six pack.
Check out the link: http://www.unknown-creatures.com/lake-murray-monster.html
Count on sic(k) willie to track this latest rumor down!
BIN News Editorial Staff
Flair and Balanced
By Not a Soccer Mom on October 19th, 2008 at 1:11 pm
He is “sketchy”- have heard rumors for years. Used car salesman turned teacher- two ex wives- the first lost custody of their kid due to drug addiction problems, the second was an ex-stripper turned lesbian that left him. Way to go on picking “high-quality” teachers District 5.
By The State Paper on October 19th, 2008 at 1:13 pm
Here it is – Sat! The guy stormed out of Dutch Fork High on Monday. Why is it that D5 buries everything until caught. fitsnews.com posted it on Thurs. and D5 still kept it quiet. It’s too bad we have to “investigate” to find out what’s going on in our children’s schools. D5 – WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO CHANGE YOUR WAYS??????
By reggie on October 19th, 2008 at 1:51 pm
hey bin news,
Stop PMS-ing.
By Jeez on October 19th, 2008 at 2:25 pm
It didn’t take a rocket scientist to crack this one
http://www.thestate.com/local/story/558977.html
By MMS on October 19th, 2008 at 2:30 pm
Read The State’s article below, and note the following sentence: “It also was unclear whether the district was working with local law enforcement.”
DID DISTRICT 5 NOT CONTACT LAW ENFORCEMENT? IF NOT, WHY?
Are they just waiting until after the referendum, so that bad press won’t affect voters?
Teacher put on paid leave after misconduct claimed
A Lexington-Richland 5 teacher has been put on administrative leave with pay after allegations of misconduct with a student.
School officials confirmed Friday that the teacher was put on leave this week.
“An investigation is under way into allegations that the teacher had inappropriate communications with a student,†said Michelle Foster, a district spokeswoman.
Officials would not give details, including the teacher’s name, the school where he or she teaches, or the nature of the communication with the student.
“Because this is a matter that’s under investigation, and we have just begun that investigation, we really cannot comment any further,†said Buddy Price, another district spokesman.
It also was unclear whether the district was working with local law enforcement.
Calls to several local agencies turned up no action or arrests made by police in relation to a teacher at the school district.
“This just came to light,†Price said. “What we’re trying to do is find out what supposedly or allegedly did happen. We are aware of the allegations.â€
By Wayne on October 19th, 2008 at 3:02 pm
I CANNOT BELIEVE THIS! I live in this district. My kids go to these schools. “DISTRACTING FROM THE IMPORTANT STUFF????” Bin… what the f—-. Finding out my kid’s teacher is MESSING WITH STUDENTS is NOT IMPORTANT! FINDING OUR FROM A FRICKIN’ WEBSITE??? What the f—! I guarentee this is the SAME DAMN CREEP messing with students last year. THE DISTRICT OFFICE LEADERS NEED TO BE WIPED OUT!! SWEEP IT UNDER THE FRICKIN’ RUG AGAIN. They don’t give a DAMN about the kids.
By Jeez on October 19th, 2008 at 6:20 pm
Wayne,
You are right. They don’t give a damn about the kids. Someone needs to take action.
By James on October 19th, 2008 at 10:49 pm
BIN – you were one of the first posts on FITSNEWS’ breaking the superintendent’s shenanigans saying Fitsnews didn’t have good sources and the stories were all a “conspiracty” by the Vote NO crowd. Was the filing for divorce by the wife of the superintendent also a conspiracy?
The truth shall set you free you inbred.
After the District admitted no one could discern how last year’s enrollment “blip” was derived every one of the board members should have resigned. Now, enrollement “blips” downward another couple hundred and the superintendent for hire screams “wolf”/crisis.
Yes, Dr. Berg, you fool, there is a crisis and it’s occupying your chair and the chairs of a board that has ZERO credibility.
By MAD! on October 20th, 2008 at 1:43 pm
I know 100% this is the SAME teacher the school was told about LAST school year. The complaint was swept under the rug when another teacher actually came forward with complaint with evidence. Instead of investigating him, they turned on the other teacher- The one who actually cared about the students. If they would have followed through with an investigation the first time more students lives would have not been affected. Shame on the school for this cover up.
By former DFHS student on October 20th, 2008 at 4:53 pm
Legally, if the teacher had suspicions about this person last year, they were supposed to report it to authorities–even if the school’s administration didn’t do anything and instead hunted for answers….
As a graduate from the high school, all I have to say is I’m not suprised. There were teachers even in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s that students knew were questionable. Girls would dress like nuns to their classes, and nobody was left alone with those people. Accusations were made, but nothing was done. It sounds like the cat is finally out of the bag.
By Fix District 5 on October 20th, 2008 at 5:15 pm
You have it all wrong James. The board has said for years that it has become increasingly difficult to attract quality teachers to our district. Now those predictions have come home to roost. It wouldn’t surprise me if a large number of our teachers are ex-strippers and used car salesmen given what we have to offer in this district.
Berg and the board is handling the crisis that the vote no people created.
By parent and employee district five on October 21st, 2008 at 4:03 pm
I take offense in all the car sales comments. My husband works in the car indusrty and works hard to earn a honest living. What does working in the car business have to do with being good teacher? People need to mind there own business and let the truth come out in time. District Five has numerous quailified teachers and I am proud to work in this district. I am a friend of Mr. Browder’s and find him to be a kind hearted man and a devoted father. Instead of trying to ruin people’s lives with all these rumors as we have done in the past we should wait til the truth comes out.
By fck you on October 21st, 2008 at 4:25 pm
To whoever wrote this, fuck off
your a fuckin stupid ass parent, I KNOW mr.browder wouldn’t do something like that, HE WAS MY FUCKIN TEACHER i think i would know :) if you care “SO” much about your kids… take them out school bitch! just KNOW the facts before you start talkin shit.
I CANNOT BELIEVE THIS! I live in this district. My kids go to these schools. “DISTRACTING FROM THE IMPORTANT STUFF????†Bin… what the f—-. Finding out my kid’s teacher is MESSING WITH STUDENTS is NOT IMPORTANT! FINDING OUR FROM A FRICKIN’ WEBSITE??? What the f—! I guarentee this is the SAME DAMN CREEP messing with students last year. THE DISTRICT OFFICE LEADERS NEED TO BE WIPED OUT!! SWEEP IT UNDER THE FRICKIN’ RUG AGAIN. They don’t give a DAMN about the kids.
By Think.think... on October 21st, 2008 at 6:18 pm
Not in any particular corner… but what if it is not true? Then what? I remember Tawana Brawley.The one who accused white men of raping her and beating her up? She had evidence. Total hoax. I remember Susan Smith. Some black man stole her two little boys. Again, hoax. Scott Peterson. Parents who lie and make up fake personas on MYSPACE to avenge the hurt of their child and end up causing the other child to commit suicide. Let’s not rush to judgement. Are we saying everytime, every single time, someone is on leave there is never a chance they may be vindicated? Certainly, out on leave until a decision is made so that parents can feel safe about their children at school. But there HAVE been times in our recent history where an accusation was made to divert from some real pain that a teenager may have been going through.
By Think.think... on October 21st, 2008 at 6:29 pm
Duke Lacrosse? Anyone?
Also, found this on FOX news about a teacher who was accused of misconduct and then found not guiltly.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,294909,00.html
Again, rush to judgment. SLOW DOWN.
By MAD! on October 21st, 2008 at 9:22 pm
Dear FCU….Did your teacher teach you how to cuss and be disrespectful of others opinions or did he teach you manners and how to let the authorities do their job? Please do us all a favor and only post mature responses with less feeling and more facts. I am glad you like your teacher, but please know your irate child-like tantrum only makes you look dumb and your teacher incompetant of being able to teach respect you- and prepare you for adulthood. There are many issues to debate on this site. If your teacher taught you anything about the constitution (History) you know that we are all entitled to Free Speech…. Just waht did you learn in his class?
By student on October 21st, 2008 at 10:09 pm
Mr. Browder is a really good teacher and not creepy at all. I don’t know who is making these accusations, but they need to stop. All of his students love him and want him to come back.
By browders student on October 22nd, 2008 at 3:05 pm
Mr.Browder is an amazing teacher. He didnt do anything. This is stupid and he is my teacher and a amazing teacher. He is the only teacher who would frikin pass me. This is stupid and retarded, he only cares about his students unlike all the other teachers
By browders student on October 22nd, 2008 at 3:16 pm
All these parents have no idea what there talking about. they dont go to our school and dont know what happends. Browder is amazing. You dont know what happend, i know he wouldnt do anything like that.
This is frikin stupid people dont need to make a big deal about this. Nothing needs to happen besides him coming back. If you ask everyone of his students they will tell you he is the best teacher there. He knows how to frikin teach
By Outside Looking In on October 22nd, 2008 at 5:20 pm
Children:
Maybe it isn’t his “teaching” that is in question. You could all use a few “grammar” lessons that your teacher failed to teach you. “Frikin” is incorrect English. In fact it isn’t even a real word. And to the student who admires your teacher because he is the, “only teacher who will frikin pass me”, that isn’t something to brag about. Public education should espouse rigor, and not effortless work. Mr. Browder is not your peer but your teacher. We realize that adult attention to a teenager can be flattering, but a boundary has to be set. In this case it appears that a potentially “unprofessional†rapport with the students at your school has disrupted the learning atmosphere, which sufficiently outweighs the value of having a “coolâ€, “frickinâ€, teacher.
Respectfully,
Outside Looking In
By What's Goin On? on October 22nd, 2008 at 5:24 pm
SOLICITATION OF A MINOR?
By fck you on October 22nd, 2008 at 6:07 pm
Dear FCU….Did your teacher teach you how to cuss and be disrespectful of others opinions or did he teach you manners and how to let the authorities do their job? Please do us all a favor and only post mature responses with less feeling and more facts. I am glad you like your teacher, but please know your irate child-like tantrum only makes you look dumb and your teacher incompetant of being able to teach respect you- and prepare you for adulthood. There are many issues to debate on this site. If your teacher taught you anything about the constitution (History) you know that we are all entitled to Free Speech…. Just waht did you learn in his class?
Dear, MADD
YOU SUCK DICK.
I know your entitled to free speech BITCH its the first fuckin amendment! :) and just like you im intitled to it too, your also real mature fighting with a 16 year old i would start practicing what you preach about being mature and if you were smart you would know in HISTORY CLASS they don’t teach you manners dumbass they teach about the history of the world. i did like my teacher, but now because of dumbass parents like you and stupid little fuckin students HE’S gone. I hope your happy to know you and your children are liars even if nooone else does. Please get a life and stop arguing with 16 year olds whore.
P.S- Mr.Browder is amazing no matter what cunt faces say
;)
By fck you on October 22nd, 2008 at 6:31 pm
dear outside looking in
shut up noone cares what you have to say, like i said to someone else
STOP trying to argue with 16 year olds, its immature as well as pathetic.
By fck you on October 22nd, 2008 at 6:34 pm
and another thing dear outside looking in
SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHERS teach history LANGUAGE teachers teach you GRAMMAR.
maybe YOU need to go back to school.
By John on October 22nd, 2008 at 7:26 pm
WHY, mr.browder was the most awsomse teacher…
he wouldnt want to have sex with 16/17 year old.
he does community service by working at the jail to
teach kids. So DFHS should shut up about it,
find out the truth, and talk to the current students,
and the mother and the SEXUALLY HARRASSED girl!!!!
so until that happens then everyone needs to stop accusing
him of doing crap that they cannot prove…
and by the way: if this did happen, the sexually harrased
girl(s) probably brought it on them selfs, bc every day
some girl(s) came in to class flirting with him, if your
going to do that, you have a problem…
:)
By why on October 22nd, 2008 at 7:28 pm
Such an angry young man…. wonder why
By John on October 22nd, 2008 at 7:45 pm
why,
bc now we have some lady sub that thinks she knows it
all, and lectures all class. but every class i find out
something she says thats a lie, and prove her wrong…
so now social studies is horrible.
browder taught things in a cool way, not lecturing…
and showed movies, pictures, gave quizes everyday
to help the kids in his class remember all of the
notes we took…. so the quizes helped because i always
remembered the answers on the tests on every chapter.
that why.
By dude on October 22nd, 2008 at 8:17 pm
fuck dutch fork
By kay on October 22nd, 2008 at 9:20 pm
Ok dude you all are being gay i know this dude he is the best teacher at DFHS and he didnt do it!!! im a girl all that girl did was lie to get attention!!!! ahe told her bestfriend who told someone who told there mom mostly!!!! IT DIDNT HAPPEN!!
By student on October 22nd, 2008 at 9:52 pm
Mr. Browder is the best teacher at DFHS..he would never harrass a student.
By nicole kokolis on October 23rd, 2008 at 1:20 pm
To the child who calls himself fuck you. You are ignorant. You make yourself, your teachers, and most of all your parents look like idiots. I bet your parents are real proud of your level of respect for humans. Do us all a favor and keep your stupid remarks and ugly language to yourself. Such class you have. I would be ashamed of you no matter if the teacher is guilty or not, if I were your mother or teacher.
By MAD! on October 23rd, 2008 at 4:44 pm
The guilty dog barks the loudest. All of the derogatory comment are only making things worse for your beloved teacher. You (the irate students) have made him out to be a slack teacher who watches movies, passes kids who shouldn’t be passed, is cool to hang with (he’s not really a friend of yours by the way…..) and a teacher who has failed at teaching life lessons such as manners, proper English and respect. Please go do your home work and let the authorities do their job. I am not a parent but I am someone who has knowledge of the misconduct. I am sorry you have had to endure a substitute teacher. I am sure she doesn’t want to be there as much as you. Please show her some respect. She might end up being the one passing or failing you at the end of the semester. And for the sake of others, please calm down. You’re throwing a teen age temper tantrum and it’s not becoming.
By lawdog on October 23rd, 2008 at 5:52 pm
you guys are silly(he’s the best teacher/he would never harass a student/he didnt do it) he is suspendend so there must be reasonable merit for these charges brought against him. I wish him a fair & speedy conclusion to his legal troubles. As for the gullible little highschool children involved both pro & con I hope this is a well learned lesson to report any mischieves behavior or actions promptly.
By former student of browder on October 23rd, 2008 at 6:41 pm
Browder didn’t do it the bitch student had a grudge against him the charges have been dropeed and he isn’t coming back he would never do it and it has been proven that he didn’t
i had him last year and he was a very cool and friendly teacher to all of us and he had his favorites but not all of the students liked him because he was “harsh” if you were a jerk he would treat you like one he treated us fairly for all you b a s t ards that want to say all this shit about how he should be arrested and all the shit some of you probably don’t know him and just want to have your pointless piece said this is my piece to you go get all the facts shut the fuck up listen and then if you still think that he did it suffocate on your own cock
I wish the best to browder i miss him and hope he has a good life from here on out
By another former student of browder on October 23rd, 2008 at 6:52 pm
Browder didn’t just let us watch movies all the time he made the work fun and he was fair to all of us he didn’t pass anyone that didn’t need to be passed on he made us work i am in AP because of him the movies he showed were relavant to what we were learning he made notes fun by cracking jokes and everything else but when it came down to it he was a good teacher. I stepped over the line one time and he flat out told me i am not your friend i am your teacher. As for all of you people criticizing us students for cursing get over it browder is a history teacher so stop telling us we need to learn grammar and focus on the issues at hand. And keep in mind we know browder personally most of you don’t. I loved his class it was fun and educating. You can’t tell us not to get emotional when you don’t know what we went through in his class when all you all are is a bunch of adults with nothing to do but read a second rate news site, please keep in mind we go to the school we know exactly whats going on
as for your comments about let the authorities do the authorites do the work that is that bull shit about adults have the only say so in this world
well how about this i will slit any ones throat including adults and authorities we have the right to be pissed so shut the fuck up if you didn’t know him
By student of mr browder on October 23rd, 2008 at 7:04 pm
Mr. Browder is the best social studies teacher ever!! He knows how to communicate with his students, and teach. I wasn’t doing very good in his class at the beginning because i didn’t take it that seriously to be honest. But as the year progressed, he became funnier and more interesting to me. He makes learning fun. I used to hate social studies until I got him for a teacher, and I actually left his class with knowledge and aced his tests. And that made me actually look forward to coming to his class and learning about social studies. He is different then other teachers, yes, but not in a bad way. He would never ever ever push the limit between teacher and student, and i know that.
So bring him back, we all miss him. And our grades our slipping with the substitutes we have!
By Browder student on October 23rd, 2008 at 7:32 pm
I had Mr.Browder for 2 years 1 year for law ed. and next year for history. He was a great teacher, he made history come alive. He would make jokes about history to help students understand history. He was very funny. WE NEED HIM BACK!!!!!!!!!! He everyday extra credit questions he had where funny. WE NEED HIM BACK. I miss hearing the tennis ball in the hallway. HE WAS GREAT. COME BACK!!!!
By another former student of browder on October 23rd, 2008 at 8:49 pm
to nicole kokolis
u need to get over it regardless of what you think this is a free forum and most of us posting are his students so in reality your comments are the ones we don’t need bu then again it is a free forum i advise you to shut the fuck up before someone staples your lips shut
sincerly one angry ex browder student
By browders student on October 23rd, 2008 at 9:11 pm
This is a bunch of crap. Everysingle day i knew i had his class i would be really happy because that is the only class i enjoy going to. He helps you learn and have fun at the same time. He would make us take notes every day on the section we were learning and the next class we would have a quiz on the notes from the class before, we had a quiz every day! in the begenning i was really upset, but at the same time i started to make higher test grades because the quiz questions were the test questions they help you know what you need to study. If you ask a question he explains it too you and doesnt just say go look it up in the book. He makes you want to learn and I think every teacher needs to be like him. This frikin sub that we have right now is really starting to get on my nerves, she doesnt know what she is doing and doesnt no how to teach. She sucks Browder has been gone for almost 2 weeks and We havnt learned crap in that class since then. She really has no idea what she is doing and we are really far behind. Browder if your reading this all of your students want you to come back, and dont care what the district is saying. Do what you love and teach! We need you and im telling you, every single one of us are going to fail because she has no idea what she is saying. OH AND PARENTS SHUTTTT UPP ALREADY YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE HELL YOUR TALKING ABOUT!!!!!!
By Nicole Kokolis on October 23rd, 2008 at 10:35 pm
To who says they will staple my lips shut. You are so stupid that you just made a threat over the internet. Some advise. The worst thing you could ever do is mess with me. You have no clue who you are threating you little punk. Good luck with your growing up. I am sure your teacher would rather you act respectful to society. He has done nothing wrong so he has nothing to worry about. Get over it and go learn how to make this world better not worse. Do not respond to me again in any threating way or you will be tracked by Lexington County Police Department.
By Less Vitriolic on October 24th, 2008 at 12:09 pm
Perhaps less vitriolic language by all parties would serve our district well. Too many people are accusing too many things. The fact of the matter is we have had a weakness in leadership in the district. Superintendents come and they go. There are allegations and scandals stemming from the board room to the classroom. The Board refuses to talk about anything other than this darn bond referendum, and we are all hurting because of it. Let us hope there is final resolution to the problems soon. Let us hope the leaders of the district (to include the active No crowd and the Active Yes crowd) come together. It would be nice for a change for the board and citizen action groups to politely discuss student safety and educational procedures in the classroom… Methods that protect students and teachers alike. Instead we are focusing on buildings, money and sex scandals. Someone say something about working together! Please! I am so weary of “my way” or the “highway” creating this sense of hatred. There are always multiple answers.
By fitsnews on October 24th, 2008 at 1:10 pm
Dear Readers,
Updated – Teacher Implicated In Sex Scandal Resigns
http://www.fitsnews.com/2008/10/24/teacher-implicated-in-sex-scandal-resigns/
-FITSNews
By Browder's 5b class on October 27th, 2008 at 9:30 am
You are our hero. WE ALL MISS YOU. wE GOT YOUR BACK! Class isnt the same without you! we havent really learned anything at all.
By Browder student on October 31st, 2008 at 7:19 pm
WE WILL MISS YOU MR.BROWDER
By * on November 7th, 2008 at 8:46 pm
I don’t know the full story, but i subbed in his room recently. It’s a wonder that man was sane by the end of the day. I realize students try to take advantage of the situation and try to use times when subs are in the room to get away with things, but his classes were ridiculous. Someone needs to come in with some remedial help for these kids. If Browder comes back or not, that doesn’t matter anymore, I’d be afraid of these kids in charge of things when i get older. Our educational system has obviously failed them all.