• Black former band director accused of rape makes first court appearance

    From It's Africoon Month Again!@21:1/5 to All on Sun Feb 9 02:52:42 2025
    XPost: atl.general, talk.politics.misc, alt.abortion
    XPost: sac.politics, alt.war.civil.usa

    https://media.11alive.com/assets/WXIA/images/437227282/437227282_1920x1080.png Ville Jones, a band director at South Gwinnett High, is charged with four counts of sexual asault.

    SNELLVILLE, Ga. -- Saturday marked the first appearance in court for the former South Gwinnett High School band teacher charged with four counts of sexual assault.

    He was arrested after an 18-year-old told police he had raped her on multiple occasions.

    Villie Jones remains in jail Saturday night. The former band director was offered no bond. He’s actually the second teacher at that school in as many years to resign after claims of having a sexual relationship with a student.

    Three days since being arrested and losing his job Jones, who had directed a high school band, was given no bond in court.

    A few miles north, South Gwinnett High School students and parents grappled with what Jones is charged with doing.

    “When we heard what happened, it just took us all by surprise,” student Shamar Williams said.

    “It’s all over social media, and it’s kind of crazy, really,” another student, Neha Williams, said.

    Earlier in the week, an 18-year-old female student at South Gwinnett told police she was raped on multiple occasions by a South Gwinnett High School teacher. She then provided names of other students who were involved in a sexual relationship with the
    teacher. Jones was arrested that day.

    “As a parent, I received a letter from the school,” parent Melanie Williams said.
    Other parents were similarly concerned.
    “It does bother me; it’s very concerning as a parent to have two instances at this particular school,” another parent said.

    Two instances almost exactly a year apart. On May 6th, 2016, Therese Gunn turned herself in after charges of relating to a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old student.

    “That’s not something you joke about,” Williams said. “Think about if you were in that position.”

    Melanie Williams, Parent
    Neither Gunn nor Jones work at South Gwinnett anymore. And on Saturday, Jones sat in court for just a few minutes before heading back to jail.

    Neha Williams, Student
    “Second one,” student Neha Williams said. “It’s kind of embarrassing because we’re supposed to be a good high school and stuff like this keeps happening, so it gives us a bad rep.”

    The school principal sent a letter to parents on Friday calling the allegations “very disturbing.”

    https://www.11alive.com/article/news/crime/former-band-director-accused-of-rape-makes-first-court-appearance/85-437504333

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)