Five people who worked at an Alabama private school during the past six decades have been accused of sexual misconduct with students, school officials said in a letter released Tuesday.
The former faculty members worked at Indian Springs School, a secular private institution in Shelby County.
Two of the employees mentioned in the letter were not identified. The other three are dead and each had worked at the school for decades.
The allegations include inappropriate touching, sex with students, sexual propositioning, grooming, emotional abuse and more, according to a letter from the school’s board of governors.
AL.com obtained a copy of the letter, which was sent to alumni, parents and other members of the Indian Springs community. The letter outlines the findings of an investigation by Jackson Lewis, a New York-founded law firm hired by the school a year ago to look into sexual misconduct allegations.
“We recognize that it is important for our school and our community to address the past openly and honestly,” the school’s letter states. “To that end, we are deeply appreciative of all who reached out to us and participated in the review, and we offer our most sincere apologies to those former students who were affected by misconduct that occurred during their time at Indian Springs. We hope that they and their families have felt heard and supported throughout this process.”
These are the three now-deceased former educators identified in the letter:
- Leland “Lee” Watkins (faculty member 1958-95): Accused of misconduct with multiple students, including allegations of abuse, solicitation of sex, grooming students and sexual relationships with students, school officials said. Watkins was permanently removed from campus after an investigation in 2005.
Watkins was a chemistry and Biology teacher at Indian Springs before joining the admissions staff. He also was a tenor soloist and held starring roles for numerous churches, schools, universities and opera companies, including many musicals at Indian Springs, according to his 2018 obituary. "Mr. Watkins is an inspiration and legend to his students; a teacher who taught how to think, an accomplished musician at the piano and in voice, a father figure to international students and a beautiful, funny, caring and generous friend,” his obituary says.
- John Lusco (faculty member from 1966-2013): He was fired in 2013 after an investigation into a credible allegation he propositioned someone for sex. Though additional allegations were later brought, investigators didn’t find sufficient evidence in those cases.
Lusco was a Latin teacher and dean of students for nearly a half century, according to his 2017 obituary, which says he also was a founding member of Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Church. His obituary doesn’t mention his time at Indian Springs.
- Marvin Balch (faculty member from 1976-2001): Accused of inappropriately touching or groping students and engaging in other misconduct with another students. Investigators “found credible evidence to support these allegations, although they found no evidence that Indian Springs was aware of educator sexual misconduct when Mr. Balch was employed by the school,” the letter says.
A golf tournament fund raiser for Indian Springs was named for Balch, a math teacher.
Of the two former faculty members, whose names weren’t released, one was accused of decades-old emotional abuse, while the other was accused of having sex with a student, grooming students, soliciting sex and having inappropriate communication with students.
“The investigators found no evidence that Indian Springs was aware of inappropriate behavior with students,” the school’s letter states.
Both unnamed former employees are permanently banned from campus, school officials said, and all allegations have been reported to the “appropriate legal authorities.
“With respect to former faculty and staff members who were the subject of substantiated reports of educator sexual misconduct, and who continue to teach or otherwise work with children, it is our practice to notify proactively, when we are aware, schools or other organizations where these individuals may be working,” the school’s letter states.
Recent investigations at two other Alabama private schools found credible evidence related to sexual misconduct allegations against former employees. In Birmingham, Altamont School last year released a report that said 10 students survived sexual misconduct by teachers between the 1970s-90s. In Huntsville, Randolph School announced this year that five former employees were accused of sexual misconduct during a recent probe. The former longtime Randolph music teacher was the subject of an AL.com investigative story about sexual abuse allegations this year.
The elite Indian Spring School educates students in grades eight-12. Tuition for day students is more than $24,000 per year; boarding students pay more than $58,000 yearly.
The investigation at Indian Springs included interviews with about 30 people, school officials said in their letter.
Investigators “also reviewed personnel and alumni records and previous investigatory reports of faculty and staff sexual misconduct to analyze how those historical accusations had been treated by Indian Springs, to assess the credibility of such allegations, and to determine whether those previous allegations had been appropriately addressed,” the letter states.
Additional allegations not outlined publicly were also investigated, according to school officials, though those allegations didn’t meet the school’s standards for public release. To determine whether to publicly disclose allegations, the school considered the credibility of the allegation, the number of allegations against a faculty member, the number of accusers, corroboration, risk to the public, and other factors.
Through the investigation, school officials said they implemented changes to prevent and handle any future misconduct. Those changes include:
- Training for faculty and staff to recognize signs of educator sexual misconduct
- Education for students about “sensitive topics”
- Enhanced background and reference checks for adults living on campus
- Anonymous online reporting system
“Again, we deeply apologize to the members of the Indian Springs community who were harmed by this misconduct, and we truly regret the pain that this misconduct has caused,” school officials said in their letter. “We know that nothing can erase the actions of these former faculty members.”