Former band director at Durham's Southern High School charged with student-sex offenses

Durham, N.C. — The former band director at Southern High School was charged Monday with having sex with students, police said.

Jamal Butler, 30, of Calibre Park Drive in Durham, surrendered to police Monday and was charged with two counts of sexual activity between school personnel and a student. Police said the charges involved alleged relationships between last July and Jan. 8 with two girls at the school, both of whom were 16 or older.

Butler resigned his position at Southern High, effective Jan. 29, said Michael Yarborough, spokesman for Durham Public Schools.

The school district conducted an internal investigation into the criminal allegations against Butler and cooperated with police, Yarborough said. The results of the internal review won't be released, he said.

Butler, who was released on a $20,000 bond, had been band director at the school since August 2007.

An unidentified man who answered the door at Butler's home Monday afternoon declined to comment on the case.

The charges stunned Southern High students.

"I was shocked. I thought he was a good man. I didn't know anything about it," senior Brandon Alexander said.

Jasmine Bailey, a former member of the school's flag team, said she had seen Butler befriend many female students.

"He was a good band director. He knew a lot about music and knew what he was doing," Bailey said. "When it came to females, I know he was very friendly."

North Carolina has one of the toughest laws on teachers, coaches and other school personnel having sex with students. Under the law, if a school employee is more than four years older than the student, having sexual relations with a student is a felony regardless of consent.

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Latest Comments

NC has a law that any teacher (or anyone) having "custodial control" over another person at any time can not be having sex, regardless of "age of consent".

tracyallen
February 9, 2009 6:46 p.m.

"Under the law, if a school employee is more than four years older than the student, having sexual relations with a student is a felony regardless of consent."

OK, I thought that 4 year rule was the statutory requirement whether the perpetrator is an employee of the school system or not. It's my understanding NC has a law forbidding any school employee from having a relationship with any child who is enrolled in the same county school system. If that requirement is met first then the 4 year rule would apply.

Do you recall the 22 year old female teacher who was charged in Buncombe County as a sex offender and the boy was 19 years old? He was enrolled in the same school system that employed the female teacher.

firecaptain2000
February 9, 2009 6:33 p.m.

Just like with the ex-coach (award winning 8 year veteran sports director at LHS in Louisburg) - this band teacher was supposed to INSTRUCT the young people how to act, how to succeed, how to behave.

So now the children have been taught that it is okay to take advantage of children just because you are so idolized by everyone in the community.

The abuse of children will continue until SOMEBODY that has some authority grows some kahonees and makes teachers ACCOUNTABLE for their abuse of power and influence.

It is too well known that pedophiles will take jobs that gives them the access and authority over kids of their "age choice".

Sick.

tracyallen
February 9, 2009 6:27 p.m.

SO LOW....happens on here all the time. We should just all say "Bless his heart"..no big deal right? Oh he did so much for the band program, so therefore we should all just feel sorry for him. He put his trust in those KIDS, so we should just feel sorry that they ratted on him.

If it were a woman teacher, there would also be about 15 male posters applauding and saying they wished it had happened to them when they were in school.

Apparently, our society doesn't grasp the concept of teacher/student relationships. Regardless how the girls dressed, behaved....he is an adult and their teacher. Any person who gets a teaching degree (and yes, I have one) and doesn't understand moral obligations of that job, has absolutley NO business in a school. Perhaps colleges need to add a morals class in the education cir.

Personally, I wish the punishment was tougher on all these pediphiles...both women and men.

You have to wonder why they can't find someone closer to their on age.

grayboomerang
February 9, 2009 5:08 p.m.

Wow, I thought the Barry White comments were funny, even if bit off color for the topic. But to lash out for them, that's going a little bit overboard. Sarcasm goes a long way. People shouldn't take everything so literally.

Besides that, it doesn't matter if he did it, or whether it was consensual, etc. It's a crime in this state to have sex with one of your students. If you can't control yourself, that's on you.

kikinc
February 9, 2009 4:25 p.m.