High school employees accused of 'inappropriate behavior' with students

ATLANTA — Channel 2 Action News has learned that an Atlanta high school has had six separate disciplinary incidents involving school employees this year alone.
 
Channel 2 investigative reporter Richard Belcher found out at least two involved allegations of inappropriate behavior with students.
           
At least three resulted in terminations.
 
Belcher's investigation began with a tip about a single faculty member who resigned last month because of an incident with a male student.
 
But when he started digging, Belcher discovered a lot more.
 
The faculty member involved in the latest incident at Douglass High School was Kenji Bell, whose job was to mentor and support classroom teachers.
 
Atlanta Public Schools refused to discuss the incident, because it's a personnel matter.
 
Belcher used the state open records law to get the file on the investigation.
 
The alleged victim, a male student, said Bell asked for him to be sent to his office where Bell tried to put his hand down the student's pants.
 
Faced with that accusation, Bell resigned last month.
 
APS officials referred the case against him to state authorities who could revoke his teaching license.
 
But when Belcher looked it the official file, he found out this is just one of a lot of problems at Douglass High School.

In a memo in the Bell file, Douglass Principal Dr. Tony Burks referenced five known cases from the school this academic year.
 
Dr. Burks added, "Two employees were terminated. One for looking-leering at a student and making an inappropriate statement."
 
Bell's case makes six at Douglass which was news to parents.
 
"This is my first time hearing it, and I'm here almost every day,' one parent told Belcher.
 
"Of course, we need to be told. This is my first time hearing it," another parent said.
 
APS sent an email to Belcher Thursday to say the district referred the Kinji Bell case to Atlanta police.
 
When asked about the six incidents, APS said "they have been addressed appropriately."
 
Belcher was unable to contact Bell for comment.

WSBTV