A California teacher is poised to lose his job after two former pupils accuse him of sexual abuse.
Steve Graves, 61, the band director at Lexington Junior High School, is accused of sexually abusing two students during the 1980s. The Anaheim Union High School District (AUHSD) has revealed that school administrators have started the process of terminating Graves, who is currently on administrative leave.
The abuse began in 1986, according to Manly, Stewart & Finaldi, the law firm representing the two victims. Grave taught at Loara High School in Anaheim at the time. The teacher would have been about 23 or 24 years old at the time.
Both women were 16 when they were sexually molested. One of the victims, known as Reiko, told FOX 11 Los Angeles that she gave birth to Graves’ kid at the age of 17.
Reiko moved to a different school after becoming pregnant and giving birth. Nearly four decades later, Reiko connected with the other victim via social media, and the two began discussing their experiences.
The Anaheim Police Department is investigating, but no charges against Grave have been filed yet. The women intend to file a legal claim against him.
Morgan Stewart, an attorney, told FOX 11 Los Angeles that he had proof that supervisors “knew that [Graves] was a predator and yet kept him on for the past 30+ years,” but has not shared the information publicly.
In a statement to Fox News Digital, the AUHSD stated it was “shocked, saddened, and upset” to learn of the “credible allegations.”
“Once the District became aware of this situation at the end of August, Graves was placed on administrative leave and removed from campus,” the spokesperson stated. “AUHSD has been fully cooperating with the Anaheim Police Department as they investigate this incident to identify any other possible instances of inappropriate behavior, harassment, or sexual misconduct by Graves.”