BY: RAY KING
An attorney for the Pine Bluff School District has prepared a report that says Pine Bluff High School Principal Michael Nellums is not guilty of sexually harassing a former student.
According to the Pine Bluff Commercial, the law firm of Munson, Rowlett, Moore and Boone was hired by the school district to conduct the investigation after a lawsuit was filed by the former student, Alquantavious Stokes who alleged that Stokes refused advances from Nellums and Nellums banned Stokes from participating in school activities and sports. It also alleged that Nellums sexually harassed more 23 students at Pine Bluff High School and engaged in sexual activity with some of them.
The Commercial reported that attorney Emily Runyon, who prepared the report, interviewed more than 20 people, including faculty, staff and former employees who testified that they had never witnessed Nellums “engage in behavior “deemed unbecoming of a high school principal toward students or his colleagues.”
In her report, Runyon said she “couldn’t conclude that the district had any reason to know of sexual harassment complaints by any student, including Alqantavious Stokes against Dr. Nellums.” She went on to say that “there wasn’t enough information from the investigation to conclude that Dr. Nellums conducted himself in an inappropriate manner with student Alquantavious Stokes or any other student outside the version of the facts included in the complaint” that Stokes attorney filed.
An attorney for Stokes, Lucien Gillham, described the report as incomplete, adding that Runyon “refused to investigate multiple sworn witness testimonies connected to Nellums’ investigation.
Gilliam added that he thought the investigation “was designed to come to a specific result, which was to defend the school district and not to find the facts.”
Nelums was quoted by The Commercial as saying that while he was pleased with the outcome, “I am angry that anyone could destroy a 30-plus year career with blatant lies and deception.” He went on to say that he “looked forward to returning to work for our children and the community that needs opportunities for those children.”
