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ThuChronicle
North Carolina Room
660 W. Firth St.
Volume 40, Number 51 - -SALEM, N.C. THURSDAY, August 28, 2014
Former
teacher says
WS/FCS
failed him
Sexual improperity charges
dismissed by judge
BY CHANEL DAVIS
THE CHRONICLE
A former Carver High School teacher
pulled from the classroom because of allega
tions of sexual misconduct says he is looking to
put his life back together after a judge dis
missed all charges against him last week.
Samuel E. McClain, 38, had faced two
counts of misdemeanor assault after two male
students had accused him of touching them on
their buttocks. One student alleged he was
touched in late December; the other had
claimed he was touched in mid January.
McClain was suspended with pay for 90
j /-t
uays une
maximum
amount of
time the
state allows
for teacher
suspen
sions) in
January. He
returned to
the class
room after
the 9() days,
but was sus
pended for
another 90
days when
prosecutors
Samuel E. McClain is now charged him
planning the next chapter of in May. He
his life. has not set
foot in a
classroom since.
McClain, who called the charges false and
scurrilous from the beginning, said he has
endured months of grief, stress and agony and
deserves an apology from the school system.
"I was hurt that Winston-Salem/Forsyth
County Schools did not have my back. 1 felt
that they took the words of these kids over that
of an employee who has not had any type of
misconduct prior to coming to the school sys
tem," said McClain, who was new to Carver but
is a more than 15-year teaching veteran. "There
was no communication with me after this hap
pened, and 1 still have not gotten an apology
from anybody in the school system since the
judge has handed down this verdict. They threw
me under the bus and made it look like it was
sexual misconduct in how they told the parents.
1 felt that they assumed that 1 was guilty, and I
had to prove my innocence."
WS/FC Schools Marketing and
Communications Director Theo Helm said the
school system followed protocol.
"If the allegations are criminal, we immedi
ately turn it over to law enforcement, and we
don't do any investigating of our own until law
enforcement finishes," Helm said.
District Court Judge Chester Davis granted
McClain's attorney's request for dismissal after
prosecutors called several witnesses to the
stand during a hearing last week. The judge
agreed that there was insignificant evidence to
convict McClain.
McClain said the judge's decision caused
him to burst into tears.
"I was relieved that this situation was over
and that 1 could move forward with my life. I
See McClain on A3
Liberians honor Angelou
and pray for homeland
West African nation
caught in Ebola's net
BY TODD LUCK
THE CHRONICLE
Saturday was a night of festive
ness and tribute, as the Liberian
Organization of the Piedmont
(LOP) celebrated Liberian Flag and
Independence Day at the Old
Fellows Club House.
The West African nation's
Declaration of Independence was
adopted the same day as its constitu
tion - July 26, 1847 - by the former
American slaves who settled the
country. Flag Day is Aug. 24 and is
celebrated with grand parades in
Liberia. A shadow was cast on this
year's celebrations, though.
Liberia is one of the West
African nations in the gripes of an
Ebola outbreak. Of the reportedly
See LOP on A8
Photo by Todd Luck
Sylvia Haith
watches as
L i b e r i a n
Organization oj
the Piedmont
President James
Hunder lights a
candle in honor
of Maya
Angelou.
The kids prepare to ride their new bikes.
Christmas in August
For 25th anniversary, company surprises
kids with new bikes
BY CHANEL DAVIS
THE CHRONICLE
Eight children from The Salvation Army's Boys and Girls International
Club on New Walkertown Road received brand new bicycles (and helmets)
last week - gifts from a company that is celebrating its silver anniversary
with benevolence.
PhoneTree, which provides automated messaging services to business
es, faith organizations and nonprofits, presented the bikes to the jubilant
kids on Aug. 19 at its downtown headquarters. CEO A.J. DiBianca said the
company would dedicate the entire week to service. Plans were announced
for employees to raise money and trek in the American Heart Association's
Heart Walk and collect supplies for the Forsyth Humane Society and
Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools.
PhoneTree was birthed in a living room. Today, it has 50 employees
and an office perched high up in the Winston Tower. DiBianca said his
employees have much to do with the company's success and longevity.
See Bikes on A 9
Pboios by Chand Davis
A smiling Not Cebrero gets ready to ride.
Baby take first steps
BY TODD LUCK
THF CHRONIC! F
Wake Forest University welcomed 1.200 first-year stu
dents last Thursday.
A steady steam of vehicles made their way down Gully
Drive, where freshman dorms sit. as students and their fami
lies used the dozens of parallel parking spaces to unload
belongings.
Alacyia "Lacy" Young, 17, of Nashville, Tenn. had a
seven hour drive and an overnight hotel stay before arriving
Sec Freshmen on A8
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A I a c y i a
Young
( c e.n te r)
with sib
lings (from
left) Alora,
A I ay n a ,
Allen Jr.
and par
e n t s
M o ne tte
and Allen.