Nationally-prominent education expert Douglas Reeves charged with sexually assaulting child

I was most distressed today to learn that Doug Reeves, a prolific author on educational topics and founder of the Leadership and Learning Center, has been charged with sexually assaulting a nine-year old girl in 2006.  Reeves has denied the charges.

Reeves' work figures prominently in my own teaching and philosophy of school leadership.  In EDAD 683, Leading Teaching and Learning, my students examine Reeves' ideas about power standards and read his book, The Learning Leader: How to Focus School Improvement for Better Results.  Reeves' ideas about the importance of leaders articulating a compelling vision for school improvement appears in virtually every course I teach (and many of the professional presentations and workshops I give).

According to news reports, Reeves allegedly touched the girl inappropriately at his home in Swampscott, Massachusettes, when she and her family were staying there during a vacation trip.  Reeves now lives in Boston.  Until the end of the 2011 school year, Reeves was also a volunteer debate coach at Swampscott High School.  There appears to be no connection between this alleged incident and his work at the school.  The judge in charge of Reeves' case has barred him from entering any elementary or junior high school without an adult escort.

Reeves' attorney is quoted in news reports saying that the charges are untrue.  "This accusation is horrifying and devastating to Doug Reeves," he said.  "It's simply not true.  It never happened." 

Read more on the case here, here, and here.

UPDATE, 4/3/2014:  Reeves found not guilty.  More here.

UPDATE, 4/8/2014: Read coverage of the trial and verdict from the Lynn, Massachusetts Daily Item here and here.