LAUDERHILL, Fla. – A Broward County teacher has been removed from the classroom after being accused of molesting at least one student at his school.
Wyman Gresham, a teacher at the public Lauderhill 6-12 Stem-Med Magnet School, was accused of what a police report described as "lewd/lascivious molestation" at the school on Dec. 4 and has been reporting to work at the Broward County school board's textbook warehouse -- far away from children -- while the open investigation continues.
This is far from the first time Gresham, 48, has been accused of sexual misconduct in a Broward County public school. State records show that Gresham, while working as a non-instructional employee for the district in 1998, allegedly offered a 13-year-old female student money "if she would strip for him and perform sexual acts."
That student was transferred to another school as a result, but Gresham not only remained employed by Broward County Public Schools, but he was hired as a teacher in 2002 at Dillard High School, where he was accused in 2002 of more sexual misconduct. This time, a female student alleged that while she was confiding her personal problem to Gresham, he touched her on her hip area and made "inappropriate comments and gestures about sexual acts."
That time, the school board found Gresham's behavior was inappropriate and suspended him five days without pay, but allowed him to continue teaching.
Based on those two cases, the Florida commissioner of education filed an administrative complaint against Gresham in 2006 seeking to suspend or revoke his teaching certificate. Gresham didn't contest the allegations and was found guilty of "gross immorality" but again was able to keep his teaching certificate. The state settled the case in 2009 with a written reprimand, a $1,000 fine, three years of employment probation and a psychological evaluation. All the while, Gresham remained teaching for the school district.
Students and parents at the Lauderhill school said they were aware of allegations made against Gresham.
"A monster like this doesn't need to be working at a school around children," said Latasha Davis, who has two children attending the school. "He doesn't need to be working around children, period."
A teacher, who asked not to be identified, echoed those concerns.
"I think they should have made sure that this man had no additional contact with students," said the teacher. "I can't believe that this was allowed to happen."
The teacher said that Gresham was recently made a "behavioral specialist" in the school, where he was given an office and was tasked with counseling students, at times behind closed doors. Details of the latest allegations are not being shared by police, as the current criminal investigation remains open.
When Local 10 News investigative reporter Bob Norman found Gresham at the textbook warehouse in Oakland Park, Gresham approached him and grabbed his phone camera and turned it off. Norman was able to pull his phone back and turn it on, whereupon Gresham denied that he has assaulted any students.
Superintendent Robert Runcie said he was not aware of the previous allegations but said the school board was investigating Gresham.
"Once I have the facts and we can actually see what's going on, I can tell you without question we're going to do what's in the best interest of our students, our families, our communities, and that will never be compromised," Runcie said.
"That’s good, because it doesn't look like that happened in this case," Norman said.
"Well I did not deal with this case," Runcie said. "This was before my time. I am telling you this board will not compromise the safety of our students, our employees and the integrity of what we do in our community."
For Davis and some others at the school, there can be only one satisfactory outcome.
"He needs to go," she said.