FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — A Broward County public school teacher was arrested Thursday and booked into the Broward County Main Jail, records show.
Online jail records show Basil Billings, 63, faces charges of offense against student by authority figure and lewd and lascivious touching of certain minors.
Billings is listed on the Broward County Public School District’s website as a reading teacher at Dillard High School in Fort Lauderdale.
According to a spokeswoman for the Fort Lauderdale Police Department, Billings was arrested “as result of an investigation into a series of incidents with a student at Dillard High School.”
The spokeswoman said in an email to Local 10 News that Billings “attempted to have an inappropriate relationship with a student, including inappropriate comments, notes, and physical touching.”
She said he was taken into custody Thursday at a Broward County Public Schools Administration office.
Billings’ arrest report states that the female was 16-year-old student when the inappropriate contact began in October 2025.
It states that Billings “squeezed the victim’s body against his body,” then “released the victim from his over aggressive hug” and when he did so, he “used his hand and intentionally grabbed her breast for a few seconds.”
On Jan. 7, Billings passed a note to the victim telling her to stay after class, and after class was over, he “made her take his cellphone number” so that he could save her number but she never did, according to investigators.
Dillard High School student Javious Tafari told Local 10 News that he was shocked to hear about the allegations.
“Just shocked, surprised,“ he said. ”Never really thought he (Billings) would be arrested for that or arrested in general.”
While students expressed shock and disgust over the allegations, records indicate Billings has no prior arrests. The school district’s website identifies him as a reading teacher at Dillard High School, where he has worked since 2004.
Billings appeared in court Friday morning where a judge set his bond at $35,000 and ordered that he not have any contact with the victim or any minors and to stay away from all schools.
“Broward County Public Schools takes all matters involving student safety seriously and is deeply disturbed by the allegations involving this individual,” the school district said in a statement to Local 10 News. “On May 1, 2026, Basil Billings was placed on administrative reassignment away from the school and students, due to the ongoing investigation. The District will take all appropriate future actions, up to and including termination, based on the outcome of the case.
“Broward County Public Schools continues to work closely with law enforcement regarding this matter and defers to Fort Lauderdale Police for any additional information.”
He didn’t have anything to say to Local 10’s Samiar Nefzi after he was released from jail on a $35,000 bond.
A judge ordered Billings to stay away from the victim and any school.
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