Curtis Buell
(8/23/07 - Initial BBT Report)
Curtis Neal Buell, 26, a former chemistry teacher at Churchill High School, in Eugene, Oregon has been found guilty of 15 counts of sexual abuse of two 17 year old female students. The sexual abuse occurred during the 2005 and 2006 school years
Buell was accused of touching the girls over and under their clothing, performing oral sex on one girl and having a girl touch his genitals. Police indicate that the vast majority of the sexual abuse took place at the school but that one incident happened at his home.
After a day of deliberation the jury found Buell guilty of 11 counts of sex abuse in the third degree and four counts of sex abuse in the second degree.
Sentencing is set for October 17th following a pre-sentencing investigation. The second degree counts carry a maximum five-year prison term each and the third degree counts carry a maximum term of one year each.
Buell will be required to register as a sex offender.
Buell, who worked at Churchill for three years and who also taught drama and coached club volleyball, was placed on administrative leave in October of last year when Eugene detectives began their investigation after one girl shared some details with her boyfriend, he told his parents, and they contacted authorities.
He resigned from his job as chemistry teacher, effective January 31. Buell was arrested in Camas, Washington where he was working in a cabinet shop. Buell waived extradition back to Eugene to face the charges.
10/31/07 - Sentencing
Lane County Judge Gregory Foote on Tuesday sentenced Buell to two years in prison, five years supervised probation and ordered that Buell must register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.
Buell came to the attention of authorities when one of the girls shared some details with her boyfriend who told his parents, and they contacted school administrators and police.
At Buell’s sentencing, Judge Foote thanked the boy for having the courage to report the abuse.
Erik Hasselman, deputy district attorney in Lane County, said of Buell’s relationship with the victims, “The crime’s particularly egregious because parents just don’t send their kids to school to be abused or taken advantage of by their teachers. Although it could be argued that the contact was consensual, the balance of power is so disparate between a teacher and students that it’s hard to conclude these young ladies had the same power to say no as they would have had in a traditional relationship.”
References:
Eugene chemistry teacher sentenced to prison for sex abuse (10/31/07)
Former Eugene teacher convicted of sexually abusing students (8/23/07)
Background:
Churchill students alleged abuse victims
March 3rd, 2008 at 2:40 pm
He is robbed of his father Garry who died of Melanoma Skin Cancer in the late 90’s, and his brother was dishonourably discharged from the Navy. He has had a tough life, and I took pity on him, but when he threatened to hit me over the head with a cricket bat, when I dated his Step mother for 4 years, I had great course for concern. He needs a father figure in his life. I couldn’t replace his father but I would have tried to be the father figure he so craved had his step mother not run off with her mechanic.
October 31st, 2007 at 1:04 pm
Though it was in bad judgement to have non-penetrative sex with his students. It doesn’t mean that he isn’t good with children. A child is someone under the age of 13, a teenager is between 13-19, and an adult is 18+, I figured this clarification isn’t necessary, though the responses say otherwise.
I don’t know the events surrounding the incident, though it is perfectly normal for men to be attracted to girls that are in their late teens, his bad judgement was acting on those feelings. This does not make him a monster. Yes he should lose his job for this, but by no means should he have his life ruined for it(the label of a sex offender).
The article says nothing of it being forceful, or unwanted by the girls. It could have easily been mutual masturbation, where all parties involved were sober enough to make the decission to partake. This doesn’t make him predatory, despite using his ‘power’ as a teacher.
I’m sorry to say this, but teachers don’t have power, and students …at least the smart ones… know this. If the girls were raped, then yes this is horrible, though if they went along for the ride, there is no one to blame here. 17 year old girls know they have more ‘power’ then their teachers.
Who writes a letter to someone they can’t be friends with? Just stop hanging out with the person.
August 23rd, 2007 at 11:44 pm
Thank God, thank God, thank God he’s been convicted. I worked with Mr. Buell for a year and a half in college, and the more I got to know him, the more I saw how he used his position of authority to take advantage of others. Some of my friends and I were taken in at first by his bizarre flambouancy; then we began to realize that his goofiness was a mask hiding something much darker. Disgusted with the way he abused others, I ended our friendship in 2001 and wrote him a long letter explaining why. I told him that I feared he would find legal trouble if he continued his behavior. I regret to see that I was right.
I am pleased that Mr. Buell has been convicted. Not because of the punishment he’ll receive (he will do VERY badly in prison), but because I know it will keep other people safe. After I stopped speaking to Mr. Buell, I struggled for months with the thought that he could be hurting more people, and that I couldn’t do anything to stop it. I eventually decided that the letter was my best hope for showing him how much pain he was causing people. I urged him to get professional help. He clearly didn’t seek the help he needs, but I hope one day he will. Until then, I’m grateful that he’s had a fair trial and that his sex-offender status will help protect other young women from falling under his influence in the future.
August 23rd, 2007 at 3:05 pm
Damn, I went to school with this guy. I always thought he had such a good report with the kids. Makes me ill to consider this. I hope his victims can find some solace in his conviction. I really don’t see him doing well in prison. I find some solace in that. I hate the legal system that gives people like Buell and his lawyer the opportunity to call the victims liars, question thier integrity and ,make them feel bad for standing up to teachers who abuse their power. As a teacher, we have a responsibility to protect our kids, provide them with a safe environment, and give them the tools to follow their dreams. When this happens, it taints all of us. I would urge everyone who has had an experience like this with a teacher to tell someone. The state licensing department is an excellent contact. As teachers, we are also mandatory reporters of child abuse. If you tell a teacher that another teacher has abused you and they don’t act by calling the state, they too can lose their license. The only way this sort of abuse stops is when someone comes forward. The victims that stand up to this sort of behavior are true heroes. I thank them for making this profession a place where we can be safe.
Note: This commented was edited slightly by webmaster to conform with the standards listed in the ‘About Comments’ page.