A Broward first-grade teacher is accused for the second time of inappropriate touching

A first-grade teacher at a Lauderhill school has been charged with lewd and lascivious conduct with a student. The arrest report says detectives were told the teacher had just returned to the classroom after a similar allegation was investigated.

Lake Worth Beach resident Damian Francis, 44, was arrested Monday, seven months after a student’s complaint that Francis rubbed her legs when she wore a dress or skirt first summoned Lauderhill police to Endeavour Primary Learning Center, 2701 NW 56th St.

He remains in Broward County Main Jail on $65,000 bond. Online court records don’t list Francis’ attorney yet.

“The District is aware of the arrest,” a Broward County Public Schools email to the Miami Herald said. “This individual is being reassigned to a position away from the school and students. We defer to the Lauderhill Police Department for any additional information.”

Francis has worked for the school district since May 12, 2003. He was a substitute teacher at various schools for two years before joining the faculty at Westwood Heights Elementary School in Fort Lauderdale as a first-grade teacher in 2005. Over nine years there, Francis moved from teaching first grade to second grade in 2006; second grade to third grade in 2007; and remained as a third-grade teacher until moving to Endeavour in July 2014.

Two girls’ stated problem with their teacher

The probable cause affidavit says after the student told Lauderhill police on March 2 that Francis had a habit of rubbing her lower legs and ankles when she stood behind his desk, which blocked the view of other students, Lauderhill police assigned Detective Tarra Walker.

Walker wrote in the affidavit that she reached out to Broward Schools Special Investigative Unit Detective Thomas Honan because they’d worked a case earlier involving similar allegations about Francis. Online court records show no previous charges had been filed against Francis.

The probable cause affidavit says on March 14, then-assistant principal Marisa Dukes relayed to Walker what the student told her: Francis had rubbed her legs twice when she came to his desk for help. After doing so, Francis would provide her with the right answer.

Dukes, the affidavit said, claimed Francis didn’t give a statement to her and called for his union representative. Dukes told Walker that Francis had returned to his classroom in January after being removed for two or three months during the investigation of the previous allegation. Dukes also said the two students accusing Francis didn’t know each other.

“Dukes stated that there is an internal investigation going on within the school by Broward County Schools Special Investigations Unit and that SIU is responsible for reassigning Francis during this investigation,” the probable cause affidavit said.

The affidavit also gave a partial transcript of Francis’ answers during a March 24 interview at the Lauderhill police station. That transcript says Francis said he hugged students, that he “kinda touched” the area one of the girls claimed he’d touched; that he touched the stomach of one of the girls; and said “I shouldn’t have been hugging or touching them.”

Endeavour’s website still listed Francis as a first-grade teacher as of Tuesday. But the website shows that the school year began with a new assistant principal and principal at Endeavour.