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| 150 Attend Alabama Church Forum to Discuss Concerns over Teacher's Arrest on Sex Abuse Charges
The Republic
January 22, 2012
http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/2310857e46b7485ea26d96ff1c02f07f/AL--Teacher-Sexual-Abuse-Charges/
ALABASTER, Ala. — More than 150 people attended a forum Sunday at an Alabama church to discuss a former teacher who's accused of abusing students.
The gathering took place in the 800-seat worship center at Westwood Baptist Church in Alabaster. The meeting was meant to provide a public forum to both answer questions about molestation and help the community cope with the allegations.
Danny Acker, who's charged with molesting four female students during his 25-year career as a fourth-grade teacher, also served as a youth pastor at the church.
Police have said Acker, 49, told them that he abused more than 20 girls in all, but that no abuse occurred at the church. He retired from teaching in 2009 but continued to drive a school bus until his arrest earlier this month.
Alabaster Mayor David Frings said it was important to have a discussion on preventing child abuse because of the "shocking" charges.
"I wish it was a different subject. I wish it was a topic we didn't have to talk about, but we do have to talk about it," said Frings.
The panel included Shannon Rumley, 35, who said she was abused by a relative as a child but didn't tell anyone for 25 years out of embarrassment and shame. Children need to know they can report abuse, she said.
Alabaster Mayor David Frings said at the
meeting that it was important to have a
discussion on preventing child abuse because of
the "shocking" charges.
"We have to empower our children," said Rumley, a mother of two.
Jenny Funderburke, children's minister at Westwood, put the allegations in biblical terms, noting that the Bible speaks of light and darkness.
"In the last few weeks there's been a lot of darkness in our community," said Funderburke.
Acker served at the church in the early '90s, around the time allegations from a student first surfaced. At that time, a grand jury didn't indict him and the county school board voted to reinstate Acker following a suspension.
Police said the new charges involve four females, including the former student whose claims prompted the investigation of Acker in the early 90s.
Well-known as a longtime educator in his Birmingham bedroom community of 30,000, Acker was popular both with church members and school students, many of whom considered him a favorite teacher.
Acker's lawyer, Barry Alvis, has not responded to repeated messages seeking comment, and Acker hasn't filed documents in court indicating how he will answer the allegations.
Acker, facing six felony child abuse charges, is jailed in Shelby County with bond set at $745,000. His father is a longtime member of the Shelby County Commission.
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