Cairo Association of Teachers - Newsletter

CAT Tracks for November 6, 2007 Ron Driemeier Update

Embattled superintendent says accusations are false

By Brian DeNeal, Staff Writer

GALATIA - Galatia Superintendent Ron Driemeier has been at his home in Milstadt on administrative leave since July 5. The school board has never stated publicly the reason for its decision for the leave and the hiring of an investigator to look into allegations involving Driemeier.

Driemeier on Wednesday said he learned he was being accused of child molestation from a former student of his at a Lutheran School in Washington County 25 years ago and said he was told he had to clear his name.

"I've spent a lot of time and effort with a sole focus on trying to help kids. It hits you, hits like a ton of bricks," Driemeier said in an interview in Okawville Wednesday.

Driemeier took a polygraph test and learned on Oct. 19 he had passed when he denied any sexual contact with his accuser. Now, with letters to newspapers and conversations with legislators, he is hoping to raise awareness of false accusations made to get even with teachers.

"If the accusation was I was too hard on them, that I was a strict disciplinarian, or if the kid was an athlete I coached and I ran them too hard, I'll tell you right now, I'm guilty," Driemeier said.

He denies ever engaging in sexual activities with any child, but believes this is the only type of accusation that gains attention.

"If you charge it was some kind of sexual thing, put that word into it, all of a sudden you're somebody," Driemeier said.

Since being placed on leave Driemeier said he has no contact with the investigator hired by the board or with any of the board members. He said all he knew to do was take a polygraph and get an attorney and wait and see.

"I wish somebody would say, ‘If I was in your place and had an accuser...' What should I do? Roll over and play dead?" he said.

"You wait and see and hope there are some fair-minded people out there."

The Galatia school board has denied a Freedom of Information Act request of the Daily Register/Daily Journal for a report on the investigation, stating the body has not received — and apparently does not expect to see ever see — a report.

Driemeier said he and his attorney have also not been provided a report.

The board had set a series of three meetings for this week for hearings, but canceled them. The board set a special meeting for tonight.

Driemeier said he has heard of many teachers falsely accused, but whose careers were destroyed.

"When the standard that is supposed to be innocent until proven guilty has flipped over into guilty until proven innocent, how do you do that?" Driemeier said.

He takes heart in the case of an Alton band teacher, Matthew Banks, 31, accused of misconduct with a student, but who cleared his name through a polygraph and who was reinstated as a teacher.

In Driemeier's first year at Galatia, the district settled a seven-year court battle with American Coal and he was preparing to look into possibilities of funding a new grade school, he said.

He hopes he can continue the grade school project. "I'm ready to go back to work tomorrow. We have done a lot in a year and we have a lot more to do," he said.

He has also indicated in a letter to the editor he is willing to be wrongfully punished in the effort to catch pedophiles, but the national trend of false accusations motivates him to speak out and push for changes in procedures.

"I'm all in favor of throwing pedophiles in jail and throwing away the key.

"But people who make false accusations, for whatever reason, maybe they should have the same fate," he said.