Trial set for teacher accused of threatening to fail student over sex

BRIGHTON – A high school teacher accused of threatening to fail a student if the boy did not perform a sex act on him is scheduled to go on trial in September.

Ralph Kelly, a Social Studies and German teacher at Brighton Collegiate High School, pleaded not guilty to sex assault on a child by a person in a position of trust. Kelly was arrested in December and released on a $1 million bond.

According to the arrest affidavit obtained by 9NEWS, a 16-year-old boy told Brighton Police that Kelly called him into a classroom during school hours and told him, "If you cherish your grades, you'll do what I say."

The affidavit says Kelly exposed himself, and the student performed oral sex on him for about five minutes.

It goes on to say Kelly then told the student he wanted to have sex with him and performed oral sex on the student for about five minutes.

Brighton Collegiate High School says Kelly was hired last spring and began teaching there last August.

The school placed him on administrative leave after his arrest.

Kelly is the third teacher at Brighton Collegiate High School, formerly known as Brighton Charter School, to be accused of sexually assaulting a student.

In separate cases in 2006, former teacher Carrie McCandless and former substitute teacher David Mundy, Jr. were convicted of having sexual contact with students.

Earlier this year, the Brighton School District decided to revoke the school's charter after administrators rejected a corrective action plan aimed at improving student safety.

The district later decided not to pull the charter and instead enter into dispute resolution with the school.