THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, January 22, 1997 TAG: 9701220383
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JON GLASS, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: 51 lines
The family of Walter H. Green Jr., a popular Maury High School teacher and coach who faces sex-related charges involving a 16-year-old student, on Tuesday maintained his innocence.
``These are allegations, which means that's only one side of the story, and we will have our day in court - that's the American way,'' Green's father, Walter H. Green Sr., said.
Tuesday proved ``bittersweet,'' said his mother, Alveta V. Green, a retired educator who was sworn in to fill a vacant seat on the city School Board just hours after her son appeared in Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court.
She read a poem called ``Teacher's Prayer,'' which included this excerpt: ``I want to teach my students how - To live this life on earth - To face its struggles and its strife. . . .''
She said later: ``You have to deal with those struggles and strife like the poem says. Now I need to take that advice myself . . . .''
Norfolk police charged her son Monday with three counts of taking indecent liberties with a female student. The girl has told officials that she became pregnant after the alleged sexual encounters in early December.
Green's father said the girl's allegations are groundless.
``He's never been in any trouble, he's a model person, and we are behind him 100 percent,'' the senior Green said.
The elder Green accompanied his son to court, where Judge William P. Williams scheduled an April 3 preliminary hearing.
The younger Green, 36, who is out on bond, declined comment.
The arrest has stunned Maury students and parents, who heaped praise on the younger Green, an English teacher and track coach in his second year at Maury.
``I don't believe it; I'm in shock,'' said Maury junior Victoria Holden, a member of the track team. ``He's such a good coach.''
Dwayne Miller, who worked with Green as a volunteer assistant track coach, said he didn't believe the charges.
``It's just not in his character to do things of that nature,'' Miller said.
Miller said he and Green often talked about how careful they had to be as men coaching high school girls' sports.
``You have to be careful about what you do and say, and he was very careful about that,'' Miller said.
Green has been suspended without pay pending the case's outcome. His pay will be held in escrow and given to him if he is found innocent, Superintendent Dr. Roy D. Nichols Jr. said. MEMO: Staff writer Denise Watson contributed to this story
KEYWORDS: SEX CRIME CHILD MOLESTER MAURY HIGH
SCHOOL ARREST