Student says Clovis teacher sexually groped her. Attorney says it was misunderstood ‘hug’

The attorney defending a Clovis teacher accused of sexual misconduct said his client wouldn’t accept any plea deals, and the allegations involve a hug that he says the student misinterpreted.

Kenneth Kong Lee, a Hmong language teacher at Clovis East High School, has pleaded not guilty to a felony count of lewd acts upon a child and a misdemeanor child molestation charge.

If convicted, Lee could be forced to register as a sex offender, according to the criminal complaint filed by the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office.

Lee’s attorney, Roger Nuttall, described Lee as a caring teacher who admitted he did at times give side hugs and shake hands with his students but not sexually or inappropriately. He said the hug with the student that is accusing Lee was misinterpreted.

Jerry Stanley, Fresno County’s assistant district attorney, said prosecutors could not comment on the case because it remains ongoing.

Lee worked as a high school teacher for 20 years, and never had any problems with students, according to Nuttall.

“There have been offers to settle the criminal case,” he said, “and I simply have told the prosecutor that the only way to settle is if the charges are dismissed because we believe that not only my client’s not guilty, but we have a very defensible case.”

Lee has been examined by a forensic psychologist, according to Nuttall, and does not present as a “sexual predator or deviant,” he said.

Nuttall said more than 50 supporters show up in court in support of Lee.

“We have statements, many, many letters of support from other students to the type of teacher (he is), very supportive letters from parents of students supporting him and then a myriad of other letters from members of the community who speak very highly of him as well,” he said.

According to the criminal complaint, Fresno prosecutors believe Lee inappropriate touched the alleged victim on multiple occasions between March 1 and Dec. 11, 2018.

Lee has been on compulsory unpaid leave since the day after the allegations emerged in December 2018, CUSD officials have confirmed.

“Any allegation involving misconduct by an employee is acted upon immediately, and we involve all appropriate law enforcement and public safety experts quickly to ensure thorough and timely action is taken, Kelly Avants, CUSD’s spokesperson, said previously.

Avants said the district took “immediate action at the time that the allegation was raised to involve law enforcement in conducting an investigation.”

In April, the alleged victim filed a lawsuit against Lee and the Clovis Unified School District seeking unspecified damages in connection with Lee’s alleged misconduct.

According to the lawsuit, Lee was working as a Hmong language teacher in the fall of 2018 when, in the classroom, he touched the teenager’s breast and buttocks while appearing to comfort the girl over some of her personal troubles.

The alleged victim says Lee touched her buttocks on multiple occasions, including at least once when “other students were present in the classroom,” according to the lawsuit. The suit does not say whether any other students witnessed the incident.

However, on Friday, Nuttall said, “no other student reported seeing anything inappropriate happening.”

The 53-year-old Lee remains free on bail and is set to appear again on June 30 in Fresno County Superior Court, according to court records.

This story was originally published April 30, 2021 at 3:11 PM.