Sex charges filed against Calabasas theater arts teacher

 

Ward Fletcher Reel, a former theater arts teacher at Calabasas High School, has been charged with misdemeanor sex offenses involving five underage girls.

After official charges were filed by the Los Angeles County district attorney's office earlier last month, Reel was placed on unpaid leave.

According to reports, Reel's alleged crimes occurred between Sept. 1, 2005 and March 8, 2006. The Las Virgenes Unified School District board met last Thursday to discuss the case and voted to place Reel on an immediate leave of absence.

Reel, who also worked as codirector of a summer theater camp at the school, was charged with unlawfully touching a female student, and annoying and molesting four other underage girls.

Deputy Superintendent Donald Zimring said Reel has been on leave since last year when the students' first allegations were made. Investigations by the sheriff's office and police department were underway for about 10 months before charges were filed.

"Upon the filing of the charge, the district has the right to place the employee in unpaid status, which was the purpose of the board meeting on Thursday," Zimring said.

In addition to placing the 52-year-old Reel on unpaid leave, the school board is required by the state penal code to suspend his credential and notify the Commission on Teacher Credentialing.

"Whether or not the employee is convicted, the Commission on Teacher Credentialing could initiate an action to revoke the employee's credential," the district's summary said. "Given possible action by the commission, and a possible criminal conviction, no action to initiate dismissal proceedings against the employee is needed at this time."

The Calabasas Summer Theater lists Reel as a staff member. Reel's biography on the site states he was a child actor in the Midwest and has worked in several theater productions and television commercials.

At Calabasas High School, according to his biography, Reel taught theater, stagecraft and screenwriting.

STORY UPDATE: Sept. 19, 2008:

All criminal charges against Reel were later dropped in a plea arrangement . On July 18, 2008, the civil case relating to these charges against Las Virgenes Unified School District was dismissed, and on July 25, 2008, the civil case against Reel was similarly dismissed.