FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (SOUTH FLORIDA SUN SENTINEL) — A Dillard High School reading teacher was arrested Thursday, accused of trying to have an inappropriate relationship with a minor student, police said.
Basil Billings, 62, was booked into the Broward Main Jail on one count of offense against a student by an authority figure and one count of lewd or lascivious touching of a minor between 16 and 17 years old, jail records show.
Fort Lauderdale Police and Broward County Schools Police investigated “a series of incidents” Billings had with a student while he was a teacher at the school, police department spokesperson Casey Liening said in a statement Friday.
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Billings allegedly made inappropriate comments, gave the student notes and physically touched the student, Liening said.
The police department did not provide further information about the investigation or the allegations. Court records were not available Friday afternoon.
Billings was placed on administrative assignment away from the school on May 1 while the investigation was ongoing, Broward County Public Schools spokesperson Cathleen Brennan said in an email.
Billings was initially hired in 2004 as a substitute teacher with the school district and was rehired in 2009 as a reading resource teacher at Dillard High School, Brennan said. He has worked at the school since.
“Broward County Public Schools takes all matters involving student safety seriously and is deeply disturbed by the allegations involving this individual The District will take all appropriate future actions, up to and including termination, based on the outcome of the case,” the school district’s statement said.
Billings was arrested at a Broward County Public Schools Administration office on Thursday and remained in the Main Jail as of Friday.