DAYTON — A high school band teacher who is off the job without pay tonight is accused of sexually assaulting a student.
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That’s according to new internal documents the I-Team received.
Those same documents also show Dayton Public Schools is asking one of its sitting board members questions as part of its ongoing internal investigation.
A personnel file details what Belmont band teacher Nathaniel Williams-Rolack is accused of.
In a document that came the day after the district told him he was on leave, this letter tells him he’s the focus of a “formal complaint that includes allegations of sexual assault.”
Specifically, the document says the allegations are that he “made inappropriate verbal comments to the victim” and “called the victim into a room privately before departing for a band event” and then “forced himself on the victim and performed non-consensual oral sex while the victim requested him to stop.”
DPS Superintendent David Lawrence confirms to the I-Team the allegations involve a student victim.
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The file also includes screen grabs of social media posts from that student.
After describing that non-consensual sex act, the post says of Williams-Rolack: “he was trying to bribe me saying, ‘I’ll buy you a switch and put you on my family plan’ basically trying to bribe me to be quiet.”
“This feels like a culmination of a multi-state failure to properly vet who’s going to be around our kids,” Joe Behymer, Belmont High School parent said.
At a DPS board meeting the I-Team was at Tuesday night, several parents accused board member Eric Walker of knowing about this problem before it came out.
“Like I said, somebody saw it, said,’ Oh well, and still let it go. That’s unacceptable,’ Toksa Ivory said.
As the I-Team has previously reported, Williams-Rolack is facing a charge in Oak Park, Michigan, from 2020 of felony ‘criminal sexual conduct third degree person 13 through 15.’
The internal DPS documents include screen grabs of social media comments from Walker saying, among other things in public posts:
“... the first situation was done in Michigan, the consent was there, they dismissed it so that’s what it is.”
But court staff and the prosecutor’s office in Michigan have confirmed to the I-Team that it’s an open case with an open bench warrant.
The internal DPS documents also include a letter from the district’s executive director of human resources addressed to Walker regarding the internal investigation focused on Williams-Rolack.
Asking Walker to provide facts and documentation, including asking him at one point:
“Have any students, guardians, or staff members provided you with direct reports, complaints or communication regarding ... the employees’ involvement with students outside standard school programming?”
Walker refused to talk to the I-Team on camera.
He said in an emailed statement:
“After further consideration, I am going to respectfully decline the request for an on-camera interview. However, I do want to provide some clarity regarding the nature and extent of my prior knowledge.
Mr. Williams and I attended college together. Prior to assuming office on the Dayton Board of Education in January 2024, I had heard information concerning the allegations through third-party conversations involving former college friends and acquaintances. I had no firsthand knowledge of the alleged circumstances, and my understanding was limited to information shared informally by others.
Some of those conversations included claims regarding the alleged disposition of the matter and the nature of the relationship. However, those accounts were secondhand, and I had not independently verified their accuracy. To my knowledge, I was not aware of the reported outstanding warrant or the status of an open criminal case in Michigan until that information subsequently surfaced through public research.
I want to be clear that I recognize the seriousness of these allegations, particularly when they involve the safety and well-being of students. My commitment to student safety, accountability, and due process remains unchanged. I also believe it is important to distinguish between information obtained through informal conversations and facts established through official proceedings.
I acknowledge Board President William Bailey’s recent public comments regarding the Board’s consideration of this matter. I agree that decisions of this magnitude require careful consideration of the relevant facts, applicable policies, and appropriate procedures. Any employment-related determination should be based on verified information and the responsibilities entrusted to us as members of the Board of Education.
Given the ongoing nature of the criminal proceedings and related administrative matters, I believe it is appropriate to exercise discretion regarding further public commentary. My decision to decline an interview should not be interpreted as a lack of concern, an unwillingness to be accountable, or a departure from my responsibilities as an elected official.
I remain committed to serving the students, families, and community of Dayton Public Schools with fairness, integrity, and sound judgment.
Thank you for your understanding and continued professionalism.”
Dayton police arrested Williams-Rolack on suspicion of sexual battery, but he was let out of jail after Montgomery County prosecutors asked for more investigation.
That criminal DPD investigation is still open.
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