JSHS coach charged

BY JIM MUSTIAN
THE DAILY IBERIAN
Published/Last Modified on Thursday, October 15, 2009 2:09 PM CDT

Iberia Parish detectives arrested the head basketball coach of Jeanerette Senior High School Wednesday on charges he had sex with a 17-year-old student.

Dwayne Bernard, 29, 1006 Troy Road, New Iberia, was booked on 17 counts of felony carnal knowledge of a juvenile and three counts of prohibited sexual conduct between an educator and a student. He posted a $50,000 bond and was released late Wednesday from the Iberia Parish Jail.

Iberia Parish sheriff’s officials this morning said the relationship began in August 2008 when the girl was 16 and that most of the sexual activity occurred at Bernard’s home in New Iberia.

The school learned of the alleged sexual activity and notified the Iberia Parish School Board, said Capt. Wendell Raborn, a Sheriff’s Office spokesman. The board then contacted detectives, and Bernard voluntarily went to the Sheriff’s Office Wednesday for an interview. Raborn said Bernard did not admit to the charges and asked for a lawyer. The girl also was interviewed, Raborn said.

It was not clear this morning whether Bernard would be fired. The coach was placed on paid leave pending a School Board investigation, Iberia Parish Schools Superintendent Dale Henderson said this morning.

“This certainly on face value would appear to be something that is disappointing and serious,” Henderson said. “We don’t take these matters lightly.”

Henderson said the board will conduct an administrative hearing to determine whether Bernard will be terminated.

“There’s a process to follow,” Henderson said. “Since it involves one of our employees it becomes a personnel matter, and until a recommendation is made it’s confidential.”

Cynthia Antoine, principal of Jeanerette Senior High School, declined to comment this morning.

Bernard was entering his third season as coach of the boys basketball team. He previously coached the boys basketball team at Loreauville High School. He faces up to 10 years in prison for each count of felony carnal knowledge. Each count of prohibited sexual conduct between an educator and a student carries up to six months jail time.

Bernard has an unpublished telephone number and could not be reached this morning for comment.

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Comments

Not alittle girl wrote on Oct 29, 2009 9:37 AM:

" Why do you all keep calling her a little girl as if she were a child..This is a young adult who got caught up in a situtation that she knew was wrong. Why isn't she charged? I'm tried of hearing the poor me from these kids trying to be adults too soon. Where the heck were her parents in all this? They should be charged too for not keeping tabs on their daughter. Grant it the adult should have taken the other road but come on the YOUNG adult should have known better too. "

LOL wrote on Oct 24, 2009 11:33 AM:

" "to reasonable" what gives you the impression that the girl pursued him?? Did it ever cross your small mind that he could have pursued her??? I bet it did not. You never bothered to think that she probably had alot going on and needed comfort and found comfort in this guy. I bet you did not. "

Reasonable wrote on Oct 23, 2009 11:58 PM:

" It is ALWAYS the adult's resopnisibility to do what's right. But that lil fast-behind girl isn't 4yrs old. She knew what was going on and persued this man. Either she wasn't taught the right things at home or she chose to ignore the teachings. When I was 16y/o i knew EXACTLY what my i was doing and knew if it was right/wrong. The adult in this situation is 100% at fault, but this young lady(and I use the term loosely) also had a hand in those goings on. "

Ms Too Blessed wrote on Oct 22, 2009 9:31 AM:

" How could anyone think that the little girl is wrong. No matter what went on she is still a little girl and he is an adult. He should have never let anything take place with her even if she started it. Any adult with common sense would not mess with a child. That is just against all ethics. I do think maybe the girl should get some counseling. This man had complete control over this little girl's mind. "

Get A Life wrote on Oct 21, 2009 11:08 AM:

" None of you people even asked the girls side of the story. You never once bothered to think about what was going on in her life. The type of companioship that she might have needed and longed for. What obstacles she faced. But what you did do was sit here and form an opinion about the girl. I would like to see what you would have to say if it were your daughter,son,niece,nephew,sister, brother, or cousin. What would you have to say then?? Put yourself in her shoes. "

factfiction wrote on Oct 19, 2009 8:56 PM:

" if at 17 a child is old enough to be tried as an adult the are old enough to consent to sex as an adult "

Anonymous wrote on Oct 19, 2009 1:34 PM:

" Innocent until proven guilty. "

mrs. bell wrote on Oct 18, 2009 3:01 AM:

" at age 15, i and many of my classmates were infatuated with a certain teacher...i tried to get his attention.....and if he'd given me any indication that he was interested, i think i would have willingly submitted my innocence....who's wrong? (me) because i was taught that GIRLS should conduct themselves in a respectable manner....today's little girls are not taught the same values .......the average male can become provoked into doing inappropiate things....my advice to these little girls who try acting as adults is to DON'T GO AFTER WHAT YOU SHOULDN'T & CAN'T HAVE and STAY IN YOUR PLACE!!!! "

referee wrote on Oct 17, 2009 8:20 AM:

" Dear Judge Judy,
This is not the "norm" in New Iberia, NOR HAS THEIR BEEN A CONVICTION OF GUILTY! "

icallbs wrote on Oct 16, 2009 8:01 PM:

" UNBELIEVABLE you speak of the impact that the emotional side will carry....guess what every other time in human mankind history, a teenager is held accountable for his or her own actions...but yet when something like this happens...it is the adult only?. i will agree the adult bares the heavier responsibilty say 51 percent. she should bare as much responsiblity as the adult...if they robbed a bank together, do you think she would walk? hahaha..i didnt think so..JUDGE JUDY...so are you saying that in other states where 16 is legal then its okay? :-).. "

factfiction wrote on Oct 16, 2009 7:19 PM:

" MS REDD...you said a mouthful "

Valerie wrote on Oct 16, 2009 4:09 PM:

" A child of sixteen cannot consent to sexual activity with adults. Any adult who engages in sexual activity with a child is performing a criminal and immoral act which never can be considered normal or socially acceptable behavior. "

Candy wrote on Oct 16, 2009 3:57 PM:

" I think at the age of 16 and 17 the girl new what she was doing, I was married at 16. So she should carry a charge just like him, especially if she was just mad at him for some reason, the authorities need to check that out also. I think that would be pretty sorry for him to receive a charge and the girl walk free, if she is the one that broke the silence it sure to her a long time, and evidently she was willing "

Judge Judy wrote on Oct 16, 2009 3:24 PM:

" First off Right is Right and Wrong is Wrong. She is a student and someone's daughter!
I don't care if she came on to him or whatever! The Law is The Law. There is no excuse.

Teachers should be held to a higher standard. What would become of the school system if we condone teacher having inappropriate relationships with students!!
The problem is that this is the norm in the Iberia Parish School System. ! I'm sorry he had to be the one to get caught.
I pray for him, her, families "

Latonya wrote on Oct 16, 2009 1:53 PM:

" This is not good at all. He started sleeping with this female when she was 16. HE is the grown up here, not her. True enough, she deserves some punishment, but HE had the upper hand in this. And what does a grown man see in a child. Now this girl will go on with her life and his career will be ruined and his reputation tarnished. I feel bad for the fiance.... "

outraged wrote on Oct 16, 2009 11:57 AM:

" I understand he is an adult and should have drawn the line between him and his students, but the young lady that is making these accusation she have spoken up when it first happen. She consented to having sex with this young man and now that he is engaged to be married she has a problem with it so now she wants to cry out. If she say she was afraid of him, all she had to do was go to the principal, police, tell her parents and I am sure she would have been protected, but shewasenjoyingwhatshewasgetting. "

Ms. Redd wrote on Oct 16, 2009 11:39 AM:

" Nobody put a gun to the 17 year old head and say have sex with Mr. Bernard. If she went to his house like they say, she knew what she was getting into. It does take two to get to the nitty gritty. Now how i see it is they will make up lies to put the man in jail and its ashame. Little girls need to stay in a childs place and stop selling their bodies "

UNBELIEVABLE wrote on Oct 16, 2009 11:16 AM:

" I can not believe I am hearing people respond that the young girl should be charged and that she is just as at fault. People as educators, it is their responsibility to ACT AS THE ADULT. It is the TEACHERS responsibility to say 'NO' and not let these boundaries get crossed. I am an adult now and I guarantee you I did not understand the emotional impact sex would have but only the physical impact at that age. At some point later, when she has matured, the emotional impact of this will hit her. "

LMAFO wrote on Oct 16, 2009 10:07 AM:

" I put it like this if he got punished then she should get punished also. It takes two to screw. I think she felt played because he was getting married. Its not his fault he got dat good. I thiink she just WEENIE whipped. LOL "

voiceofreason wrote on Oct 16, 2009 9:06 AM:

" the girl should be held with equal penalties as of the coach. no one will speak of the how women abuse "their" power to lure men into sex. no one will ever talk about that. think about it. who decides 99 percent of the time who does what with whom and where does the power really lay with? women. They should prohibit her from ever going back to school because she preys on adult men instead of boys her age. his career is ruined, so why cant her future career be ruined also by not allowing her at school anymore? "

indian wrote on Oct 16, 2009 8:50 AM:

" That's sad even though I don't know all the facts he was wrong. A teacher should never get involved with a student. It's sad to even know that it happen. I hope that sends a message out to any other teacher who may be doing the same thing. However if the mom did know about it she's just as wrong and legal action should be taken against her as well. "

saywutuwant wrote on Oct 16, 2009 8:24 AM:

" i have had enough of the bs over the coach this and coach did that. let me say this. i believe for one that most young women by age 16 and older, not younger "know exactly" what they are doing! Now our laws in lousiana dont allow a yong woman to be legal until age 17 while other states have a younger age of consent. i do feel this is wrong that he gets arrested and not the 17yr old. he never forced her to do anything but yet he is in jail and not her? "

ABOUT TIME wrote on Oct 16, 2009 7:10 AM:

" at disgusting...you are right. It's been going on at JSHS since the late 80's it's just coming to light. Don't be suprise if more allegations surface. "

franklinite wrote on Oct 16, 2009 7:08 AM:

" why wasn't the mother charged with carnal knowledge?she's as much to blame.oh i know,she never knew.yea right "

DISGUSTING wrote on Oct 15, 2009 10:28 PM:

" This is not the first time a coach has had sex with a student. But first timt caught84Mr4 "

NightNurse wrote on Oct 15, 2009 9:59 PM:

" "It was not clear this morning whether Bernard would be fired. The coach was placed on paid leave pending a School Board investigation, Iberia Parish Schools Superintendent Dale Henderson said this morning."

What??? Paid with OUR money??? "

school members wrote on Oct 15, 2009 8:23 PM:

" the word is that she scratch his truck up because she heard he is getting married. why she cant go to jail. for doing that she need to be charge for vandeloism. thats sadd. then i heard that her mom knew bout it and approve of it, but when dwayne couldnt support her moms drug habit she took him down "

WOW wrote on Oct 15, 2009 7:29 PM:

" Ok, and what about the girl? Last time I checked it took 2 to tango. This mans life is ruined if it's true, and yes if he did di it, it was very wrong and disgusting, but the girls hands are clean? Can anyone say Scarlet Letter? Children these days are FAST! Having sex early and are not ashamed to say it. "

WHY NOW wrote on Oct 15, 2009 5:04 PM:

" When will people learn to cut the snakes head off when it's young? Why is it people come out and say things only after the Perv is caught! "

anonomous wrote on Oct 15, 2009 3:17 PM:

" About Time!!!!! When I went to school there he was sleeping around with a few girls, in my class and higher classes. Perv. "

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JSHS coach charged

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