Taylor County Teacher Sentenced For Not Reporting Suspected Abuse

Even the man who prosecuted the case against him acknowledges 55-year-old Christopher Rucker is a good teacher.  

“A stellar person, actually, with no criminal history at all,” said Taylor County Prosecutor John Bord. 

But back in October, when a student told him about a sexual assault, Rucker did not report the suspected abuse – perhaps not understanding the severity.  

“The problem is, he’s mandated. Like I am, just like law enforcement is. Just like anybody in my office is a mandated reporter. You report. You don’t even question it,” Bord said. “It’s not difficult. You just pick up the phone and call, and the department gives you a number. You write that number down – you’ve reported.” 

This week, Rucker, a music teacher and band director at Grafton High School in Taylor County, pled guilty to failing to report suspected abuse of a student. 

Bord said the system relies on mandatory reporters to report suspected abuse every time.   

“If we don’t have reporters, then the problem is that potential child abuse goes undocumented. You’ve got to have a mechanism in place where adults see things happening to a child that would tell you something’s going on with this kid,” he added.  

Judge Shawn Hines suspended Rucker’s six-month jail sentence, gave him a year of probation, ordered him to speak to teachers at other Taylor County schools about the importance of mandatory reporting for any suspicion of abuse.