A drama teacher at Mineral Springs Middle School is facing charges of sexual misconduct with a student and possession of firearms by a felon, the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office said yesterday.
Ralph David Surridge, 57, of 2295 Jay Dee Drive in Winston-Salem, was being held in the Forsyth County jail on a $2 million bond from the two sets of charges. His first court appearance is set for Tuesday.
Deputies began investigating Thursday after a school-system administrator contacted the sheriff's office to report allegations of an inappropriate relationship between a teacher and a student at Mineral Springs.
Surridge has worked for the school system for seven years, all of those years at Mineral Springs, said Theo Helm, a spokesman for the school system. Parents at the school were called and told about the charges against Surridge.
The school system will hold a press conference today, Helm said.
Surridge had been convicted of embezzlement in New Hanover County in 1985 and was sentenced to six months and three years probation, according to court records.
Every school-system employee and volunteer is subject to criminal background checks, Helm said, but employment within the school system would depend on the type of felony.
For example, someone convicted of embezzlement would not be considered for positions that involved handling money. But that person would be able to work as a teacher, he said.
Authorities say the charges made Saturday all stem from incidents with one student.
The charges include 10 counts relating to sexual misconduct, including five counts of indecent liberties with a child, three counts of taking indecent liberties with a student and one count each of sexual offense with a student and statutory sexual offense with a minor. All of these charges are felonies.
Yesterday, investigators added firearm charges after finding three rifles and two handguns that they said belonged to Surridge.
Don Martin, the superintendent of the school system, said that Surridge has been suspended with pay until the school system completes its investigation.
He said that the student who was allegedly involved with Surridge is female.
Martin said he does not know where the misconduct took place.
"We certainly try to be vigilant. We certainly train and talk to our teachers," he said.
"It's one of things you can never predict."
mgiunca@wsjournal.com
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