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Teacher pleads not guilty to failure to report sex abuse

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April 25th, 2017 by Ric Hanson

MARION, Iowa (AP) – A July trial has been scheduled for an Iowa kindergarten teacher who prosecutors say didn’t report that a 15-year-old volunteer sexually abused her students. Court records say 59-year-old Diane Graham has pleaded not guilty to failure to report child abuse. Her trial is set to begin July 31.

Court records say Graham was a teacher at Starry Elementary in Marion when two students told her in August that they were being abused by the volunteer. Prosecutors say Graham did not report the abuse, allowing it to continue for two more months.

The student volunteer was convicted as a juvenile last month of fondling three kindergarteners. His legal fate will be decided at a disposition hearing scheduled for Friday.